# US 9,429,774 B2 · Optic modulator and method of manufacturing the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,429,774 B2 - Document ID: US9429774B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/726,143 - Filed: 2015-05-29 - Published: 2015-12-03 - Granted: 2016-08-30 - Earliest claimed: 2014-05-29 - Assignees: SK hynix Inc.; Seoul National University R&Db Foundation - Applicants: SK hynix Inc.; Seoul National University R&DB Foundation - Inventors: Jong-Ho Lee; Keon Yoo - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9429774B2 ## CPC - G02F 1/011: {in optical waveguides, not otherwise provided for in this subclass} - G02B 6/12: of the integrated circuit kind (electric integrated circuits H10B, H10D84/00 - H10D89/00, H10F19/00, H10F39/00, H10H29/00, H10K19/00, H10K39/00, H10K59/00, H10N19/00, H10N39/00, H10N59/00, H10N69/00, H10N79/00, H10N89/00) - G02F 1/025: in an optical waveguide structure (G02F1/017, {G02F1/2257} take precedence) - G02B 2006/12123: {Diode} - G02B 2006/12142: {Modulator} - G02F: OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract An optic modulator may include: an optical waveguide including a ridge-shaped portion having a first region and a second region over the first region; a slab-shaped portion being in contact with a first region of the ridge-shaped portion; an optical waveguide electrode forming a Schottky contact with a second region of the ridge-shaped portion; metal plugs being in contact with the slab-shaped portion and the optical waveguide electrode, respectively; and metal pads connected to the respective metal plugs. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An optic modulator comprising: an optical waveguide comprising a ridge-shaped portion having a first region and a second region over the first region; a slab-shaped portion being in contact with a first region of the ridge-shaped portion; an optical waveguide electrode forming a Schottky contact with a second region of the ridge-shaped portion; metal plugs being in contact with the slab-shaped portion and its the optical waveguide electrode, respectively; and metal pads connected to the respective metal plugs. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The optic modulator of claim 1, wherein the optical waveguide electrode comprises a conductive material optical transparency. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The optic modulator of claim 1, wherein the optical waveguide electrode comprises ITO (Indium Tin Oxide). ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The optic modulator of claim 1, wherein the contact area between the ridge-shaped portion and the optical waveguide electrode is larger than the contact area between the ridge-shaped portion and the slab-shaped portion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The optic modulator of claim 1, further comprising: a semiconductor substrate; and an insulating layer over the semiconductor substrate, wherein the optical waveguide and the slab-shaped portion are positioned over the insulating layer. ### Claim 6 The optic modulator of claim wherein slab-shaped portion comprises: a first slab-shaped portion being in contact with one side of the first region of the ridge-shaped portion; and a second slab-shaped portion being in contact with the other side of the first region of the ridge-shaped portion. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The optic modulator of claim 1, wherein the ridge-shaped portion comprises an undoped intrinsic silicon layer, and the slab-shaped portion comprises an extrinsic silicon layer doped with an N-type dopant. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The optic modulator of claim 1, wherein the ridge-shaped portion and the slab-shaped portion have different thicknesses while being in horizontal contact with each other. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The optic modulator of claim 1, wherein the cross-section of the optical waveguide has a smaller size than the effective wavelength of light passing through the optical waveguide. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The optic modulator of claim 1, wherein the slab-shaped portion and the first region of the ridge-shaped portion have the same thickness, and the slab-shaped portion has a smaller thickness than the second region of the ridge-shaped portion. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The optic modulator of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor substrate, the optical waveguide, and the slab-shaped portion comprise silicon, SiGe, or compound semiconductor. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The optic modulator of claim 1, wherein the optic modulator has a one-side structure in which the slab-shaped portion is in contact with one side of the first region of the ridge-shaped portion. ### Claim 13 An optic modulator comprising: a Schottky diode comprising a ridge-shaped portion containing intrinsic silicon, a slab-shaped portion being in contact with a first region of the ridge-shaped portion and containing extrinsic silicon, and ITO forming a Schottky contact with a second region of the ridge-shaped portion; metal plugs being in contact with the slab-shaped portion and the optical waveguide electrode, respectively; and metal pads connected to the respective metal plugs. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The optic modulator of claim 13, wherein the contact area between the ridge-shaped portion and ITO is larger than the contact area between the ridge-shaped portion and the slab-shaped portion. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The optic modulator of claim 13, wherein the slab-shaped portion comprises: a first slab-shaped portion being in contact with one side of the first region of the ridge-shaped portion and containing first extrinsic silicon; and a second slab-shaped portion being in contact with the other side of the first region of the ridge-shaped portion and containing second extrinsic silicon. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The optic modulator of claim 13, wherein the second region of the ridge-shaped portion has a larger thickness than the first region of the ridge-shaped portion, and the first region and the slab-shaped portion have the same thickness. ### Claim 17 An optic modulator comprising: an optical waveguide comprising a ridge-shaped portion having a first region and a second region over the first region; a slab-shaped portion being in contact with the first region of the ridge-shaped portion; an electrode covering the top surface and both sidewalls of the second region of the ridge-shaped portion; an inter-insulating layer positioned between the electrode and the second region; metal plugs being in contact with the slab-shaped portion and an electrode, respectively; and metal pads connected to the respective metal plugs. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The optic modulator of claim 17, the electrode comprises ITO. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The optic modulator of claim 17, wherein the ridge-shaped portion contains intrinsic silicon, and the slab-shaped portion contains extrinsic silicon. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The optic modulator of claim 17, wherein a part of the electrode is in contact with the first region of the ridge-shaped portion.