Method and system for coupling waveguides

1 . A method for photonically coupling to at least one active photonic device structure formed on a substrate, said method comprising:

etching said active device structure with a high selectivity towards a crystallographic plane to form a sloped terminice with respect to said substrate; and,

depositing at least one waveguide over said etched terminice and at least a portion of said substrate;

wherein, said waveguide is photonically coupled to said etched active device structure to provide photonic interconnectivity for said etched active device structure.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said substrate and waveguide are positioned such that said substrate provides confinement for said waveguide.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said active device structure comprises a plurality of layers, and at least one of said layers is common to said active device structure and said waveguide.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein said at least one of said layers comprises a lower confinement layer.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein said waveguide consists of a waveguiding core and upper cladding layer.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said waveguide comprises at least one amorphous silicon material.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein said material comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting essentially of a-SiNxHy (0<x<1.3, 0<y<0.3), a-SiCxHy (0<x<1, 0<y<0.3), or a-SiOxHy (0<x<1, 0<y<0.3).

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said active device structure forms at least one device selected from the group consisting of a laser, a light emitting diode, a super luminescent diode, a modulator, a gain section, and an amplifier.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising spin coating a photoresist onto said active device structure.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said etching comprises wet etching a top cladding using Caro's acid.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein said etching further comprises wet etching said top cladding using HCL and H 3 PO 4 .

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein said etching further comprises dry etching at least one active layer.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein said dry etching comprises using Ar, CH 4 and H 2 .

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein a ratio of Ar, CH 4 and H 2 used is about 4.4:11:30.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said waveguide comprises at least a-si:H based alloy.

16 . A photonic integrated circuit comprising:

at least one active photonic device; and,

at least one waveguide photonically coupled to said at least one active photonic device;

wherein, said at least one waveguide consists of an amorphous silicon alloy based core and an amorphous silicon alloy based upper cladding.

17 . A photonic integrated circuit comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of layers on said substrate and forming at least one active photonic device; and,

at least one waveguide photonically coupled to said at least one active photonic device;

wherein, said at least one waveguide comprises at least one of said plurality of layers forming at least one active photonic device.

18 . A photonic device comprising:

a substrate:

at least one active photonic structure formed on said substrate and having at least one terminice being sloped with respect to said substrate; and,

at least one waveguide coupled to said sloped terminice and over at least a portion of said substrate.

19 . The device of claim 18 , wherein said active structure forms at least one device selected from the group consisting of a laser, a light emitting diode, a super luminescent diode, a modulator, a gain section, and an amplifier.

20 . The device of claim 18 , wherein said slope is associated with a crystallographic plane of at least one of said layers.

21 . The device of claim 18 , wherein at lest one of said layers provides a lower confinement layer for said at least one waveguide.