Monolithic integration of dielectric waveguides and germanium-based devices
View Patent ↗Various exemplary embodiments relate to an integrated optical device including: a semiconductor waveguide on a substrate; a dielectric waveguide on a substrate optically coupled to the semiconductor waveguide; and a germanium device on the semiconductor waveguide optically coupled to the semiconductor waveguide.
1. An integrated optical device comprising:
a semiconductor waveguide on a substrate;
a planarization layer on the substrate;
a dielectric waveguide on the substrate optically coupled to the semiconductor waveguide, wherein the dielectric waveguide overlaps the planarization layer and a portion of the semiconductor waveguide; and
a germanium device on the semiconductor waveguide optically coupled to the semiconductor waveguide.
2. The integrated optical device of claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor waveguide is single crystal silicon.
3. The integrated optical device of claim 1 , wherein the planarization layer has a thickness approximately the same as a thickness of the semiconductor waveguide.
4. The integrated optical device of claim 3 , further comprising:
a spacing layer between the dielectric waveguide and the planarization layer and between the dielectric waveguide and the semiconductor waveguide.
5. The integrated optical device of claim 4 , wherein the spacing layer is part of the planarization layer.
6. The integrated optical device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a buried insulating layer on the substrate, wherein the substrate is silicon.
7. The integrated optical device of claim 6 , wherein the silicon substrate, the buried insulating layer, and the semiconductor waveguide comprise a silicon-on-insulator (SOT) wafer.
8. The integrated optical device of claim 1 , wherein the germanium device is a photodetector.
9. The integrated optical device of claim 1 , wherein the germanium device is a modulator.
10. The integrated optical device of claim 1 , wherein the germanium device is a switch.
11. The integrated optical device of claim 1 , wherein the dielectric waveguide is coupled to a passive photonic circuit.
12. The integrated optical device of claim 1 , wherein the dielectric waveguide is one of silica, SiON, Si 3 N 4 , and benzocyclobutene.
13. A method of forming an integrated optical device comprising:
patterning a silicon layer on a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafer;
forming a planarization layer on the SOI wafer after patterning the silicon layer;
forming a dielectric waveguide on a substrate optically coupled to the silicon layer, wherein the dielectric waveguide overlaps the planarization layer and a portion of the silicon layer; and
forming a germanium device on the silicon layer optically coupled to the silicon layer.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the silicon layer is single crystal silicon.
15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the planarization layer has a thickness approximately the same as a thickness of the silicon layer.
16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
forming a spacing layer on the planarization layer and the semiconductor waveguide before forming the dielectric waveguide.
17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the germanium device is a photodetector.
18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the germanium device is a modulator.
19. The method of claim 13 , wherein the germanium device is a switch.
20. The method of claim 13 , wherein the dielectric waveguide is coupled to a passive photonic circuit.
21. The method of claim 13 , wherein dielectric waveguide is one of silica, SiON, Si 3 N 4 , and benzocyclobutene.