IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,730,260
Granted Patent B2
US 12,730,260 · App. 18/375,275 · Granted Sep 8, 2026

Photonic device and method of fabricating same

Inventors: Shih-Yu Liao (Hsinchu, TW); Tao-Cheng Liu (Hsinchu, TW)
Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
G02B6/122G02B6/13G02B2006/12038G02B2006/12061G02B2006/12104
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,730,260
App. No.
18/375,275
Granted
Sep 8, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A photonic device structure and method of fabricating the same. The structure includes a substrate that has a first top oxide layer and a silicon layer that is formed on the first top oxide layer. The structure further includes a plurality of rib waveguide components that are formed in the silicon layer. A first rib waveguide component of the plurality includes first contact holes having a first contact hole depth, and a second rib waveguide component of the plurality includes second contact holes having a second contact hole depth, such that the depths of the first contact hole and the second contact hole are different.

Claims (52)

1 . A photonic device structure, comprising:

a substrate including an oxide layer formed thereon;

a silicon layer formed on the oxide layer; and

a plurality of waveguide components formed in the silicon layer,

wherein:

a first waveguide component of the plurality of waveguide components has at least one first contact hole in the silicon layer having a first contact hole depth, and

a second waveguide component of the plurality of waveguide components has at least one second contact hole in the silicon layer having a second contact hole depth, wherein the first contact hole depth and the second contact hole depth are different.

2 . The photonic device structure of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first contact etch stop layer formed in the at least one first contact hole; and

a second contact etch stop layer formed in the at least one second contact hole.

3 . The photonic device structure of claim 2 , wherein the at least one first contact hole includes a first dopant concentration of N+ and wherein at least a second first contact hole includes the first dopant concentration of P+, and

wherein at least one second contact hole includes a second dopant concentration of N+ and wherein at least a second contact hole includes the second dopant concentration of P+, and wherein the first dopant concentration is different from the second dopant concentration.

4 . The photonic device structure of claim 3 , wherein the second dopant concentration is less than the first dopant concentration.

5 . The photonic device structure of claim 4 , wherein the first contact etch stop layer and the second contact etch stop layer are selected from the group consisting of an oxide, SiN, undoped silicate glass, fluorosilicate glass, or borophosphosilicate glass.

6 . The photonic device structure of claim 4 , wherein a depth of the first contact etch stop layer is 5% or greater than the first contact hole depth.

7 . The photonic device structure of claim 4 , wherein a depth of the second contact etch stop layer is 5% or greater than the second contact hole depth.

8 . A photonic semiconductor device comprising:

a substrate;

a oxide layer formed on the substrate;

a silicon layer formed on the oxide layer, the silicon layer comprising:

a strip waveguide component,

a rib to strip waveguide component, and

a plurality of rib waveguide components, wherein:

a first rib waveguide component of the plurality of rib waveguide components has a plurality of first contact holes in the silicon layer having a first contact hole depth, and

a second rib waveguide component of the plurality of rib waveguide components has a plurality of second contact hole in the silicon layer having a second contact hole depth,

wherein the first contact hole depth and the second contact hole depth are different; and

a facet positioned adjacent to the silicon layer.

9 . The photonic semiconductor device of claim 8 , further comprising:

a distributed Bragg reflector formed in the silicon layer;

a pillar;

a pillar cavity formed in the substrate between the pillar and the first topside oxide layer; and

a light source positioned on the pillar and optically coupled to the facet.

10 . The photonic semiconductor device of claim 8 , wherein the first contact holes have a depth in the range of 9,000 to 12,000 angstroms.

11 . The photonic semiconductor device of claim 8 , wherein the second contact holes have a depth in the range of 12,000 to 24,000 angstroms.

12 . The photonic semiconductor device of claim 8 , wherein

at least one of the plurality of first contact holes includes a first dopant concentration of N+ and wherein at least a second one of the plurality of first contact holes includes the first dopant concentration of P+; and

at least one of the plurality of second contact holes includes a second dopant concentration of N+ and wherein at least a second one of the plurality of second contact holes includes the second dopant concentration of P+, and wherein the first dopant concentration is different from the second dopant concentration.

13 . The photonic semiconductor device of claim 12 , wherein the second dopant concentration is less than the first dopant concentration.

14 . The photonic semiconductor device of claim 12 , wherein the first contact etch stop layer and the second contact etch stop layer are selected from the group consisting of an oxide, SiN, undoped silicate glass, fluorosilicate glass, or borophosphosilicate glass.

15 . The photonic semiconductor device of claim 12 , wherein a depth of the first contact etch stop layer is 5% or greater than the first contact hole depth, and wherein a depth of the second contact etch stop layer is 5% or greater than the second contact hole depth.

16 . The photonic semiconductor device of claim 8 , further comprising:

a first contact etch stop layer formed in each of the plurality of first contact holes; and

a second contact etch stop layer formed in each of the plurality of second contact holes.

17 . A method of fabricating a photonic semiconductor device, comprising:

forming a silicon layer on a first topside oxide layer of a substrate;

forming at least one of a strip waveguide, a rib to strip waveguide or a distributed Bragg reflector waveguide in the silicon layer;

forming a plurality of first contact holes of a first rib waveguide in the silicon layer each having a first contact hole depth;

forming a plurality of second contact holes of a second rib waveguide in the silicon layer each having a second contact hole depth, wherein the first contact hole depth and the second contact hole depth are different;

doping at least one of the plurality of first contact holes to a first dopant concentration of N+ and at least a second one of the plurality of first contact holes to the first dopant concentration of P+;

doping at least one of the plurality of second contact holes to a second dopant concentration of N+ and at least a second one of the plurality of second contact holes to the second dopant concentration of P+, wherein the first dopant concentration is different from the second dopant concentration;

forming a first contact etch stop layer in each of the plurality of first contact holes; and

forming a second contact etch stop layer formed in each of the plurality of second contact holes.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 19, 2023
From: LIAO, SHIH-YU; LIU, TAO-CHENG
To: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD
Reel/Frame 065275/0910 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 5, 2023
From: LIAO, SHIH-YU; LIU, TAO-CHANGE
To: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD
Reel/Frame 065130/0993 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250110274A1 · Apr 3, 2025
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