Electro-optic modulators with stacked layers
Structures for an electro-optic modulator and methods of fabricating a structure for an electro-optic modulator. The electro-optic modulator has a layer stack arranged over a section of a waveguide core. The layer stack includes a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer. The first layer, the second layer, and the third layer are each composed of either copper or indium-tin oxide.
1. A structure comprising:
a first waveguide core; and
an electro-optic modulator including a layer stack arranged over a section of the first waveguide core, the layer stack including a first layer, a second layer, a third layer, a fourth layer positioned between the first layer and the second layer, and a fifth layer positioned between the second layer and the third layer, the first layer, the second layer, and the third layer each comprised of a metal or indium-tin oxide, and the fourth layer and the fifth layer each comprised of a dielectric material.
2. The structure of claim 1 wherein the second layer and the third layer are comprised of the metal, and the first layer is comprised of indium-tin oxide.
3. The structure of claim 2 wherein the second layer is positioned between the third layer and the first layer, and the first layer is positioned between the second layer and the section of the first waveguide core.
4. The structure of claim 1 wherein the first layer and the second layer are comprised of indium-tin oxide, and the third layer is comprised of the metal.
5. The structure of claim 4 wherein the second layer is positioned between the third layer and the first layer, and the first layer is positioned between the second layer and the section of the first waveguide core.
6. The structure of claim 1 wherein the metal is copper.
7. The structure of claim 1 further comprising:
a second waveguide core positioned between the layer stack and the section of the first waveguide core.
8. The structure of claim 7 wherein the second waveguide core has a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, and the first end and the second end of the second waveguide core each protrude outwardly from beneath the layer stack.
9. The structure of claim 8 wherein the first waveguide core has a first longitudinal axis, and the second waveguide core has a second longitudinal axis that is aligned substantially parallel with the first longitudinal axis.
10. The structure of claim 7 wherein the first waveguide core is comprised of single-crystal silicon, and the second waveguide core is comprised of silicon nitride.
11. The structure of claim 1 wherein the dielectric material is silicon dioxide.
12. The structure of claim 1 wherein the layer stack includes a sixth layer comprised of the metal or indium-tin oxide.
13. The structure of claim 12 wherein the first layer and the second layer are comprised of indium-tin oxide, and the third layer and the sixth layer are comprised of the metal.
14. The structure of claim 13 wherein the second layer is positioned between the first layer and the third layer, and the third layer is positioned between the second layer and the sixth layer.
15. The structure of claim 13 wherein the third layer is positioned between the first layer and the second layer, and the second layer is positioned between the third layer and the sixth layer.
16. The structure of claim 1 further comprising:
a sixth layer positioned between the first layer and the second layer,
wherein the sixth layer is comprised of silicon nitride.
17. A method comprising:
forming a waveguide core; and
forming an electro-optic modulator including a layer stack over a section of the waveguide core,
wherein the layer stack includes a first layer, a second layer, a third layer, a fourth layer positioned between the first layer and the second layer, and a fifth layer positioned between the second layer and the third layer, the first layer, the second layer, and the third layer are each comprised of a metal or indium-tin oxide, and the fourth layer and the fifth layer are each comprised of a dielectric material.
18. The method of claim 17 wherein the second layer and the third layer are comprised of the metal, the first layer is comprised of indium-tin oxide, the second layer is positioned between the third layer and the first layer, and the first layer is positioned between the second layer and the section of the waveguide core.
19. The method of claim 17 wherein the first layer and the second layer are comprised of indium-tin oxide, the third layer is comprised of the metal, the second layer is positioned between the third layer and the first layer, and the first layer is positioned between the second layer and the section of the waveguide core.
20. The method of claim 17 wherein the metal is copper.
21. The method of claim 17 wherein the dielectric material is silicon dioxide.