Hybrid EO polymer modulator with ALD sealant layer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11506918-B2
Application number	US-202117335375-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 1, 2021
Priority date	Dec 14, 2020
Publication date	Nov 22, 2022
Grant date	Nov 22, 2022

Abstract

An EO polymer modulator with conformal atomic layer deposition sealant layers including an active region of a device material stack with an elongated tapered active section positioned on a passive waveguide core. The device material stack supported on a substrate with the passive waveguide core defining light input and light output side surfaces. A conformal atomic layer deposition sealant layer overlying the device material stack including the light input and light output side surfaces, the conformal atomic layer deposition sealant layer defining windows for the light input and light output side surfaces.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An EO polymer modulator with conformal atomic layer deposition sealant layers comprising:
an active region of a device material stack including an elongated tapered active section positioned on a passive waveguide core;
the device material stack supported on a substrate with the passive waveguide core defining light input and light output side surfaces; and
a conformal atomic layer deposition sealant layer overlying the device material stack including the light input and light output side surfaces, the conformal atomic layer deposition sealant layer defining windows for the light input and light output side surfaces.

2. The EO polymer modulator with conformal atomic layer deposition sealant layers as claimed in claim 1 wherein the windows for the light input and light output side surfaces are positioned above and spaced from an upper surface of the substrate.

3. The EO polymer modulator with conformal atomic layer deposition sealant layers as claimed in claim 2 wherein the substrate is a wafer.

4. The EO polymer modulator with conformal atomic layer deposition sealant layers as claimed in claim 3 wherein the wafer includes a plurality of EO polymer modulators with conformal atomic layer deposition sealant layers formed on the upper surface and spaced apart to define open upper surface areas between adjacent ones of the plurality of EO polymer modulators with conformal atomic layer deposition sealant layers.

5. The EO polymer modulator with conformal atomic layer deposition sealant layers as claimed in claim 4 further including a plurality of dicing cuts on the upper surface of the wafer in the open upper surface areas between the plurality of EO polymer modulators with conformal atomic layer deposition sealant layers and the windows for the light input and light output side surfaces being positioned above and spaced from the open upper surface areas of the substrate.

6. The EO polymer modulator with conformal atomic layer deposition sealant layers as claimed in claim 1 wherein junctures between upper surfaces and light input and light output side surfaces of the device material stack and the substrate are angulated.

7. An EO polymer modulator with conformal atomic layer deposition sealant layers comprising:
a substrate with a cladding layer formed on a surface;
a passive waveguide core, having a cross-sectional area, formed in the cladding layer and including an elongated tapered active section;
an elongated trench in the cladding layer, the elongated tapered active section of the waveguide core positioned in the elongated trench;
electrodes positioned on a surface of the cladding layer on opposite sides of the elongated trench;
an elongated strip of EO polymer overlying the elongated tapered active section of the waveguide core, the elongated strip of EO polymer positioned between and parallel with the electrodes and coplanar with the electrodes; and
a conformal sealant layer overlying the elongated strip of EO polymer and sealing sides and top of the passive waveguide core and the elongated strip of EO polymer.

8. The EO polymer modulator with conformal atomic layer deposition sealant layers as claimed in claim 7 wherein the device material stack is supported on a substrate with the passive waveguide core defining light input and light output side surfaces.

9. The EO polymer modulator with conformal atomic layer deposition sealant layers as claimed in claim 8 wherein the substrate is a wafer.

10. The EO polymer modulator with conformal atomic layer deposition sealant layers as claimed in claim 9 wherein the wafer includes a plurality of EO polymer modulators with conformal atomic layer deposition sealant layers formed on the upper surface and spaced apart to define open upper surface areas between adjacent ones of the plurality of EO polymer modulators with conformal atomic layer deposition sealant layers.

11. The EO polymer modulator with conformal atomic layer deposition sealant layers as claimed in claim 10 further including a plurality of dicing cuts on the upper surface of the wafer in the open upper surface areas between the plurality of EO polymer modulators with conformal atomic layer deposition sealant layers and the windows for the light input and light output side surfaces being positioned above and spaced from the open upper surface areas of the substrate.

12. The EO polymer modulator with conformal atomic layer deposition sealant layers as claimed in claim 8 wherein junctures between upper surfaces and light input and light output side surfaces of the device material stack and the substrate are angulated.

13. A method of fabricating an EO polymer modulator with conformal atomic layer deposition sealant layers comprising the steps of:
providing a substrate and forming an active region of a device material stack including an elongated tapered active section positioned on a passive waveguide core, the device material stack supported on the substrate with the passive waveguide core defining light input and light output side surfaces;
using atomic layer deposition deposit a plurality of atomic layers over the device material stack to form a conformal sealant layer over an upper surface and light input and light output side surfaces of the device material stack.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13 wherein the conformal sealant layer includes any of a super lattice design, combinations of more than one oxide, combinations of oxide and nitride, or two oxides and one nitride, or two nitrides and one oxide.

15. The method as claimed in claim 13 wherein the conformal sealant layer includes at least one of aluminum oxide or titanium oxide.

16. The method as claimed in claim 13 wherein junctures between the upper surface and light input and light output side surfaces of the device material stack and the substrate are angulated.

17. The method as claimed in claim 13 wherein the substrate is a wafer.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17 wherein the wafer includes a plurality of device material stacks with conformal atomic layer deposition sealant layers formed on the upper surface and spaced apart to define open upper surface areas between adjacent ones of the plurality of device material stacks with conformal atomic layer deposition sealant layers.

19. The method as claimed in claim 18 further including a plurality of dicing cuts on the upper surface of the wafer in the open upper surface areas between the plurality of EO polymer modulators with conformal atomic layer deposition sealant layers and the windows for the light input and light output side surfaces being positioned above and spaced from the open upper surface areas of the substrate.

Assignees

• Lightwave Logic Inc

Inventors

• Lebby Michael
• Liu Zhiming
• Chen Baoquan

Classifications

• G02F1/065 Primary

  in an optical waveguide structure · CPC title