Spot size converters and methods of manufacturing the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9036969-B2
Application number	US-201213618353-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 14, 2012
Priority date	Apr 4, 2012
Publication date	May 19, 2015
Grant date	May 19, 2015

Abstract

Provided are a spot size converter and a method of manufacturing the spot size converter. The method includes stacking a lower clad layer, a core layer, and a first upper clad layer on a substrate, tapering the first upper clad layer and the core layer in a first direction on a side of the substrate, forming a waveguide layer on the first upper clad layer and the lower clad layer, and etching the waveguide layer, the first upper clad layer, the core layer, and the lower clad layer such that the waveguide layer is wider than a tapered portion of the core layer on the side of the substrate and has the same width as that of the core layer on another side of the substrate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of manufacturing a spot size converter, comprising:
stacking a lower clad layer, a core layer, and a first upper clad layer on a substrate;
tapering the first upper clad layer and the core layer in a first direction on a side of the substrate;
forming a waveguide layer on the first upper clad layer and the lower clad layer; and
etching the waveguide layer, the first upper clad layer, the core layer, and the lower clad layer such that the waveguide layer is wider than a tapered portion of the core layer on the side of the substrate and has the same width as that of the core layer on another side of the substrate.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the waveguide layer is tapered on the first side of the substrate in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming a buffer layer on the lower clad layer after the core layer and the first upper clad layer are formed,
wherein the buffer layer is formed of the same material as that of the first upper clad layer.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising forming an etch stop layer on the buffer layer and the first upper clad layer.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming a second upper clad layer on the waveguide layer.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming a planarization layer on side walls of the waveguide layer, the first upper clad layer, the core layer, and the lower clad layer.

7. A spot size converter comprising:
a substrate;
a first waveguide comprising a core layer that is tapered in a first direction on a first side of the substrate, the core layer being extended with a uniform width on a second side of the substrate, the first waveguide further comprising a lower clad layer disposed under the core layer; and
a second waveguide comprising a waveguide layer that covers the first waveguide on the first side of the substrate, the waveguide layer being tapered and extended in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the waveguide layer having the same width of that of the core layer on the second side of the substrate,
wherein a side wall of the waveguide layer on the first side of the substrate is flush with a side wall of the lower clad layer on the first side of the substrate.

8. The spot size converter of claim 7 , wherein the first waveguide further comprises a first upper clad layer disposed over the core layer.

9. The spot size converter of claim 8 , further comprising a buffer layer disposed on the lower clad layer and side walls of the first upper clad layer and the core layer, at the first side of the substrate.

10. The spot size converter of claim 9 , further comprising an etch stop layer disposed on the buffer layer and the first upper clad layer.

11. The spot size converter of claim 7 , wherein the second waveguide further comprises a second upper clad layer disposed on the waveguide layer.

12. The spot size converter of claim 7 , wherein the waveguide layer, on the first side of the substrate, has a width same as that of the lower clad layer and greater than that of the core layer.

13. The spot size converter of claim 12 , further comprising a planarization layer covering the side walls of the waveguide layer and the lower clad layer on the first side of the substrate.

Assignees

• Kwon Oh Kee
• Lee Chul-Wook
• Lee Dong-Hun
• Leem Young Ahn
• Han Young-Tak
• Baek Yongsoon
• Chung Yun C
• Korea Electronics Telecomm

Inventors

• Kwon Oh Kee
• Lee Chul-Wook
• Lee Dong-Hun
• Leem Young Ahn
• Han Young-Tak
• Baek Yongsoon
• Chung Yun C

Classifications

• G02B6/305

  and having an integrated mode-size expanding section, e.g. tapered waveguide · CPC title

• G02B6/1228 Primary

  Tapered waveguides, e.g. integrated spot-size transformers (for coupling with fibres G02B6/305) · CPC title

• G02B6/13

  Integrated optical circuits characterised by the manufacturing method · CPC title

• G02B6/122 Primary

  Basic optical elements, e.g. light-guiding paths · CPC title