Optical interconnect circuit for GaAs optoelectronics and Si VLSI/VHSIC

Claim 2

An optical waveguide interconnect circuit comprising: an anisotropically-etched flat-bottom channel in a planar surface of a monocrystalline silicon substrate; a uniform thin-film dielectric layer over said planar surface and channel surface; and, a uniform thin-film waveguiding layer over said dielectric layer whereby said waveguiding layer on said flat-bottom operates as a waveguide.

Claim 3

The invention according to claim 1 in which said anisotropically etched flat-bottom channel has a depth on the order of 10 microns into the substrate.

Claim 4

The invention according to claim 1 in which said dielectric layer is thermally grown or deposited SiO 2 .

Claim 5

The invention according to claim 1 in which said dielectric layer has a thickness range of 1-2 microns.

Claim 6

The invention according to claim 3 in which said dielectric layer has a thickness range of 1-2 microns.

Claim 7

The invention according to claim 1 in which said waveguiding layer is a material selected from the group consisting of Al 2 O 3 , ZnO, Ta 2 O 5 , and mixed oxide glassy films.

Claim 8

The invention according to claim 6 in which said waveguiding layer has a thickness between about 0.25 and 1.0 micron.

Claim 9

An optical waveguide interconnect circuit comprising: a monocrystalline silicon substrate with a first surface having a predetermined orientation with respect to a crystalline structure in the substrate; an anisotropically etched flat-bottomed channel in said substrate, said channel etched into said first surface, said channel etched to a depth on the order of 10 microns; a uniform thin-film dielectric layer over said first surface and channel; and a uniform thin-film waveguiding layer over said dielectric layer of a material selected from the group consisting of Al 2 O 3 , ZnO and Ta 2 O 5 , said waveguiding layer being thinner than the channel depth by a factor of about 10 to 40.

Claim 10

An optical waveguide interconnect circuit comprising: a monocrystalline silicon substrate with a first surface having a predetermined orientation with respect to a crystalline structure in the substrate; an anisotropically etched flat-bottomed channel in said substrate, said channel etched into said first surface, said channel etched to a depth on the order of 10 microns; a uniform thin-film dielectric layer over said first surface and channel; and a uniform thin-film waveguiding layer over said dielectric layer of a material selected from the group consisting of Al 2 O 3 , ZnO and Ta 2 O 5 , said waveguiding layer being thinner than the channel depth by a factor of about 10 to 40.

Claim 11

The invention according to claim 8 in which said substrate is (100) silicon having a (100) major surface.

Claim 12

The invention according to claim 9 said anisotropically etched flat-bottom channels are oriented along said (110) direction or orthogonally thereto.

Claim 13

The invention according to claim 8 in which said dielectric layer is thermally grown or deposited SiO 2 .

Claim 14

The invention according to claim 11 in which said dielectric layer has a thickness range of 1-2 microns.

Claim 15

The invention according to claim 8 in which said waveguiding layer has a thickness between about 0.25 and 1.0 micron.

Claim 16

An optical waveguide interconnect circuit comprising: a single crystalline silicon substrate having a first surface which is selectively anisotropically etched to define an elongated narrow planar surface upon which to fabricate a waveguide; said elongated narrow planar surface being in a plane parallel to and displaced from said first surface as a result of said anisotropic etching; a uniform thin-film dielectric layer over said silicon substrate first surface and planar surface; and, a uniform thin-film waveguiding layer over said dielectric layer, said waveguiding layer lying over the elongated narrow planar surface area operating as a waveguide.

Claim 17

An optical waveguide interconnect circuit comprising: a single crystalline silicon substrate having a first surface which is selectively anisotropically etched to define an elongated narrow planar surface upon which to fabricate a waveguide; said elongated narrow planar surface being in a plane parallel to and displaced from said first surface as a result of said anisotropic etching; a uniform thin-film dielectric layer over said silicon substrate first surface and planar surface; and, a uniform thin-film waveguiding layer over said dielectric layer, said waveguiding layer lying over the elongated narrow planar surface area operating as a waveguide.

Claim 18

An optical waveguide interconnect circuit according to claim 14 in which said elongated narrow planar surface is elevated above said first surface to form an elevated channel waveguide.

Claim 19

An optical waveguide interconnect circuit according to claim 15 which has a thin-film waveguide with an abrupt corner bend, further comprising: said silicon substrate having a (100) planar surface; said elongated narrow planar surface having a first portion thereof aligned along said <110> direction, and having a second orthogonal portion joining said first portion to form said abrupt corner bend, said abrupt corner bend having an inside corner and an outside corner section, said outside corner section comprising a reflective plane at 45° to said <110> direction.

Claim 20

An optical waveguide interconnect circuit according to claim 14 in which said elongated narrow planar surface is depressed below said first surface to form a depressed channel waveguide.

Claim 21

An optical waveguide interconnect circuit according to claim 17 which has a thin-film waveguide with an abrupt corner bend, further comprising: said silicon substrate having a (100) planar surface; said elongated narrow planar surface having a first portion thereof aligned along said <110> direction, and having a second orthogonal portion joining said first portion to form said abrupt corner bend, said abrupt corner bend having an inside corner and an outside corner section, said outside corner section comprising a reflective plane at 45° to said <110> direction.

Claim 22

An optical waveguide interconnect circuit comprising: a monocrystalline silicon substrate having an elongated narrow elevated mesa surface portion in a first plane which defines an elevated waveguide channel to be fabricated, and having a recessed surface portion in a second plane parallel to and recessed below said mesa portion by anisotropic etching; a uniform thin-film dielectric layer over said substrate mesa surface and recessed surface; a uniform thin film waveguiding layer over said dielectric layer, said waveguiding layer over the mesa surface area operating as a waveguide.

Claim 23

An optical waveguide interconnect circuit comprising: a monocrystalline silicon substrate having an elongated narrow elevated mesa surface portion in a first plane which defines an elevated waveguide channel to be fabricated, and having a recessed surface portion in a second plane parallel to and recessed below said mesa portion by anisotropic etching; a uniform thin-film dielectric layer over said substrate mesa surface and recessed surface; a uniform thin film waveguiding layer over said dielectric layer, said waveguiding layer over the mesa surface area operating as a waveguide.

Claim 24

The optical waveguide interconnect circuit according to claim 19 in which said mesa surface is elevated on the order of 10 microns above said recessed surface portion.

Claim 25

The optical waveguide interconnect circuit according to claim 19 in which said dielectric layer has a thickness range of about 1-2 microns.

Claim 26

The optical waveguide interconnect circuit according to claim 20 in which said uniform waveguiding layer has a thickness on the order of 0.25 microns.

Claim 27

The optical waveguide interconnect circuit according to claim 19 in which said waveguiding layer is a material selected from the group consisting of Al 2 O 5 , ZnO and Ta 2 O 5 .