Multilayer photonic adapter

摘要

Embodiments herein describe disposing a waveguide adapter onto an SOI device after the components on a silicon surface layer have been formed. That is, the waveguide adapter is disposed above optical components (e.g., optical modulators, detectors, waveguides, etc) formed in a surface layer. In one embodiment, a waveguide in a bottom layer of the waveguide adapter overlaps a silicon waveguide in the surface layer such that the silicon waveguide and the waveguide in the bottom layer are optically coupled. The waveguide adapter also includes other layers above the bottom layer (e.g., middle and top layers) that also contain waveguides which form an adiabatic optical system for transmitting an optical signal. At least one of the waveguides in the multi-layer adapter is exposed at an optical interface of the SOI device, thereby permitting the SOI device to transmit optical signals to, or receive optical signals from, an external optical component.

主权项

1. A method, comprising:
disposing a silicon waveguide in a silicon layer of an optical device; disposing an insulative material on the silicon waveguide; disposing a first waveguide of a multi-layer adapter in a first layer of the optical device on the insulative material to optically couple the first waveguide to the silicon waveguide; disposing a first pair of adjacent metal layers in the optical device, each of the adjacent metal layers comprising a respective planar electrode electrically coupled to an optical component in the silicon layer; and disposing a second waveguide of the multi-layer adapter in a second, different layer of the optical device between the first pair of adjacent metal layers such that the first and second waveguides form an optical structure for at least one of transmitting and receiving an optical signal, wherein at least one of the first and second waveguides of the multi-layer adapter are exposed at an optical interface of the optical device for transferring an optical signal between the optical device and an external optical component, wherein the first and second waveguides of the multi-layer adapter comprise respective material compositions different than the insulative material.