PROCESS FOR FABRICATING OPTICAL WAVE-GUIDING COMPONENTS AND COMPONENTS MADE BY THE PROCESS

摘要

Optical wave-guiding components and a process for fabricating such components in a substrate using conventional integrated circuit fabrication techniques. Ions of a suitable dopant are selectively implanted in a silicon substrate to create an interior region defining a wave-guiding region of a first index of refraction. A wave confining region surrounding the wave-guiding region is created by oxidizing the silicon substrate. The wave confining region has an index of refraction lower than that of the interior wave-guiding region defined by the implanted dopant. Various configurations of components, from which various optical component characteristics can be obtained, are disclosed. The optical components also may be combined with electronic circuit components formed on the same silicon substrate.