Method for making optical channel waveguides and product manufactured thereby

摘要

An optical channel waveguide is manufactured by forming an optical isolation pedestal or ridge on a substrate and coating the substrate and pedestal with an optical channel layer. The optical channel waveguide is that portion of the optical channel layer which overlies the pedestal. Cladding layers may be added overlying the optical channel film or the cladding function may be performed by air. The disclosed process requires no high temperature diffusion steps and is thus suitable for manufacturing optical channel waveguides integrated on a semiconductor substrate with semiconductor devices. In addition, the entire process for manufacturing the optical channel waveguide may be carried out during a single pumpdown of a vacuum system.