A method includes forming silicon waveguide sections in a first oxide layer over a substrate, the first oxide layer disposed on the substrate, forming a routing structure over the first oxide layer, the routing structure including one or more insulating layers and one or more conductive features in the one or more insulating layers, recessing regions of the routing structure, forming nitride waveguide sections in the recessed regions of the routing structure, wherein the nitride waveguide sections extend over the silicon waveguide sections, forming a second oxide layer over the nitride waveguide sections, and attaching semiconductor dies to the routing structure, the dies electrically connected to the conductive features.

A method includes forming silicon waveguide sections in a first oxide layer over a substrate, the first oxide layer disposed on the substrate, forming a routing structure over the first oxide layer, the routing structure including one or more insulating layers and one or more conductive features in the one or more insulating layers, recessing regions of the routing structure, forming nitride waveguide sections in the recessed regions of the routing structure, wherein the nitride waveguide sections extend over the silicon waveguide sections, forming a second oxide layer over the nitride waveguide sections, and attaching semiconductor dies to the routing structure, the dies electrically connected to the conductive features.

Grating couplers and methods of fabricating a grating coupler. The grating coupler may include a plurality of grating structures arranged on a substrate and a layer arranged over the grating structures. The grating structures are composed of a first material characterized by a first refractive index with a real part. The layer is composed of a second material characterized by a second refractive index with a real part. The real part of the second refractive index is greater than the real part of the first refractive index of the first material for electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength in a range of 1 micron to 9 microns.

Grating couplers and methods of fabricating a grating coupler. The grating coupler may include a plurality of grating structures arranged on a substrate and a layer arranged over the grating structures. The grating structures are composed of a first material characterized by a first refractive index with a real part. The layer is composed of a second material characterized by a second refractive index with a real part. The real part of the second refractive index is greater than the real part of the first refractive index of the first material for electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength in a range of 1 micron to 9 microns.

The present disclosure relates to semiconductor structures and, more particularly, to grating couplers with structured cladding and methods of manufacture. A structure includes: a grating coupler in a dielectric material; a back end of line (BEOL) multilayer stack over the dielectric material; and a multi-layered cladding structure of alternating materials directly on the BEOL multilayer stack.

Methods and systems for optical alignment to a silicon photonically-enabled integrated circuit may include aligning an optical assembly to a photonics die comprising a transceiver by, at least, communicating optical signals from the optical assembly into a plurality of grating couplers in the photonics die, communicating the one or more optical signals from the plurality of grating couplers to optical taps, with each tap having a first output coupled to the transceiver and a second output coupled to a corresponding output grating coupler, and monitoring an output optical signal communicated out of said photonic chip via said output grating couplers. The monitored output optical signal may be maximized by adjusting a position of the optical assembly. The optical assembly may include an optical source assembly comprising one or more lasers or the optical assembly may comprise a fiber array. Such a fiber array may include single mode optical fibers.

Methods and systems for optical alignment to a silicon photonically-enabled integrated circuit may include aligning an optical assembly to a photonics die comprising a transceiver by, at least, communicating optical signals from the optical assembly into a plurality of grating couplers in the photonics die, communicating the one or more optical signals from the plurality of grating couplers to optical taps, with each tap having a first output coupled to the transceiver and a second output coupled to a corresponding output grating coupler, and monitoring an output optical signal communicated out of said photonic chip via said output grating couplers. The monitored output optical signal may be maximized by adjusting a position of the optical assembly. The optical assembly may include an optical source assembly comprising one or more lasers or the optical assembly may comprise a fiber array. Such a fiber array may include single mode optical fibers.

A manufacturing system performs a deposition of an etch-compatible film over a substrate. The etch-compatible film includes a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The manufacturing system performs a partial removal of the etch-compatible film to create a surface profile on the first surface with a plurality of depths relative to the substrate. The manufacturing system performs a deposition of a second material over the profile created in the etch-compatible film. The manufacturing system performs a planarization of the second material to obtain a plurality of etch heights of the second material in accordance with the plurality of depths in the profile created in the etch-compatible film. The manufacturing system performs a lithographic patterning of a photoresist deposited over the planarized second material to obtain the plurality of etch heights and one or more duty cycles in the second material.

A manufacturing system performs a deposition of an etch-compatible film over a substrate. The etch-compatible film includes a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The manufacturing system performs a partial removal of the etch-compatible film to create a surface profile on the first surface with a plurality of depths relative to the substrate. The manufacturing system performs a deposition of a second material over the profile created in the etch-compatible film. The manufacturing system performs a planarization of the second material to obtain a plurality of etch heights of the second material in accordance with the plurality of depths in the profile created in the etch-compatible film. The manufacturing system performs a lithographic patterning of a photoresist deposited over the planarized second material to obtain the plurality of etch heights and one or more duty cycles in the second material.

A multi-beam optical phased array on a single planar waveguide layer or a small number of planar waveguide layers enables building an optical sensor that performs much like a significantly larger telescope. Imaging systems use planar waveguides created using micro-lithographic techniques. These imagers are variants of phased arrays, common and familiar from microwave radar applications. However, there are significant differences when these same concepts are applied to visible and infrared light.