An optical waveguide article includes a base layer formed from a first glass composition with a refractive index n.sub.base and a surface layer fused to the base layer and formed from a second glass composition with a refractive index n.sub.surface. A waveguide is disposed within the surface layer. n.sub.base and n.sub.surface satisfy the equation |n.sub.surface−n.sub.base|≥0.001. A method for forming an optical waveguide article includes forming a waveguide in a surface layer of a glass laminate structure including a base layer fused to the surface layer. The base layer is formed from a first glass composition with a refractive index n.sub.base. The surface layer is formed from a second glass composition with a refractive index n.sub.surface. n.sub.base and n.sub.surface satisfy the equation |n.sub.surface−n.sub.base|≥0.0001.

A waveguide-coupled Silicon Germanium (SiGe) photodetector. A p-n silicon junction is formed in a silicon substrate by an n-doped silicon region and a p-doped silicon region, a polysilicon rib is formed on the silicon substrate to provide a waveguide core for an optical mode of radiation, and an SiGe pocket is formed in the silicon substrate along a length of the polysilicon rib and contiguous with the p-n silicon junction. An optical mode of radiation, when present, substantially overlaps with the SiGe pocket so as to generate photocarriers in the SiGe pocket. An electric field arising from the p-n silicon junction significantly facilitates a flow of the generated photocarriers through the SiGe pocket. In one example, such photodetectors have been fabricated using a standard CMOS semiconductor process technology without requiring changes to the process flow (i.e., “zero-change CMOS”).

An optical device that includes means for thermal stabilization and control is described. The optical device can be a ring resonator, or another device that requires accurate control of the phase of the optical signal. In an example involving an optical resonator, a thermal stabilization system includes a temperature sensor, a control circuit, and a heater local to the resonator. The temperature sensor can be a bandgap temperature sensor formed of a pair of matched p/n junctions biased in operation at different junction currents.

An optical device that includes means for thermal stabilization and control is described. The optical device can be a ring resonator, or another device that requires accurate control of the phase of the optical signal. In an example involving an optical resonator, a thermal stabilization system includes a temperature sensor, a control circuit, and a heater local to the resonator. The temperature sensor can be a bandgap temperature sensor formed of a pair of matched p/n junctions biased in operation at different junction currents.

A manufacturing system for fabricating optical waveguides includes a diffusion channel with a plurality of inlets at a first end and an outlet at a second end opposite to the first end and separated from the inlets by a channel length. Each of the plurality of inlets includes a central inlet flowing a first resin into the diffusion channel such that the first resin flows along the channel length of the diffusion channel toward the outlet, and an outer inlet flowing a second resin along a periphery of the first resin. The second resin may have an index of refraction different than the first resin. The diffusion may occur between portions of the first resin and portions of the second resin over the channel length to form a composite resin having a profile with a plurality of indices of refraction in at least one dimension.

Methods and techniques are presented to inhibit crystallization in optical waveguide structures, during high temperature annealing or deposition, thus preventing the formation of crystalline grains that scatter and/or absorb light. Dopant atoms or molecules are used to disrupt crystallization. The dopant atoms or molecules are selected to be transparent to the optical signal's wavelength range(s). Optical signals propagating in a waveguide that is fabricated with such techniques will experience reduced propagation loss or insertion loss. The passive dopants can also be used in active devices such as lasers or optical amplifiers that incorporate optically active dopants, as long as the passive dopants are chosen so that they do not interact with the active dopants.

A silicon optical modulator includes two silicon waveguide branches coupled between a 2×2 splitter at a common input end and a 2×2 splitter at a common output end. The modulator further includes at least one of the two silicon waveguide branches comprising a ridge-shape having a central portion of a height sandwiched in a width direction by a first side portion and a second side portion throughout a length of the waveguide. The central portion in each cross-section plane thereof includes a p-region and a n-region separated by a continuous borderline to form an irregular shaped PN junction. The borderline is configured to have at least one section-line with a sloped angle relative to the width direction and have a total border-length substantially longer than the height. The p-region is in contact with the first side portion and the n-region is in contact with the second side portion.

A waveguide device and method of doping a waveguide device, the waveguide device comprising a rib waveguide region, the rib waveguide region having: a base, and a ridge extending from the base, wherein: the base includes a first slab region at a first side of the ridge and a second slab region at a second side of the ridge; a first doped slab region extends along the first slab region; a second doped slab region extends along the second slab region; a first doped sidewall region extends along a first sidewall of the ridge and along a portion of the first slab, the first doped sidewall region being in contact with the first doped slab region at a first slab interface; and a second doped sidewall region extends along a second sidewall of the ridge and along a portion of the second slab, the second doped sidewall region being in contact with the second doped slab region at a second slab interface; and wherein the separation between the first sidewall of the ridge and the first slab interface is no more than 10 μm; and wherein the separation between the second sidewall of the ridge and the second slab interface is no more than 10 μm.

One illustrative device disclosed herein includes a micro-ring modulator that comprises an inner ring, an outer ring and a doped waveguide ring positioned between the inner ring and the outer ring. The device also includes an upper bus waveguide that is positioned vertically above at least a portion of the doped waveguide ring and at least a portion of the outer ring.

A method of trimming the refractive index of material forming at least part of one or more structures integrated in one or more pre-fabricated devices, the method comprising: implanting one or more first regions of material of one or more pre-fabricated devices, encompassing at least partially one or more device structures, with ions to alter the crystal form of the material within the one or more first regions and change the refractive index of the material within the one or more first regions; and heat treating one or more second regions of material of the one or more devices, encompassing at least partially the one or more first regions, to alter the crystal form of the material within the one or more first regions encompassed by the one or more second regions and change the refractive index thereof, thereby trimming the refractive index of the material of at least part of the one or more device structures, such that the one or more device structures provide one or more predetermined device outputs.