A method for fabricating a photonic package device is provided. The method includes patterning a semiconductor layer of a semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) substrate into a waveguide structure and at least one first semiconductor pillar; forming a metal-dielectric stack over the waveguide structure and the first semiconductor pillar; etching an opening in the metal-dielectric stack to expose the first semiconductor pillar; etching an insulator layer of the SOI substrate to form at least one insulator cap below the first semiconductor pillar; and etching a base semiconductor substrate of the SOI substrate to form at least one second semiconductor pillar below the insulator cap.

An embodiment device includes: a first dielectric layer; a first photonic die and a second photonic die disposed adjacent a first side of the first dielectric layer; a waveguide optically coupling the first photonic die to the second photonic die, the waveguide being disposed between the first dielectric layer and the first photonic die, and between the first dielectric layer and the second photonic die; a first integrated circuit die and a second integrated circuit die disposed adjacent the first side of the first dielectric layer; conductive features extending through the first dielectric layer and along a second side of the first dielectric layer, the conductive features electrically coupling the first photonic die to the first integrated circuit die, the conductive features electrically coupling the second photonic die to the second integrated circuit die; and a second dielectric layer disposed adjacent the second side of the first dielectric layer.

Techniques for enhancing the absorption of photons in semiconductors with the use of microstructures are described. The microstructures, such as pillars and/or holes, effectively increase the effective absorption length resulting in a greater absorption of the photons. Using microstructures for absorption enhancement for silicon photodiodes and silicon avalanche photodiodes can result in bandwidths in excess of 10 Gb/s at photons with wavelengths of 850 nm, and with quantum efficiencies of approximately 90% or more.

Disclosed is a photonic structure and associated method. The structure includes a closed-curve waveguide having a first height, as measured from the top surface of an insulator layer, and an outer curved sidewall that extends essentially vertically the full first height (e.g., to minimize signal loss). The structure includes a closed-curve thermal coupler and a heating element. The closed-curve thermal coupler is thermally coupled to and laterally surrounded by the closed-curve waveguide and has a second height that is less than the first height. In some embodiments, the closed-curve waveguide and the closed-curve thermal coupler are continuous portions of the same semiconductor layer having different thicknesses. The heating element is thermally coupled to the closed-curve thermal coupler and thereby indirectly thermally coupled to the closed-curve waveguide. Thus, the heating element is usable for thermally tuning the closed-curve waveguide via the closed-curve thermal coupler to minimize any temperature-dependent resonance shift (TDRS).

A waveguide includes a core and a cladding. The core has an inlet on which light is incident. The core includes a front portion and a rear portion located between the front portion and the inlet. The front portion and the rear portion each have a thickness that is a dimension in a first direction and a width that is a dimension in a second direction. The first direction is orthogonal to a propagation direction of the light. The second direction is orthogonal to the propagation direction of the light and the first direction. The thickness of the front portion decreases with increasing distance from the inlet.

A waveguide includes a core and a cladding. The core has an inlet on which light is incident. The core includes a front portion and a rear portion located between the front portion and the inlet. The front portion and the rear portion each have a thickness that is a dimension in a first direction and a width that is a dimension in a second direction. The first direction is orthogonal to a propagation direction of the light. The second direction is orthogonal to the propagation direction of the light and the first direction. The thickness of the front portion decreases with increasing distance from the inlet.

A process for forming glass planar waveguide structure includes producing or obtaining a fusion drawn glass laminate (10) comprising a core glass layer (10) and a first clad glass layer (14) and a second clad glass layer (16) then removing or thinning portions of at least the second glass clad layer (16) leaving remaining or thicker portions of the second glass clad layer (16), the remaining or thicker portions corresponding to a planar waveguide pattern and resulting in a glass planar waveguide structure.

A process for forming glass planar waveguide structure includes producing or obtaining a fusion drawn glass laminate (10) comprising a core glass layer (10) and a first clad glass layer (14) and a second clad glass layer (16) then removing or thinning portions of at least the second glass clad layer (16) leaving remaining or thicker portions of the second glass clad layer (16), the remaining or thicker portions corresponding to a planar waveguide pattern and resulting in a glass planar waveguide structure.

Provided is an optical modulator manufacturing method capable of determining the quality of an optical modulator having MMI waveguides and realizing improvement in yield during manufacturing. Here, in waveguide fabrication processes, hard mask material deposition, soft mask material application, exposure, and hard mask fabrication are executed, and then in hard mask width length measurement, the hard mask width for fabricating the MMI waveguide is measured at one or more locations. In hard mask width quality determination based on machine learning results, the quality of optical characteristics of the chip is predicted and determined in advance, based on sample data created in advance by analyzing a relationship between the hard mask width and optical characteristics of the optical modulator, depending on whether the hard mask width is present in a permissible range of the sample data. Depending on the result of the above-mentioned determination the mask fabrication is redone.

Provided is an optical modulator manufacturing method capable of determining the quality of an optical modulator having MMI waveguides and realizing improvement in yield during manufacturing. Here, in waveguide fabrication processes, hard mask material deposition, soft mask material application, exposure, and hard mask fabrication are executed, and then in hard mask width length measurement, the hard mask width for fabricating the MMI waveguide is measured at one or more locations. In hard mask width quality determination based on machine learning results, the quality of optical characteristics of the chip is predicted and determined in advance, based on sample data created in advance by analyzing a relationship between the hard mask width and optical characteristics of the optical modulator, depending on whether the hard mask width is present in a permissible range of the sample data. Depending on the result of the above-mentioned determination the mask fabrication is redone.