Array waveguide grating manufacturing method and array waveguide grating

Abstract

The invention provides a manufacturing method of an array waveguide grating and the array waveguide grating, and the method comprises the steps: forming a reflection inclined plane through an etching technology before a waveguide core layer is formed, when the waveguide core layer is formed or after the waveguide core layer is formed; a total reflection film layer is plated on the reflection inclined plane; and cutting the wafer to complete the manufacturing of the array waveguide grating. When wafer-level processing is carried out on the array waveguide grating, the reflection inclined plane is processed by utilizing an etching process, a waveguide core layer can be prevented from being damaged, and after a total reflection film layer is plated on the reflection inclined plane, the wafer-level array waveguide grating is cut into a chip-level array waveguide grating, so that a grinding process does not need to be carried out, the waveguide core layer is prevented from being damaged, and the yield of the array waveguide grating is improved. And the yield is improved while large-scale production is facilitated.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of optical communication, and in particular to a method for manufacturing an arrayed waveguide grating and the arrayed waveguide grating. Background Art

[0002] With the development of optical transmission research, wavelength division multiplexing technology has become an effective means to increase the capacity of communication information. Wavelength division multiplexing refers to coupling multiple wavelengths to the same waveguide or optical fiber of the optical line for transmission, and demultiplexing refers to the technology of separating the total light in a waveguide or optical fiber by wavelength. Arrayed Waveguide Grating (AWG) is an ideal device for realizing wavelength division multiplexing / demultiplexing, which can couple the optical channel with the optoelectronic transceiver array to realize the mutual conversion between optical and electrical signals.

[0003] At present, the method of optical path turning is often used to achieve vertical coupling between arrayed waveguide grating and optoelectronic transceiver array. For example, the output end face of the arrayed waveguide grating is ground into a 45° reflector to achieve a 90° turn of the optical signal. However, grinding the arrayed waveguide grating can easily damage the waveguide core layer, making it difficult to mass produce and having a low yield rate. Summary of the invention

[0004] The object of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing an arrayed waveguide grating and an arrayed waveguide grating which are conducive to large-scale production and improve the yield rate.

[0005] To achieve one of the above-mentioned purposes of the invention, an embodiment of the present invention provides a method for manufacturing an arrayed waveguide grating, comprising:

[0006] Before forming the waveguide core layer, when forming the waveguide core layer, or after forming the waveguide core layer, forming a reflection slope by an etching process;

[0007] A total reflection film layer is plated on the reflective inclined surface;

[0008] The wafer is cut to complete the production of arrayed waveguide grating.

[0009] As a further improvement of an embodiment of the present invention, after a metasurface is formed on the light-emitting end face of the arrayed waveguide grating, the wafer is cut.

[0010] As a further improvement of an embodiment of the present invention, before forming the waveguide core layer, a reflection slope is formed by an etching process, specifically including:

[0011] forming a waveguide core groove and a reflecting inclined surface on the first cladding layer;

[0012] After a total reflection film layer is plated on the reflection inclined surface, the waveguide core groove is filled to form a waveguide core layer.

[0013] As a further improvement of one embodiment of the present invention, after the core material layer is filled in the waveguide core groove, the core material layer is ground;

[0014] After the waveguide core layer is formed, a second cladding layer covering the waveguide core layer is formed on the first cladding layer.

[0015] As a further improvement of an embodiment of the present invention, when forming the waveguide core layer, a reflection slope is formed by an etching process, specifically including:

[0016] After forming a core material layer on the substrate wafer, the core material layer is etched to simultaneously form a waveguide core layer and a reflective slope.

[0017] As a further improvement of an embodiment of the present invention, after forming the waveguide core layer, a reflection slope is formed by an etching process, specifically including:

[0018] After forming a core material layer on the substrate wafer, the core material layer is etched to form a waveguide core layer, and the waveguide core layer is etched to form a reflective slope.

[0019] As a further improvement of an embodiment of the present invention, after a total reflection film layer is plated on the reflection inclined surface, a first cladding layer covering the waveguide core layer is formed on the substrate wafer.

[0020] As a further improvement of an embodiment of the present invention, the reflective inclined surface is formed by nano-imprinting or grayscale exposure process.

[0021] As a further improvement of an embodiment of the present invention, a side of the substrate wafer facing away from the first cladding layer is thinned to form a second cladding layer.

[0022] As a further improvement of an embodiment of the present invention, after the carrier is bonded to the first cladding layer, the side of the substrate wafer facing away from the carrier is thinned.

[0023] As a further improvement of one embodiment of the present invention, an anti-reflection film layer is plated on the super surface.

[0024] As a further improvement of an embodiment of the present invention, a total reflection film layer is formed on the reflective inclined surface by an overlay exposure process.

[0025] In order to achieve one of the purposes of the above invention, the present invention also provides an arrayed waveguide grating, including a waveguide core layer, a first cladding layer and a second cladding layer, the arrayed waveguide grating also includes a total reflection film layer and a super surface arranged on the light output end face, and the super surface is opposite to the total reflection film layer.

[0026] As a further improvement of an embodiment of the present invention, the metasurface is configured to converge the outgoing light from the light-emitting end face.

[0027] As a further improvement of an embodiment of the present invention, the arrayed waveguide grating further includes a reflective inclined surface, the reflective inclined surface is respectively opposite to the metasurface and the waveguide core layer, and the total reflection film layer is arranged on the reflective inclined surface.

[0028] Compared with the prior art, in the embodiments of the present invention, when the arrayed waveguide grating is processed at the wafer level, the reflective bevel is processed by an etching process, which can avoid damage to the waveguide core layer. After a total reflection film layer is plated on the reflective bevel, the wafer-level arrayed waveguide grating is cut into chip level, thereby eliminating the need for a grinding process, avoiding damage to the waveguide core layer, and facilitating large-scale production while improving the yield rate. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the optical path of the arrayed waveguide grating in a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 2 is a process step diagram of a method for manufacturing an arrayed waveguide grating in a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 3 is a process step diagram of a method for manufacturing a super surface in a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 4 It is a process step diagram of a method for manufacturing an arrayed waveguide grating in another preferred embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] The present invention will be described in detail below in conjunction with the specific embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. However, these embodiments do not limit the present invention, and any structural, methodological, or functional changes made by a person skilled in the art based on these embodiments are all within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0034] It should be understood that terms such as “having”, “including” and “comprising” used herein do not exclude the existence or addition of one or more other elements or combinations thereof.

[0035] Furthermore, it should be understood that although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements or structures, these described objects should not be limited by the above terms. The above terms are only used to distinguish these described objects from each other. For example, the first cladding may be referred to as the second cladding, and similarly, the second cladding may also be referred to as the first cladding, which does not deviate from the scope of protection of the application.

[0036] In various drawings of the present invention, for the convenience of illustration, some sizes of structures or parts are exaggerated relative to other structures or parts, and thus, only the basic structure of the subject matter of the present invention is illustrated.

[0037] refer to Figures 1 to 4 As shown, a preferred embodiment of the present invention provides an arrayed waveguide grating (AWG), which is coupled with an optical fiber pigtail and an optoelectronic transceiver array, and a combined optical signal containing multiple wavelengths (such as Figure 1 The solid arrow in the middle shows that the optical signal is demultiplexed into a single wavelength beam signal (as shown in FIG. Figure 1 After that, it is coupled to each photodetector (PD) of the optoelectronic transceiver array. According to the principle of optical path reversibility, the arrayed waveguide grating can also be used in the scenario of wavelength division multiplexing.

[0038] Specifically, the arrayed waveguide grating includes a waveguide core layer 10, a first cladding layer 60, and a second cladding layer 110. In this embodiment, the refractive index of the waveguide core layer 10 is different from the refractive index of the first cladding layer 60 and the second cladding layer 110, for example, the refractive index of the waveguide core layer 10 is greater than the refractive index of the first cladding layer 60 and the second cladding layer 110. The waveguide core layer 10 is made of silicon material, for example, silicon material doped with hydrogen (i.e., SiH). The first cladding layer 60 and the second cladding layer 110 are made of materials with the same refractive index, for example, silicon dioxide (i.e., SiO2).

[0039] Specifically, the first cladding 60 and the second cladding 110 are respectively arranged on opposite sides of the waveguide core layer 10 to achieve double-sided packaging of the waveguide core layer 10, thereby protecting the waveguide core layer 10 and improving the stability and working strength of the arrayed waveguide grating.

[0040] Specifically, the waveguide core layer 10 has a planar waveguide optical path, which can be processed by etching process. The planar waveguide optical path includes an input waveguide, an input star coupler, an array waveguide, an output star coupler and an output array.

[0041] The working principle of the planar waveguide optical path is: when a combined optical signal containing multiple wavelengths (such as Figure 1 After the light is incident on the waveguide core layer 10 (shown by the solid arrow in the middle), it enters the input star coupler from the input waveguide. Since there is no optical lateral restriction, the light is diffracted in the input star coupler. At the end of the input star coupler, the diffraction field is coupled into the array waveguide and transmitted. Since there is a length difference between adjacent array waveguides, the light wave signals of different wavelengths in the array waveguide reaching the output star coupler have different phase differences, and finally focus at different positions of the output star coupler, and the output array waveguide outputs a single-wavelength split light signal (as shown in FIG. Figure 1 As shown by the dotted arrow in the figure), the demultiplexing function is realized.

[0042] Furthermore, the arrayed waveguide grating also includes a metasurface 50 disposed on the light-emitting end face 40. In this embodiment, the split beams emitted by the arrayed waveguide grating are emitted from the light-emitting end face 40, and the metasurface 50 can perform secondary modulation (e.g., convergence) on the emitted light at the light-emitting end face 40. The spot morphology emitted from the light-emitting end face 40 on the corresponding light detector can be improved, thereby facilitating the coupling between the arrayed waveguide grating and the optoelectronic transceiver array.

[0043] The metasurface 50 refers to an artificial layered material whose size is less than or approximately equal to the wavelength, which can be regarded as the two-dimensional counterpart of the metamaterial. The metasurface 50 can control the polarization, phase, amplitude, frequency, propagation mode and other characteristics of the electromagnetic wave through the surface sub-wavelength super-structure unit, and realize the characteristics of beam shaping, beam deflection, super lens, super holography, optical rotation, anti-reflection and anti-reflection.

[0044] Compared with the solution of "arranging a patch on the light-emitting end face 40 to modulate the emitted light", the use of a metasurface can reduce the volume of the arrayed waveguide grating, and the arrayed waveguide grating has better stability and lower manufacturing cost.

[0045] Furthermore, the arrayed waveguide grating also includes a reflective bevel 20 and a total reflection film layer 30 that couples (e.g., vertically couples) the outgoing light of the waveguide core layer 10 (i.e., the split light signal of a single wavelength output by the output array waveguide) to the light output end face 40 (i.e., coupled to the metasurface 50). The total reflection film layer 30 is disposed on the reflective bevel 20, the metasurface 50 at the light output end face 40 is opposite to the total reflection film layer 30 (i.e., the reflective bevel 20), and the output array waveguide is also opposite to the total reflection film layer 30 (i.e., the reflective bevel 20), thereby achieving coupling (e.g., vertical coupling) between the output array waveguide and the metasurface 50. The material and film system of the total reflection film layer 30, such as Ag, can be selected according to the working band of the arrayed waveguide grating.

[0046] Specifically, the reflective bevel 20 (i.e., the total reflection film layer 30) is respectively opposite to the metasurface 50 and the waveguide core layer 10 (i.e., the output array waveguide of the waveguide core layer 10) at the light output end face 40, thereby realizing vertical coupling between the waveguide core layer 10 (i.e., the output array waveguide of the waveguide core layer 10) and the metasurface 50. Thus, after the combined light beam containing multiple wavelengths is demultiplexed into a single-wavelength split light beam by the waveguide core layer 10, it is emitted to the total reflection film layer 30, and the split light beam is reflected to the light output end face 40 by the total reflection film layer 30 on the reflective bevel 20, and then emitted from the light output end face 40 to the metasurface 50. Finally, after the split light beam is modulated by the metasurface 50, it is coupled to the photodetector corresponding to the optoelectronic transceiver array.

[0047] Furthermore, the metasurface 50 is configured to converge the light emitted from the light-emitting end face 40. In this embodiment, the metasurface 50 is configured to converge the light emitted from the light-emitting end face 40 (i.e., the split light reflected by the total reflection film layer 30), which is beneficial to the coupling between the light emitted from the metasurface 50 and the corresponding photodetector, that is, it is beneficial to the coupling between the arrayed waveguide grating and the optoelectronic transceiver array. In addition, the light extraction efficiency of the arrayed waveguide grating is improved, and the light energy loss of the arrayed waveguide grating is reduced.

[0048] Preferably, the metasurface 50 converges the outgoing light from the light-emitting end surface 40 and collimates the outgoing light to the corresponding light detector. Compared with the method of "the outgoing light from the metasurface 50 is a focused light beam", the light spot irradiated on the light detector in this solution will not be too small, which is conducive to the outgoing light from the metasurface 50 being received by the light detector.

[0049] Specifically, the metasurface 50 includes a plurality of array-arranged superstructure units, and a nanostructure 505 is provided at the center and / or vertex position of each superstructure unit. The superstructure unit is obtained by dividing the supersurface 50 to obtain a structure unit centered on each nanostructure 505. A plurality of nanostructures 505 are arranged on a substrate (e.g., the second cladding 110), wherein the nanostructures 505 in each period constitute a superstructure unit. The superstructure unit is a densely packed figure, such as a regular quadrilateral, a regular hexagon, a fan, etc., each period contains a nanostructure 505, and the vertex and / or center of the superstructure unit can be provided with a nanostructure 505. In the case where the superstructure unit is a regular hexagon, at least one nanostructure 505 is provided at each vertex and center position of the regular hexagon. Similarly, the same is true in the case of a fan or a square.

[0050] Specifically, the nanostructure 505 is configured as a polarization-dependent structure or a polarization-independent structure. The nanostructure 505 can select a polarization-dependent structure or a polarization-independent structure according to different usage scenarios. Polarization-independent structures include, for example, cylindrical shapes, square cylindrical shapes, cross cylindrical shapes, and square cylindrical shapes with round holes. Polarization-dependent structures include, for example, elliptical cylindrical shapes, rectangular cylindrical shapes, and hexagonal prism shapes. The nanostructure 505 can be a positive structure or a negative structure. For example, the shape of the nanostructure 505 includes a cylindrical shape, a hollow cylindrical shape, a square prism, a hollow square prism, and the like.

[0051] Specifically, the metasurface 50 also includes a protective layer 502 covering the nanostructure 505. The material of the protective layer 502 is similar to the substrate material, for example, it can be any material with a low refractive index and absorption coefficient in the visible light or near-infrared band, or it can be air (i.e., the protective layer 502 is not set).

[0052] Furthermore, the metasurface 50 further includes an anti-reflection film layer 501. The anti-reflection film layer 501 can be disposed on the light-entry side and / or the light-exiting side of the metasurface 50. The provision of the anti-reflection film layer 501 can improve the modulation efficiency of the metasurface 50 for the split light and reduce the optical energy loss of the arrayed waveguide grating.

[0053] Continue with reference Figure 2 and Figure 3 According to another aspect of the present invention, a preferred embodiment of the present invention further provides a method for manufacturing an arrayed waveguide grating, which is used to prepare the arrayed waveguide grating provided by any of the above embodiments. The structure and function of the arrayed waveguide grating are as described above and will not be repeated here.

[0054] Specifically, the method for manufacturing the arrayed waveguide grating includes:

[0055] Before forming the waveguide core layer 10, the reflective bevel 20 is formed by an etching process. In this embodiment, the reflective bevel 20 is made by an etching process, which can prevent the waveguide core layer 10 from being deformed (such as bent or twisted) or damaged during the grinding process, thereby ensuring the coupling effect between the waveguide core layer 10 and the optoelectronic transceiver array.

[0056] A total reflection film layer 30 is plated on the reflection bevel 20. In this embodiment, the inclination angle of the reflection bevel 20 relative to the metasurface 50 or the waveguide core layer 10 can be selected as needed, for example, according to the coupling angle (for example, vertical coupling) between the arrayed waveguide grating and the optoelectronic transceiver array. The total reflection film layer 30 covers the reflection bevel 20 and has the same inclination angle as the reflection bevel 20.

[0057] The wafer (80, 90) is cut to complete the production of the arrayed waveguide grating. In this embodiment, a wafer (e.g., a 12-inch large wafer) level processing method is used to simultaneously produce multiple waveguide grating arrays. After the production of multiple waveguide grating arrays is completed on the wafer, the wafer-level waveguide grating array is divided into chip-level waveguide grating arrays (e.g., a single waveguide grating array) by cutting the wafer (e.g., a base wafer 80 or a substrate wafer 90), thereby eliminating the need for secondary processing of the waveguide grating array. Subsequently, the low production efficiency caused by secondary processing (e.g., grinding the waveguide core layer 10) can be reduced, the production cost of the waveguide grating array can be reduced, and the consistency of the processed waveguide grating array can be improved.

[0058] When the arrayed waveguide grating is processed at the wafer level, the reflective bevel is processed by an etching process, which can avoid damage to the waveguide core layer 10. After the total reflection film layer 30 is plated on the reflective bevel 20, the arrayed waveguide grating at the wafer level is cut into chip level, thereby eliminating the need for a grinding process, avoiding damage to the waveguide core layer 10, and facilitating large-scale production while improving the yield rate.

[0059] In some embodiments, after the metasurface 50 is formed on the light-emitting end face 40 of the arrayed waveguide grating, the wafer is cut. In this embodiment, while manufacturing the wafer-level arrayed waveguide grating, the metasurface 50 is simultaneously manufactured on each arrayed waveguide grating, that is, the metasurface 50 is correspondingly manufactured at the light-emitting end face 40 of each arrayed waveguide grating. After the manufacture of the metasurface 50 is completed, the wafer-level arrayed waveguide grating is cut into chip-level, which is convenient for the manufacture of the metasurface 50 and conducive to large-scale production.

[0060] For example, after the wafer-level arrayed waveguide grating is manufactured (eg Figure 2 d), fabricating a metasurface 50 on the second cladding 110 (e.g. Figure 2 e), and then cutting the wafer (eg, substrate wafer 80) to obtain a chip-level arrayed waveguide grating (eg, a single arrayed waveguide grating).

[0061] In some embodiments, the metasurface 50 is configured to converge the outgoing light from the light-emitting end surface 40. In this embodiment, the structural dimensions (e.g., cross-sectional shape, outer diameter, height) of the nanostructure 505 are selected accordingly according to the angle and wavelength of the incident light incident on the metasurface 50 to ensure the efficiency of the metasurface 50. The phase (e.g., focusing phase) of the nanostructure 505 is selected according to the modulation function of the metasurface 50.

[0062] For example, Figure 3 The super surface 50 can be manufactured by etching process (such as overlay technology). First, a nano material layer 503 (such as Figure 3 a), then spin-coat a photoresist layer 504 (such as Figure 3 b), then the photoresist layer 504 is exposed and developed (eg Figure 3 c). After etching the nano material layer 503 (e.g. Figure 3 d), stripping the photoresist layer 504 (such as Figure 3 e). Then, the nanostructure 505 is selectively filled according to the material of the protective layer 502 .

[0063] In some embodiments, an anti-reflection film layer 501 is plated on the metasurface 50. In this embodiment, the anti-reflection film layer 501 can be plated before the metasurface 50 is manufactured, while the metasurface 50 is manufactured, or after the metasurface 50 is manufactured.

[0064] For example, Figure 3 g. After the metasurface 50 is manufactured, the anti-reflection film layer 501 is plated. The anti-reflection film layer 501 is plated on the light-emitting side of the metasurface 50 , that is, plated on the protective layer 502 .

[0065] In a different embodiment not shown, the anti-reflection film layer 501 may be plated before manufacturing the metasurface 50. For example, the anti-reflection film layer 501 is plated on the light incident side of the metasurface 50, that is, the anti-reflection film layer 501 is plated on the second cladding layer 110.

[0066] In a different embodiment not shown, the anti-reflection film layer 501 can also be plated while manufacturing the metasurface 50. For example, the anti-reflection film layer 501 is plated on the light incident side and the light emitting side of the metasurface 50, that is, the anti-reflection film layer 501 is plated on the second cladding layer 110 and the protective layer 502.

[0067] In some embodiments, before forming the waveguide core layer 10, the reflection slope 20 is formed by an etching process, specifically including:

[0068] A waveguide core groove 70 and a reflective slope 20 are formed on the first cladding layer 60. In this embodiment, Figure 2 a. First, a first cladding layer 60 (i.e., a cladding material layer 130) is plated on a substrate wafer 80, and then the first cladding layer 60 is etched to form a waveguide core groove 70 and a reflective inclined surface 20. Then, as Figure 2 b. A total reflection film layer 30 is plated on the reflective bevel 20 .

[0069] The waveguide core groove 70 matches the waveguide core layer 10 , that is, the shape of the waveguide core groove 70 is designed according to the planar waveguide optical path in the waveguide core layer 10 , and the specific shape is formed on the first cladding layer 60 through an etching process.

[0070] In some embodiments, the waveguide core groove 70 and the reflective slope 20 can be manufactured simultaneously. For example, in the process of etching the waveguide core groove 70 on the first cladding layer 60, the sidewall of the waveguide core groove 70 is etched at the same time, so as to form the reflective slope 20 on the sidewall of the waveguide core groove 70, so as to meet the coupling requirements between the waveguide core layer 10 and the total reflection film layer 30. Moreover, the simultaneous manufacture of the waveguide core groove 70 and the reflective slope 20 can simplify the process and improve the production efficiency.

[0071] Of course, in some other embodiments, the waveguide core groove 70 and the reflection slope 20 can also be manufactured successively. For example, after etching the waveguide core groove 70 on the first cladding 60, the side wall of the waveguide core groove 70 (i.e., the first cladding 60) is etched to obtain the reflection slope 20. Compared with the solution of "etching the waveguide core groove 70 and the reflection slope 20 at the same time", manufacturing the waveguide core groove 70 and the reflection slope 20 successively can reduce the process difficulty and improve the manufacturing accuracy of the reflection slope 20.

[0072] After the total reflection film layer 30 is plated on the reflection inclined surface 20, the waveguide core groove 70 is filled to form the waveguide core layer 10. In this embodiment, Figure 2 c. After the waveguide core groove 70 is filled with the core layer material layer 100 , a waveguide core layer 10 located in the waveguide core groove 70 is obtained.

[0073] Furthermore, since the reflection bevel 20 is located in the waveguide core groove 70, the total reflection film layer 30 plated on the reflection bevel 20 is also located in the waveguide core groove 70. Therefore, it is possible to avoid the reflection bevel 20 and the total reflection film layer 30 being exposed outside the arrayed waveguide grating, and avoid the reflection bevel 20 and the total reflection film layer 30 being damaged during assembly, thereby improving the reliability of the arrayed waveguide grating.

[0074] In addition, since the reflecting bevel 20 is formed by etching the first cladding 60 (i.e., the side wall of the waveguide core groove 70), and the waveguide core layer 10 is formed in the waveguide core groove 70 by filling, the waveguide core layer 10 will not be affected when the reflecting bevel 20 is processed, thereby ensuring that the waveguide core layer 10 will not be damaged.

[0075] In some embodiments, after the core material layer 100 is filled in the waveguide core groove 70, the core material layer 100 is ground. In this embodiment, after the core material layer 100 is filled in the waveguide core groove 70, the core material layer 100 may be ground to ensure that only the core material layer 100 located in the waveguide core groove 70 is retained. This makes the end surface of the core material layer 100 flush with the end surface of the first cladding layer 60 (e.g. Figure 2 c), that is, preventing the core material layer 100 from protruding outside the waveguide core groove 70 , thereby obtaining a waveguide core layer 10 located inside the waveguide core groove 70 .

[0076] When the core material layer 100 is ground, the top end surface of the core material layer 100 should meet the roughness requirement, for example, the roughness (Roughness, Ra for short) ≤ 5 nm.

[0077] After the waveguide core layer 10 is formed, a second cladding layer 110 covering the waveguide core layer 10 is formed on the first cladding layer 60. Figure 2 d, the second cladding 110 covers the top end surface of the waveguide core layer 10 and also covers the top end surface of the first cladding 60, thus realizing double-sided packaging of the waveguide core layer 10. At this point, the production of the wafer-level arrayed waveguide grating can be completed, and the entire production process does not require the substrate wafer 80 to be flipped, thus simplifying the production steps.

[0078] In some embodiments, the reflective bevel 20 is formed by nanoimprinting or grayscale exposure process. In this embodiment, the nanoimprinting or grayscale exposure process belongs to etching technology, and the nanoimprinting or grayscale exposure process can meet the processing requirements of the reflective bevel 20, that is, the inclination angle of the reflective bevel 20 relative to the vertical direction, for example Figure 2 The cone shown in a.

[0079] In some embodiments, after the reflection bevel 20 is formed, the reflection bevel 20 is cleaned. In this embodiment, after the reflection bevel 20 is formed, the reflection bevel 20 can be cleaned first, and then the reflection bevel 20 is plated with the total reflection film layer 30. After the formed reflection bevel 20 is cleaned, the surface roughness of the reflection bevel 20 can be reduced, thereby increasing the adhesion of the total reflection film layer 30.

[0080] Moreover, when the reflective bevel 20 is cleaned, byproducts generated during the etching process can also be removed to avoid affecting the coating effect.

[0081] In addition, during the cleaning process of the reflective bevel 20, the inner wall of the waveguide core groove 70 and the end face of the first cladding 60 can also be cleaned. The by-products formed by etching can also be removed and the roughness of the cleaned surface can be reduced, ensuring that there are no impurities between the waveguide core layer 10 and the first cladding 60 when the waveguide core groove 70 is filled, thereby ensuring the coupling performance of the arrayed waveguide grating.

[0082] For example, hydrofluoric acid can be used for cleaning, namely the BHF process, which is a wet chemical process for etching silicon oxide, and its main component is buffered hydrogen fluoride (BHF). Deionized water can also be used for cleaning, namely the Rotating Arm Cleaning (RAC), which is a cleaning method used in semiconductor manufacturing processes, mainly used to clean chemicals and impurities on the surface of the wafer.

[0083] In some embodiments, the total reflection film layer 30 is formed on the reflective bevel 20 by an overlay exposure process. In this embodiment, the total reflection film layer 30 is coated on the reflective bevel 20 by an overlay exposure process, which can accurately control the coating area (ie, the reflective bevel 20) and improve the coating accuracy.

[0084] Continue with reference Figure 2 , exemplary, the production steps of the entire embodiment are as follows:

[0085] Selecting a substrate wafer 80, the substrate wafer 80 may be made of silicon material, such as silicon material doped with hydrogen (ie, SiH);

[0086] By using a coating process, such as plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), a cladding material layer 130 is plated on the substrate wafer 80. The cladding material layer 130 may be made of silicon dioxide, thereby forming a first cladding layer 60.

[0087] The cladding material layer 130 (ie, the first cladding layer 60) is etched, for example, by a process such as nanoimprinting or grayscale exposure, so as to form a waveguide core groove 70 and a reflection slope 20 (eg, Figure 2 a);

[0088] Cleaning the reflective slope 20 and the waveguide core groove 70, for example, by using a BHF or RAC process, so as to remove byproducts generated by etching and reduce the roughness of the cleaned surface;

[0089] A total reflection film layer 30 is plated on the reflective bevel 20, for example, by an overlay exposure process (such as Figure 2 b);

[0090] By means of a coating process, such as low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD), a core material layer 100 is filled in the waveguide core groove 70, and the waveguide core groove 70 is ensured to be filled completely. The core material layer 100 may be made of silicon material, such as silicon material doped with hydrogen (i.e., SiH);

[0091] The core material layer 100 is ground to obtain a waveguide core layer 10 (eg, Figure 2 c) grinding can reduce the roughness of the end surface of the core material layer 100 (ie, the waveguide core layer 10), such as chemical-mechanical polishing (Chemical-Mechanical Polishing, CMP for short);

[0092] By using a coating process (such as PECVD), a cladding material layer 130 is coated again on the waveguide core layer 10 and the first cladding layer 60, thereby forming a second cladding layer 110 (such as Figure 2 d);

[0093] The metasurface 50 and the anti-reflection film 501 (such as Figure 2 e);

[0094] The substrate wafer 80 is cut into pieces to obtain individual arrayed waveguide gratings.

[0095] refer to Figure 4 As shown, another preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a method for manufacturing an arrayed waveguide grating, in which a reflection slope 20 is formed by an etching process when or after forming the waveguide core layer 10, so as to ensure the coupling accuracy of the waveguide core layer 10. In this embodiment, the same reference numerals represent the same elements with similar functions and are not further described.

[0096] Specifically, the method for manufacturing the arrayed waveguide grating includes:

[0097] When or after the waveguide core layer 10 is formed, the reflection bevel 20 is formed by an etching process. In this embodiment, when or after the waveguide core layer 10 is formed by an etching process, the reflection bevel 20 is manufactured. Compared with the scheme of "filling the waveguide core groove 70 to form the waveguide core layer 10", the process difficulty of the waveguide core layer 10 formed by direct etching is low, and the precision of the formed waveguide core layer 10 is high, which ensures the coupling precision of the waveguide core layer 10.

[0098] In some embodiments, when forming the waveguide core layer 10, the reflection slope 20 is formed by an etching process, which specifically includes:

[0099] After forming the core material layer 100 on the substrate wafer 90, the core material layer 100 is etched to simultaneously form the waveguide core layer 10 and the reflective bevel 20. In this embodiment, by etching the core material layer 100, the waveguide core layer 10 and the reflective bevel 20 (eg, Figure 4 b), so that the reflection bevel 20 is directly formed on the waveguide core layer 10. The reflection bevel 20 is obtained by etching the core material layer 100 (i.e., the waveguide core layer 10), so that the reflection bevel 20 is formed on the waveguide core layer 10. At this time, the total reflection film layer 30 is plated on the reflection bevel 20, that is, plated on the waveguide core layer 10, compared with the solution of "the total reflection film layer 30 is plated on the first cladding layer 60 (e.g., the waveguide core groove 70)", the coupling effect between the waveguide core layer 10 and the total reflection film layer 30 is improved.

[0100] Furthermore, the waveguide core layer 10 and the reflecting slope 20 are manufactured simultaneously, which can simplify the manufacturing process and improve production efficiency.

[0101] In some embodiments, after forming the waveguide core layer 10, the reflection slope 20 is formed by an etching process, which specifically includes:

[0102] After forming the core material layer 100 on the substrate wafer 90, the core material layer 100 is etched to form the waveguide core layer 10, and the waveguide core layer 10 is etched to form the reflection bevel 20. In this embodiment, by etching the core material layer 100, the waveguide core layer 10 can be obtained first, and then the waveguide core layer 10 is further etched to obtain the reflection bevel 20. Similarly, the reflection bevel 20 is formed on the waveguide core layer 10. Moreover, this method can also improve the manufacturing accuracy of the reflection bevel 20.

[0103] In some embodiments, after the reflection bevel 20 is formed, the reflection bevel 20 is cleaned. In this embodiment, after the reflection bevel 20 is formed, the reflection bevel 20 can be cleaned first, and then the reflection bevel 20 is plated with the total reflection film layer 30. After the formed reflection bevel 20 is cleaned, the surface roughness of the reflection bevel 20 can be reduced, thereby increasing the adhesion of the total reflection film layer 30.

[0104] Moreover, when the reflective bevel 20 is cleaned, byproducts generated during the etching process can also be removed to avoid affecting the coating effect.

[0105] In addition, during the cleaning process of the reflective bevel 20, the surface of the waveguide core layer 10 (i.e., the core material layer 100) and the substrate wafer 90 can also be cleaned to avoid the generation of impurities between the first cladding 60 and the waveguide core layer 10 and between the first cladding 60 and the substrate wafer 90 when the first cladding 60 is formed, thereby preventing the performance from being affected.

[0106] In some embodiments, after the total reflection film layer 30 is plated on the reflection bevel 20, a first cladding layer 60 covering the waveguide core layer 10 is formed on the substrate wafer 90. In this embodiment, the first cladding layer 60 covers the top end surface of the waveguide core layer 10 and the total reflection film layer 30, which can prevent the reflection bevel 20 and the total reflection film layer 30 from being exposed to the outside, thereby improving the stability of the arrayed waveguide grating during operation.

[0107] For example, after forming the cladding material layer 130 on the substrate wafer 90, the cladding material layer 130 is polished (for example, by CMP process) to form the first cladding layer 60 (for example, Figure 4 d).

[0108] In some embodiments, the side of the substrate wafer 90 away from the first cladding layer 60 is thinned to form the second cladding layer 110. In this embodiment, thinning the substrate wafer 90 is equivalent to thinning the second cladding layer 110, which can reduce the optical path in the second cladding layer 110, so that the optical path of the arrayed waveguide grating light output end face 40 is reduced. Figure 4 f. The two opposite sides of the waveguide core layer 10 are covered by the first cladding layer 60 and the second cladding layer 110, so as to realize double-sided packaging, better protect the waveguide core layer 10, and improve the stability of the arrayed waveguide grating during operation.

[0109] In some embodiments, after the carrier 120 is bonded to the first cladding 60, the side of the substrate wafer 90 facing away from the carrier 120 is thinned. In this embodiment, when the substrate wafer 90 is thinned, the substrate wafer 90 may be too thin and affect the strength, that is, it may affect the subsequent process. By bonding and connecting the carrier 120 before thinning the substrate wafer 90, the strength of the substrate wafer 90 is improved. Thus, while satisfying the requirement of reducing the optical path, the normal progress of the manufacturing process is ensured.

[0110] Exemplarily, the carrier 120 can be configured as glass, that is, it can transmit light in the working band of the arrayed waveguide grating. After the carrier 120 is bonded to the first cladding 60 by a thermal bonding or adhesive bonding process, the substrate wafer 90 is flipped, and the side of the substrate wafer 90 away from the carrier 120 is thinned to form the second cladding 110.

[0111] In addition, before bonding the carrier 120 to the first cladding layer 60 , the first cladding layer 60 (ie, the cladding material layer 130 ) may be polished (eg, by a CMP process) so that the surface (eg, roughness) of the first cladding layer 60 meets bonding requirements.

[0112] Continue with reference Figure 4 , exemplary, the production steps of the entire embodiment are as follows:

[0113] Selecting a substrate wafer 90, the bottom wafer 90 may be made of silicon dioxide material;

[0114] A core material layer 100 (such as a LPCVD process) is deposited on the substrate wafer 90. Figure 4 a), the core material layer 100 may be made of silicon material, such as silicon material doped with hydrogen (i.e., SiH);

[0115] The core material layer 100 is etched, for example, by nanoimprinting or grayscale exposure, so as to form a waveguide core layer 10 and a reflective slope 20 (such as Figure 4 b);

[0116] Cleaning the reflective bevel 20, the waveguide core layer 10 and the substrate wafer 90, for example, by using a BHF or RAC process, so as to remove byproducts generated by etching and reduce the roughness of the cleaned surface;

[0117] A total reflection film layer 30 is plated on the reflective bevel 20, for example, by an overlay exposure process (such as Figure 4 c);

[0118] A cladding material layer 130 is plated on the substrate wafer 90 and the waveguide core layer 10 through a coating process (such as a PECVD process), so as to wrap the waveguide core layer 10. The cladding material layer 130 may be a silicon dioxide material.

[0119] The cladding material layer 130 is ground (eg, by CMP process) to obtain the first cladding layer 60 (eg, Figure 4 d), and ensure that the surface of the first cladding layer 60 meets the bonding requirements;

[0120] The carrier 120 (eg, Figure 4 e), the carrier 120 may be made of glass;

[0121] The substrate wafer 90 is turned over, and the side of the substrate wafer 90 facing away from the carrier 120 is thinned to form a second cladding layer 110 (eg Figure 4 f);

[0122] The metasurface 50 and the anti-reflection film 501 (such as Figure 4 g);

[0123] The substrate wafer 90 is cut into pieces to obtain individual arrayed waveguide gratings.

[0124] It should be understood that although this specification is described according to implementation modes, not every implementation mode contains only one independent technical solution. This description of the specification is only for the sake of clarity. Those skilled in the art should regard the specification as a whole. The technical solutions in each implementation mode may also be appropriately combined to form other implementation modes that can be understood by those skilled in the art.

[0125] The series of detailed descriptions listed above are only specific descriptions of feasible implementation methods of the present invention. They are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Any equivalent implementation methods or changes that do not deviate from the technical spirit of the present invention should be included in the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing an arrayed waveguide grating, characterized in that: include: Before forming the waveguide core layer, when forming the waveguide core layer, or after forming the waveguide core layer, forming a reflection slope by an etching process; A total reflection film layer is plated on the reflective inclined surface; The wafer is cut to complete the production of arrayed waveguide grating.

2. The method for manufacturing an arrayed waveguide grating according to claim 1, wherein: After a metasurface is formed on the light-emitting end face of the arrayed waveguide grating, the wafer is cut.

3. The method for manufacturing an arrayed waveguide grating according to claim 1, wherein: Before forming the waveguide core layer, a reflection slope is formed by an etching process, specifically including: forming a waveguide core groove and a reflecting inclined surface on the first cladding layer; After a total reflection film layer is plated on the reflection inclined surface, the waveguide core groove is filled to form a waveguide core layer.

4. The method for manufacturing an arrayed waveguide grating according to claim 3, wherein: After the core material layer is filled in the waveguide core groove, the core material layer is ground; After the waveguide core layer is formed, a second cladding layer covering the waveguide core layer is formed on the first cladding layer.

5. The method for manufacturing an arrayed waveguide grating according to claim 1, wherein: When forming the waveguide core layer, a reflection slope is formed by an etching process, specifically including: After forming a core material layer on the substrate wafer, the core material layer is etched to simultaneously form a waveguide core layer and a reflective slope.

6. The method for manufacturing an arrayed waveguide grating according to claim 1, wherein: After forming the waveguide core layer, a reflection slope is formed by an etching process, which specifically includes: After forming a core material layer on the substrate wafer, the core material layer is etched to form a waveguide core layer, and the waveguide core layer is etched to form a reflective slope.

7. The method for manufacturing an arrayed waveguide grating according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that: After a total reflection film layer is plated on the reflection inclined surface, a first cladding layer covering the waveguide core layer is formed on the substrate wafer.

8. The method for manufacturing an arrayed waveguide grating according to claim 1, wherein: The reflective slope is formed by nano-imprinting or grayscale exposure process.

9. The method for manufacturing an arrayed waveguide grating according to claim 7, wherein: The side of the substrate wafer facing away from the first cladding layer is thinned to form a second cladding layer.

10. The method for manufacturing an arrayed waveguide grating according to claim 7, wherein: After bonding the carrier to the first cladding layer, the side of the substrate wafer facing away from the carrier is thinned.

11. The method for manufacturing an arrayed waveguide grating according to claim 2, wherein: An anti-reflection film layer is deposited on the metasurface.

12. The method for manufacturing an arrayed waveguide grating according to claim 1, wherein: A total reflection film layer is formed on the reflective inclined surface through an overlay exposure process.

13. An arrayed waveguide grating, comprising a waveguide core layer, a first cladding layer and a second cladding layer, characterized in that: The arrayed waveguide grating also includes a total reflection film layer and a super surface arranged on the light output end face, and the super surface is opposite to the total reflection film layer.

14. The arrayed waveguide grating according to claim 13, wherein: The metasurface is configured to converge the outgoing light from the light-emitting end face.

15. The arrayed waveguide grating according to claim 13, wherein: The arrayed waveguide grating also includes a reflective inclined surface, which is opposite to the super surface and the waveguide core layer respectively, and the total reflection film layer is arranged on the reflective inclined surface.

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