Waveguide device for photonic applications

Abstract

The invention relates to a waveguide arrangement (1) for photonic applications. The waveguide arrangement (1) has a plurality of light guide regions (6, 7), at least one first light guide region (6) being made of a first electro-optical light guide material and at least one second light guide region (7) being made of a further second electro-optical light guide material. The first light guide region (6) and the second light guide region (7) are arranged in such a way that light guided in the first light guide region (6) can enter the second light guide region (7) from the first light guide region (6).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a waveguide device for photonic applications. BACKGROUND

[0002] For example, for certain technical applications, such as low-loss and fast data transmission or similar, light can have more advantageous properties than electrical current. Waveguides can be used with a variety of materials. However, these materials often also have some unfavorable properties, such as physical and optical properties, processability or handleability, availability or procurement, etc. Therefore, there is still room for improvement in this regard. SUMMARY

[0003] It is an object of the present invention to achieve particularly efficient and effective photonic applications.

[0004] The object is achieved by the subject matter of the independent claims. Further possible embodiments of the invention are described in the dependent claims, the description and the figures. The features, advantages and possible embodiments disclosed in the description for the context of the independent claims should at least be considered as features, advantages and possible embodiments of the respective subject matter of the other independent claims and of any possible combination of the subject matter of the independent claims and optionally in combination with one or more dependent claims.

[0005] The waveguide device according to the invention can be used for photonic applications. Therefore, the waveguide device can be used, inter alia, in the field of integrated optics. For example, the waveguide device can be designed as a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) or as part of such a PIC. The waveguide device has a plurality of light guiding regions, wherein at least one first light guiding region is made of a first electro-optical light guiding material and at least one second light guiding region is made of a second electro-optical light guiding material different from the first light guiding material. The first light guiding region and the second light guiding region are arranged here in such a way that light guided in the first light guiding region can at least partially or only partially (i.e. at least or only at predetermined points) enter (i.e. be coupled to or transmitted to) the second light guiding region from the first light guiding region. Likewise, light can also enter the first light guiding region from the second light guiding region in the opposite direction.

[0006] Thus, the waveguide device according to the present application can comprise light guiding regions made of different materials having different electro-optical properties. By combining at least two different electro-optical light guiding materials according to the present application, the advantages of the respective materials in different applications can be combined in one waveguide device. Thus, a waveguide device can be realized which has properties or behaviors which cannot be realized using only a single electro-optical light guiding material or which require additional effort to be realized. Thus, the present application can realize for example a more simplified, more precise modulation, possibly combined with an increase of the overall efficiency and / or a reduction of the losses and / or a reduction of the space requirements and / or a higher integration density and / or similar advantages. Thus, the present application can realize corresponding complex and / or precise photonic applications in a particularly compact manner.

[0007] Depending on the application or the required functionality, the light guiding regions can have different shapes or structures and / or can be arranged differently to each other. Herein for example, the light guiding regions can be partially or completely surrounded by other materials or components of the waveguide device which are not light guiding and thus at least substantially non-transparent. Alternatively or additionally, further materials, in particular intermediate layers of silicon dioxide, can also be provided between the light guiding regions. In a possible embodiment of the application, the waveguide device further comprises a substrate, a cover material and at least two electrodes arranged on different, in particular opposite sides of the waveguide device or the light guiding region. The substrate can be made of silicon, e.g. a silicon wafer or the like. The cover material at least partially surrounds the light guiding region or can be arranged between the light guiding regions. In this case, the cover material is arranged at least in part between the light guiding region and the substrate. The cover material has a lower refractive index than the at least one light guiding material provided on or against the cover material. For example, the cover material can be or comprise silicon dioxide (Si02). Thus, the cover material can prevent, limit or reduce the penetration or passage of light guided in the light guiding region through the substrate. For example, the entire surface of the substrate can be substantially covered by an intermediate layer of the cover material. One or more light guiding regions can then be arranged on this intermediate layer. Similarly, the cover material can laterally cover or shield the light guiding region, e.g. on the upper side away from or opposite to the substrate and / or between the upper side and the substrate and / or on the lower side of the light guiding region facing the substrate. This can prevent or limit the escape of light guided in the light guiding region. Similarly, the light guiding region can also be protected from damage by the cover material. Likewise, the cover material can serve as a base or carrier for other components or materials, e.g. electrodes arranged on top, i.e. on the side of the light guiding region facing away from the substrate, or the like. The proposed design of the waveguide device can be implemented or carried out by means of conventional methods or semiconductor manufacturing techniques, e.g. of the semiconductor industry, and thus in particular is simple, practical, reliable and cost-effective. This can enable a particularly precise shape, structure and arrangement of the components mentioned above, in particular of the light guiding region. This enables the waveguide device according to the application to be used effectively and efficiently for the implementation of photonic applications or functions.

[0008] In a possible further development of the application, the electrodes of the waveguide device comprise at least one surface electrode which is arranged on the underside of the substrate away from the light guide region. This can thus extend at least substantially in the form of a surface over the entire surface of the substrate or the light guide region or area. Alternatively, a layer of electrically conductive material can also be designed as a surface electrode between the substrate and the intermediate layer (consisting of the cover material). In addition, the electrodes comprise a plurality of individual electrodes arranged above or next to the light guide region opposite the surface electrode. These individual electrodes are each arranged only at the location of one of the light guide regions. The individual electrodes can thus only extend over a part, in particular a small part, of the area of the waveguide device. For example, the individual electrodes can be at least approximately circular or rectangular in shape or extend in the form of a strip along the intended main light guide direction of the respective light guide region. The individual electrodes can be arranged, for example, on the cover material mentioned elsewhere, which can then at least be located between the upper individual electrodes and the light guide region. The individual electrodes can be arranged, for example, in pairs, i.e. as a pair with different electrical potentials above the light guide region, in particular when the waveguide device has a plurality of light guide regions arranged next to one another in the plane of the substrate or surface electrode. This plane can be defined, for example, by the main extension direction of the substrate or surface electrode. In the arrangement of the surface electrode and the one or more individual electrodes opposite one another, this plane can be perpendicular and / or extend in the height direction or stacking direction of the waveguide device from the plane electrode to the side of the one or more individual electrodes. In other words, this means that a voltage is applied between the one or more upper individual electrodes and the surface electrode. If the waveguide device has a plurality of light guide regions arranged side by side in this plane, at least one individual electrode or at least one pair of individual electrodes can be assigned to these adjacently arranged light guide regions and arranged directly above the respective light guide region in the height direction, respectively. Alternatively, the individual electrodes can also be arranged directly next to or alongside the light guide regions, as mentioned earlier. The electrodes can be used to generate an electric field which can completely or partially penetrate the light guide region. Since the light guide region is made of an electro-optical material, such an electric field or the switching on and off or variation of the electric field can change the optical properties of the light guide region or the light guide material and / or the properties of the light guided therein. This means that the light guided in the light guide region, respectively, can be modulated by applying a suitable electrical control or voltage to the electrodes. This can be used for various photonic applications and tasks.

[0009] In another possible embodiment of the application, in the surface area in which the first light guide region and the second light guide region are viewed overlapping in at least one direction, locally or partially, a material for suppressing the transmission of light between the light guide regions is provided, whereas in another part, in particular the remaining part, of this surface area, the light guide regions or the respective light guide materials are directly adjacent to each other, i.e. lie against each other. Here, the refractive index of the material for suppressing the transmission of light can in particular be lower than the light guide materials of the two light guide regions. For example, this material can be the cover material mentioned elsewhere. The embodiment presented here by the application can achieve that the transmission or coupling of light from one light guide region to another light guide region is at least largely limited to the area in which the light guide regions are directly adjacent to each other, without the respective complex structure or shape of the light guide regions and the arrangement having to be implemented. This can enable a particularly simple and robust way of particularly precisely and purposefully defining the optical or photonic behavior of the waveguide device. For example, this can ensure that, in a parallel or overlapping arrangement of two light guide regions, light in one light guide region can be guided at least a predetermined distance, for example, modulated or delayed in terms of wavelength or phase or polarity, without entering the adjacent light guide region in an undesirable manner along the respective distance. At the same time, however, for example, at the end of this distance or thereafter, the light can enter the respective area of the adjacent light guide region which is free of the suppressing material. In practical applications, however, it can also be the case that a thin layer of the suppressing material remains between the two adjacent light guide regions. It has proven that, even in the case of a thin layer of the suppressing material, a light transmission can still occur. In another possible embodiment of the application, the first light guide material has a smaller loss V in the light guidance and / or light transmission, i.e. the guidance or transmission of light in the first light guide material, than the second light guide material. In particular, materials with V < 0.5 dB / cm, preferably V < 0.1 dB / cm, can be used as the first light guide material. Thus, materials which exhibit or cause a lower attenuation in the light transmission can be selected here as the first light guide material. In particular, for the first light guide region here, a first light guide material can be selected which can be structured on as large an area as possible, for example, on a wafer with a diameter of at least 200 mm or at least 300 mm, using a mature process of the semiconductor industry or semiconductor technology. For example, SiN (silicon nitride) or SiC (silicon carbide) or LiNbO3 (lithium niobate) or Al2O3 (aluminum oxide) or TiO2 (titanium dioxide) or similar materials can be used as the first light guide material. In particular in the height direction or stacking direction of the waveguide device mentioned elsewhere, the first light guide material or the at least one first light guide region formed therefrom can be closer to the lower side of the waveguide device, i.e. to the substrate mentioned elsewhere, than the second light guide region. Thus, the embodiment presented here by the application can enable a particularly large-area light guide basic structure of the waveguide device in a particularly simple, efficient and effective manner by means of the at least one first light guide region.

[0010] In another possible embodiment of the application, the nonlinear refractive index n2 of the second light guiding material is greater than that of the first light guiding material. In other words, a material can be selected which has a particularly high second-order susceptibility and which has the largest possible nonlinear refractive index n2 as the second light guiding material, i.e. for forming or structuring the second light guiding region. Preferably, a material can be selected which has ≥ 3 pm / V or n2≥ 2.5 x 10exp(-19). This means that the second light guiding material can have or exhibit a particularly large electro-optical modulation capability, since the nonlinear refractive index n2 describes the dependence of the refractive index on the local electric field strength. Such a material can be, for example, Si, SiC, SiN, AlN, GaP, AlGaAs, LiNbO3, BaTiO3 or an electro-optical polymer composite, etc. The embodiments presented here by the application enable particularly efficient and effective modulation of the guided light in the second light guiding region. This enables the corresponding photonic functionality of the waveguide device to be implemented particularly efficiently, effectively and compactly, i.e. with a smaller size or lower installation space requirement of the waveguide device.

[0011] In another possible embodiment of the application, the waveguide device has a plurality of layers which are arranged or stacked on top of one another in the height or stacking direction. In the process, the various light guiding regions are arranged in different layers. The main light guiding or light transport direction of the light guiding regions here extends in the respective main extension plane of the respective layer which is perpendicular to the height direction or stacking direction. The different layers or their main extension planes can thus be arranged parallel to one another and stacked on top of one another in the height direction or stacking direction which is perpendicular to these planes. In the process, the light guiding regions can be observed or measured in the height direction and arranged at different heights or height levels. The embodiments presented here by the application enable the waveguide device to be manufactured particularly easily and effectively using existing production processes or only with a small amount of modification. At the same time, the arrangement of the light guiding regions presented here, i.e. their three-dimensional structure or distribution, enables particularly compact and / or particularly complex photonic functionalities or applications to be implemented. For example, different light guiding regions can be arranged at different levels or height levels, i.e. in different layers, which can here be interleaved with one another when viewed from above or projected onto one of the layers, but in fact do not influence one another.

[0012] In another possible embodiment of the invention, in the transition region where light can enter from the first optical guiding region to the second optical guiding region (or from the second optical guiding region to the first optical guiding region), at least one of the two overlapping or adjacent optical guiding regions has a shape that gradually tapers towards the other optical guiding region. In other words, the corresponding optical guiding region can narrow towards the other optical guiding region, or, for example, gradually taper into a point or cone, etc. This gradually tapering shape of one or more optical guiding regions can enhance the optical guiding effect, i.e., allow it to extend further outward from the core of the corresponding optical guiding region. This, in turn, allows for more efficient coupling of light to the corresponding other optical guiding region. Therefore, this enables the effective and efficient realization of photonic functions or applications.

[0013] As an alternative or additional solution to the gradual shape of the optical guide region in the transition region, the waveguide between the two optical guide regions can be specifically adjusted by arranging the electrodes as described above and applying a voltage to the electrodes. Specifically, it may be desirable that only light of a specific wavelength enters the first optical guide region from, for example, the second optical guide region (or enters the second optical guide region from the first optical guide region), while the remaining light remains in the second optical guide region. In this way, targeted coupling to or from the optical guide region can be set according to the applied voltage. In another possible embodiment of the invention, the first light-guiding region comprises a plurality of spaced-apart partial regions or sub-regions. These partial regions or sub-regions are interconnected via a second light-guiding region, such that light from a first partial region or sub-region of the first light-guiding region can enter the second light-guiding region and from there enter a second partial region or second sub-region of the first light-guiding region. In other words, the first light-guiding region may be interrupted here, i.e., divided into two or more parts, wherein the plurality of partial regions or sub-regions are spaced apart from each other, particularly in the intended main light-guiding direction. Such interruption can then be bridged by, for example, a second light-guiding region. Similarly, such interruption can be completely or partially filled by the second light-guiding region or a second light-guiding material or by a covering material mentioned elsewhere. The plurality of partial regions or sub-regions of the first light-guiding region may be arranged here, particularly at the same layer or height level. For example, the plurality of partial regions or sub-regions of the first light-guiding region, or the intended main light-guiding direction in these partial regions or sub-regions, may be arranged adjacent to each other. This can make the implementation of embodiments of the invention particularly simple, but is not absolutely necessary. The embodiments proposed herein, for example, can achieve particularly efficient or low-loss optical guiding over relatively long distances in a portion or sub-region of the first optical guiding region. Furthermore, for example, light can be modulated particularly effectively or extensively and / or efficiently in the second optical guiding region. This allows the different advantages or strengths of various optical guiding materials to be combined and utilized particularly effectively and efficiently.

[0014] In another possible embodiment of the invention, the waveguide device includes at least one modulation device for modulating light. This modulation device is formed by or disposed on a second light-guiding region (i.e., particularly by a second light-guiding material) such that light can enter the modulation device from the first light-guiding region and / or enter the second light-guiding region from the modulation device. The modulation device can, in particular, be a resonator or contain a resonator. For example, such a resonator can be designed as a ring, stadium-shaped, or disk-shaped resonator, i.e., a ring resonator, a racetrack-shaped resonator, a disk resonator, or a photonic crystal cavity (PhC). Such a modulation device can be used to realize various photonic functions or applications, such as applications in communications engineering (e.g., frequency comb generation), or applications in the field of quantum sensing, or applications using compressed optical states for quantum computing. Typically, electrodes are disposed in the region between the modulation device and the second light-guiding material to apply a voltage, thereby establishing an optical conversion between the modulation device and the second light-guiding material. As previously mentioned, it may be desirable that only light of a specific wavelength from the modulation device is coupled into the second light-guiding material. This can be achieved by applying a specific voltage to the electrodes.

[0015] Other features of the invention can be seen from the following description of the drawings and the accompanying drawings. The features and combinations of features mentioned in the foregoing specification, as well as the features and combinations of features shown in the following illustrations and / or individual figures, can be used not only in the combinations specified in each case, but also in other combinations or individually, without departing from the scope of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0016] In the attached image: Figure 1 A schematic cross-sectional view of a waveguide device with various optical guiding materials is shown; Figure 2 A partial perspective view of the corresponding waveguide device with integrated optical modulation is shown.

[0017] In the figures, identical or functionally equivalent elements are labeled with the same reference numerals. Detailed Implementation

[0018] Figure 1 A schematic cross-sectional view of a first variant of a waveguide device 1 for photonic applications is shown. The waveguide device 1 here has a layered structure or layer configuration consisting of multiple different layers. These layers are arranged or stacked on top of each other along the stacking direction or height direction H indicated by the arrow.

[0019] Here, the surface electrode 2 is disposed as the first layer on the lower side of the waveguide device 1. For example, it can serve as a ground electrode during operation. Above the surface electrode 2, in the height direction H, is a substrate 3. The substrate 3 can be, for example, a silicon layer, a silicon wafer, or a similar structure. Above the substrate 3, an intermediate layer 4 is disposed, and a capping layer 5 is adjacent to the intermediate layer 4 in certain areas. For example, the intermediate layer 4 and the capping layer 5 can be applied sequentially, i.e., in different manufacturing steps, but can be made entirely or partially of the same material, such as silicon dioxide. As mentioned earlier, in another arrangement not shown here, the surface electrode 2 can also be disposed between the substrate 3 and the intermediate layer 4. Furthermore, a discontinuous layer of first optical guiding material is applied to the intermediate layer 4 to form a plurality of first optical guiding regions 6. These first optical guiding regions 6 can be formed, for example, from a first optical guiding material with electro-optic properties (such as SiC or SiN). To form the first optical guiding regions 6, for example, during the fabrication of the waveguide device 1, a continuous layer composed of the first optical guiding material can first be applied to the intermediate layer 4. Subsequently, this layer can be partially removed, for example, by etching, leaving only the first optical guiding regions 6. Thus, one or more first optical conductors or waveguides in the form of first optical guiding regions 6 can be formed from the first optical guiding material.

[0020] A second photoconductive material, also possessing electro-optic properties, is applied as a next layer onto these first photoconductive regions 6. Multiple second photoconductive regions 7 are formed here using this second photoconductive material. Here, the first photoconductive material used to form the first photoconductive region 6 and the second photoconductive material used to form the second photoconductive region 7 are different, resulting in different electro-optic properties for the first photoconductive region 6 and the second photoconductive region 7, i.e., properties for light guiding and / or light influence. For example, the second photoconductive region 7 can be made of LiNbO3 or a similar material.

[0021] For example, after the first light-guiding region 6 and the second light-guiding region 7 are formed, a cover layer 5 can be applied, that is, a corresponding cover material having a smaller refractive index than the first light-guiding material and the second light-guiding material, so as to at least partially surround or enclose the light-guiding regions 6 and 7.

[0022] Alternatively or additionally, an additional intermediate layer (not shown here) may be applied between the two light-guiding regions 6, 7, which may in particular be made of the same material as the intermediate layer 4 and the cover layer 5. By employing the layered structure proposed herein, consisting of a substrate 3, various light-guiding materials for light-guiding regions 6 and 7, and at least one intermediate layer or cover material for intermediate layer 4 and cover layer 5, light within the waveguide device 1 can be guided only in the light-guiding regions 6 and 7. Here, the arrangement of the light-guiding regions 6 and 7 allows light to at least partially change direction between these light-guiding regions 6 and 7, for example, from the first light-guiding region 6 to the second light-guiding region 7 arranged thereon and / or in the opposite direction.

[0023] Since the second light-guiding region 7 is also covered upward (i.e., the upper side away from the substrate 3 and the surface electrode 2) by the cover layer 5, the light guided accordingly can be prevented from escaping into the environment.

[0024] On the upper side of the cover layer 5, single electrodes 8, corresponding to the light-guiding regions 6 and 7 respectively, are arranged in positions directly adjacent to or as close as possible to the light-guiding regions 6 and 7. Therefore, these single electrodes 8 can be considered as a contact layer above the cover layer 5. In the example currently shown, single electrodes 8 with different potentials are spatially and therefore also functionally assigned to various arrangements or groups of light-guiding regions. Alternatively, single electrodes with only one potential can also be functionally assigned to groups of light-guiding regions. By applying a corresponding voltage to the single electrode 8, in conjunction with the surface electrode 2, an electric field that at least partially penetrates the light-guiding regions 6 and 7 can be generated, thereby allowing targeted modulation (i.e., influence) of the light guided in the light-guiding regions 6 and 7. The surface electrode 2 and the single electrodes 8 can be made of metal. For example, the single electrode 8 can be made specifically of gold or gold alloys or similar materials. Other materials, such as copper, silver, alloys, etc., can also be used as needed.

[0025] Various photonic integrated circuits (PICs) can be realized, for example, through the manner shown here, and through other arrangements or configurations of optical guide regions 6, 7, and / or other optical guide regions or optical guide materials. Although only two optical guide layers located at different height levels (i.e., different positions along the height direction H) are illustrated here, other examples or designs may use, for example, three or more optical guide layers, i.e., optical guide layers present or integrated within waveguide device 1. Here, for example, one or more additional first optical guide regions 6 and / or second optical guide regions 7 may be arranged at different height levels or in different layers than those shown here. Similarly, one or more additional optical guide regions composed of one or more other optical guide materials may also be provided. Likewise, various optical guide materials or regions cannot be partially adjacent to other optical guide materials or other optical guide regions. In summary, the different properties and advantages of various available optical guide materials can be fully utilized separately and locally.

[0026] As another example, Figure 2A partial schematic perspective view of a second variant and waveguide device 1 with other or more details is shown. Here, the layer structure also essentially includes a lower surface electrode 2, a substrate 3 above the surface electrode 2, an intermediate layer 4, a capping layer 5, and a light-guiding region embedded therein. This first light-guiding region 6 is further subdivided into a first portion region 6a and a second portion region 6b spaced apart from it. Therefore, an interruption 9 exists between the first portion region 6a and the second portion region 6b. This interruption 9 can be filled, for example, with the material of the capping layer 5.

[0027] A second optical guide region 7 is also provided on the first optical guide region 6. Here, the optical guide region 7 extends from the first partial region 6a to the second partial region 6b and is interrupted by transmission 9. The second optical guide region 7 overlaps with the first partial region 6a and the second partial region 6b in corresponding overlapping or coupling regions 10. In these coupling regions 10, light can be transferred between the optical guide regions 6 and 7, i.e., transmitted. In the arrangement shown in the figure, for example, light can be coupled into the first partial region 6a and guided within it to its coupling region 10. There, the light can be transmitted to the second optical guide region 7 and then guided within the second optical guide region 7 to the second partial region 6b. In the coupling region 10, light can be transmitted from the second optical guide region 7 to the second partial region 6b and further guided there.

[0028] Furthermore, the waveguide device 1 also includes a modulation device 11, which is also made of a photoconductor material or a photoconductor material, particularly an electro-optic material. For example, the modulation device 11 can be made of the same second photoconductor material as the second photoconductor region 7, as indicated in the corresponding designations of the modulation device 11 and the second photoconductor region 7. Similarly, the modulation device 11 can be made of, for example, different photoconductor materials. The modulation device 11 can be directly adjacent to the second photoconductor region or coupled to it optically (i.e., in a photoconductor manner). In particular, the second photoconductor region 7 or the portion of the second photoconductor region 7 connecting regions 6a, 6b and the modulation device 11 can be arranged in the same layer, i.e., at the same height level in the height direction H. Here, the modulation device 11 is designed, for example, as a ring resonator. Therefore, light coupled from the first portion region 6a to the second photoconductor region 7 in the corresponding coupling region 10 can first pass through the modulation device 11, and then, for example, be coupled to the second portion region 6b through another coupling region 10 in a corresponding modulation form (i.e., a modified or affected form).

[0029] Other arrangements or design schemes are also possible. For example, the first light-guiding region 6 can be designed to be continuous instead of interrupted by the interruption 9. For instance, in the area occupied by the interruption 9 between the first light-guiding region 6 and the second light-guiding region 7, a material can be arranged to suppress light transmission between the two light-guiding regions 6 and 7, for example, in a portion or section of the cover layer 5. In this way, a portion of the light can pass continuously through the first light-guiding region 6, while another portion of the light can be coupled into the second light-guiding region 7 and may be modulated in the modulation device 11.

[0030] The waveguide device 1 shown here can also have one or more electrodes opposite the surface electrode 2, such as a single electrode 8, which is not explicitly shown here for clarity. Alternatively, as previously described, the surface electrode can also be disposed between the substrate 3 and the intermediate layer 4 (not shown here). By correspondingly electrical control of the electrodes, the crossing of light from the first light-guiding region 6 into the second light-guiding region 7 and / or from the second light-guiding region 7 into the first light-guiding region 6 can be controlled, for example. The arrangement and principle described herein can guide light as needed and switch between different light-guiding regions and materials to achieve photonic functions or applications. Here, different characteristics of the guided light, such as its wavelength, can be influenced or controlled separately depending on the light-guiding material used and the applied voltage and electric field. For example, this can be very useful for applications in the field of photonic quantum computing.

[0031] List of reference signs 1. Waveguide device 2 Surface Electrode 3 substrate 4. Intermediate layer 5. Covering layer 6 First optical guide region 6a Part 1 Area 6b Part Two Area 7 Second optical guide region 8 Single Electrode 9. Interruption 10. Coupling Region 11 Modulation device H (height direction)

Claims

1. A waveguide device (1) for photonic applications, comprising multiple optical guide regions (6, 7), wherein: – At least one first optical guiding region (6) is made of a first electro-optical optical guiding material, – At least one second optical guiding region (7) is made of another second electro-optical optical guiding material, and – The first light guide region (6) and the second light guide region (7) are arranged such that light guided in the first light guide region (6) can enter the second light guide region (7) from the first light guide region.

2. The waveguide device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The waveguide device (1) includes a substrate (3) made of silicon, in particular a covering material (4, 5) of silicon dioxide, and at least two electrodes (2, 8) disposed on different sides of the waveguide device (1). The covering material (4, 5) at least partially surrounds the light-guiding region (6, 7) and is disposed at least between the light-guiding region (6, 7) and the substrate (3). The refractive index of the covering material (4, 5) is less than the refractive index of at least one light-guiding material (6, 7) disposed thereon.

3. The waveguide device (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that, The electrodes (2, 8) include a surface electrode (2) and at least one single electrode (8). The surface electrode (2) is disposed on the lower side of the substrate (3) opposite to the light guiding region (6, 7), and the at least one single electrode (8) is disposed above or to the side of the light guiding region (6, 7) opposite to the surface electrode (2) and is disposed only at the location of the light guiding region (6, 7).

4. The waveguide device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, In the overlapping surface area of ​​the first light-guiding region (6) and the second light-guiding region (7) observed in at least one direction (H), a material (5) with a refractive index lower than that of the light-guiding material is partially arranged to suppress the transmission of light between the light-guiding regions (6, 7), and the material (5) is partially in direct contact with the light-guiding regions (6, 7), or the distribution range of the material (5) in the overlapping surface area of ​​the first light-guiding region (6) and the second light-guiding region (7) observed in at least one direction (H) is reduced relative to the remaining surface area.

5. The waveguide device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The first optical waveguide material has lower loss in the optical waveguide than the second optical waveguide material, particularly V≤0.5 dB / cm, preferably V≤0.1 dB / cm.

6. The waveguide device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The second optical guide material has a larger nonlinear refractive index n2 than the first optical guide material, especially n≥2.5×10 -19 And / or the second optical guide material has a larger second-order magnetic susceptibility than the first optical guide material, especially pm / V.

7. The waveguide device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The waveguide device (1) has multiple layers stacked along the height direction (H), wherein different optical guiding regions (6, 7) are arranged in different layers, and the main optical guiding direction of the optical guiding regions (6, 7) extends in the corresponding main extension plane of the corresponding layer perpendicular to the height direction (H).

8. The waveguide device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, In the transition region (10) where light can be transmitted from the first light-guiding region (6) to the second light-guiding region (7), the shape of at least one of the two light-guiding regions (6, 7) gradually tapers toward the other light-guiding region (7, 6).

9. The waveguide device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, An electrode, which is equivalent to the applied voltage, is arranged in a transition region (10) where light can be transmitted from the first light-guiding region (6) to the second light-guiding region (7). The electrode is used to apply a voltage to the transition region (10).

10. The waveguide device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The first light guide region (6) includes a plurality of spaced-apart partial regions (6a, 6b) that are interconnected by the second light guide region (7) so that light from the first partial region (6a) of the first light guide region (6) can be transmitted to the second light guide region (7) and from the second light guide region (7) to the second partial region (6b) of the first light guide region (6).

11. The waveguide device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The waveguide device (1) has a modulation device (11) for modulating light, particularly a resonator, the modulation device (11) being formed by or arranged on the second light guide region (7) so that light can be transmitted between the second light guide region (7) and the modulation device (11).

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