Direct-Bonded Optical Waveguide Joints for Low-Temperature Packaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fabrication of silicon and silicon dioxide optical waveguides requires high temperatures that damage or weaken microelectronic devices, and existing waveguides have large light-bending radii unsuitable for small electronic dies and chips, hindering the integration of silicon photonics with microelectronics.
Innovation Solution
Integrated optical waveguides with direct-bonded waveguide interface joints and optical routing using low-temperature direct oxide bonding techniques, allowing photonics to coexist with microelectronics without high-temperature processes, and enabling direct-bonded square, rectangular, and noncircular interfaces for improved compatibility and performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional high-temperature fabrication processes are used for silicon and silicon dioxide optical waveguides, then the waveguides can be properly fabricated with good quality, but the microelectronic devices are damaged or weakened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary approach by using polymer waveguide materials that can be fabricated at low temperatures, serving as a mediator between optical waveguide requirements and microelectronic device protection. This intermediary solution allows optical waveguide fabrication without subjecting microelectronic devices to high-temperature processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fabrication temperature parameter from conventional high temperatures (>1000°C) to low temperatures, enabling waveguide fabrication that is compatible with microelectronic devices. This parameter change resolves the contradiction by allowing quality waveguide fabrication without damaging sensitive electronic components.
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional waveguides with large light-bending radius are used, then the waveguides can be properly fabricated, but they cannot be included on small electronic dies and chips
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the waveguides by using polymer materials that enable smaller light-bending radii while maintaining fabrication quality. This parameter change allows the waveguides to be miniaturized for use on small electronic dies and chips while still achieving proper optical performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material structures that combine polymer waveguide materials with conventional microelectronic components, enabling integration of optimized waveguides with small form factors into compact electronic packages.
3Reliability
If III-V semiconductor materials are used for optoelectronics on silicon substrate, then high-performance photonic devices can be achieved, but the fabrication is difficult and contamination must be completely prevented
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the III-V semiconductor materials from direct contact with silicon substrates by using polymer waveguide materials as an intermediary layer. This extraction eliminates the contamination problem while still enabling high-performance photonic device fabrication on silicon-based platforms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses polymer waveguide materials as an intermediary that separates III-V semiconductor components from silicon substrates, allowing fabrication of high-performance photonic devices without the contamination issues that arise from direct III-V on silicon processing.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If polymer waveguides are used instead of silicon waveguides, then less damage to electronic devices occurs, but they are limited to uppermost layers after electronic circuits are completed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the waveguide fabrication process into separate low-temperature polymer waveguide formation steps that can be integrated at various stages of microelectronic device fabrication, not just as a final step after circuit completion. This segmentation enables greater flexibility in when and where polymer waveguides can be incorporated.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the production of very small optoelectronics packages with low power consumption and low packaging cost, accommodating passive and dynamic photonic devices, and providing nano-small geometrical structures compatible with silicon electronics.
Implementation Method 1
A first direct oxide bond at room temperature joins outer claddings of the two optical conduits and a second direct bond joins the inner light-transmitting cores of the two conduits at an annealing temperature
Implementation Method 2
a second direct bond joins the inner light-transmitting cores of the two conduits at an annealing temperature
Implementation Method 3
A top and bottom cladding of silicon dioxide (silica) on a waveguide structure made of silicon confines the infrared light within the silicon due to differences in the refraction indices of silicon and silicon dioxide
Data Source
AI summary
Integrated optical waveguides, direct-bonded waveguide interface joints, optical routing and interconnects are provided. An example optical interconnect joins first and second optical conduits. A first direct oxide bond at room temperature joins outer claddings of the two optical conduits and a second direct bond joins the inner light-transmitting cores of the two conduits at an annealing temperature. The two low-temperature bonds allow photonics to coexist in an integrated circuit or microelectronics package without conventional high-temperatures detrimental to microelectronics. Direct-bonded square, rectangular, polygonal, and noncircular optical interfaces provide better matching with rectangular waveguides and better performance. Direct oxide-bonding processes can be applied to create running waveguides, photonic wires, and optical routing in an integrated circuit package or in chip-to-chip optical communications without need for conventional optical couplers. An example wafer-level process fabricates running waveguides, optical routing, and direct-bonded optical interconnects for silicon photonics and optoelectronics packages when two wafers are joined.