Flexible 3D Photonic Waveguide Routing on Polymer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current photonic waveguides fabricated using semiconductor wafers are limited to routing light in two dimensions, restricting their flexibility and functionality, particularly in conforming to various environments and applications.
Innovation Solution
The development of flexible photonic waveguides using Semiconductor-on-Polymer (SOP) technology, which allows for routing light in three dimensions by bonding III-V semiconductor materials like GaAs onto flexible silicon substrates, enabling dynamic deformation and 3-D device stacking, while maintaining sub-micron feature sizes and integrating with CMOS circuits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If photonic waveguides are fabricated using rigid semiconductor wafers, then manufacturing precision and structural stability are improved, but flexibility and ability to conform to diverse surfaces deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies this principle by replacing the rigid wafer substrate with a flexible polymer substrate that can conform to diverse surfaces while maintaining sub-micron feature size photonic waveguides through standard semiconductor processing techniques
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines rigid photonic waveguide structures with flexible polymer substrates to create a composite system that maintains manufacturing precision while achieving flexibility and conformability to various surfaces
2Ease of manufacture
If photonic waveguides are routed in two dimensions within the wafer plane, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but functionality and routing capability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from 2-D routing within the wafer plane to 3-D routing by utilizing the thickness dimension through Semiconductor-on-Polymer conversion, enabling light routing in x, y, and z directions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables dynamic routing capability by allowing the photonic waveguide to be deformed dynamically while maintaining performance, transitioning from static 2-D routing to dynamic 3-D routing
3Adaptability or versatility
If III-V semiconductor materials are bonded onto flexible silicon substrates, then active photonic device integration is improved, but process complexity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs bonding of III-V semiconductor materials onto flexible silicon substrates prior to demount, allowing active photonic devices to be integrated in advance while maintaining flexibility
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables 3-D device stacking where multiple photonic devices and waveguides are stacked in layers, with light transfer occurring between stacked waveguides, creating a nested structure
Data Source
AI summary
Three-dimensional flexible photonic integrated circuits on silicon are fabricated in semiconductor wafer form and then transferred to Silicon-on-Polymer (SOP) substrates. SOP provides flexibility for conformal mounting with devices capable of maintaining performance when dynamically deformed to allow routing of light in x, y and z directions. Bonding a wafer or individual die of III-V semiconductor, such as Gallium Arsenide or similar photonic material, to the flexible silicon creates an active region for lasers, amplifiers, modulators, and other photonic devices using standard processing. Mounting additional photonic devices to the opposite side of a flexible photonic waveguide produces a stack for three-dimensional devices. Multiple flexible photonic waveguides may be stacked to increase functionality by transferring light between stacked waveguides. The flexible photonic circuit allows for integration of photonic devices such as low threshold lasers, tunable lasers, and other photonic integrated circuits with flexible Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) integrated circuits.