Mach-Zehnder Optical Modulator Trench Resin Flatness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical modulators fail to efficiently separate multiple Mach-Zehnder modulator portions, with resin portions, and the resulting surface flatness of existing optical modulators often fail to efficiently separate the trench between the plurality of Mach-Zehnder modulators, and the resulting surface flatness of the resin portions between the plurality of Mach-Zehnder modulators, leading to inefficiencies in optical communications.
Innovation Solution
The optical modulator includes a substrate with a first and second Mach-Zehnder modulator portion, each having mesa waveguides, and a trench is formed between the semiconductor mesa portions, and a resin portion embedding protruding portions on the trench, which raises the resin portion surface above the trench, improving flatness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a trench is formed between multiple Mach-Zehnder modulator portions, then separation between portions is improved, but surface flatness of the resin portion deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Protruding portions are formed on the bottom surface of the trench before filling with resin. This preliminary structural preparation ensures that when resin is poured in, the surface flatness is automatically improved without requiring additional processing steps afterward.
Solution Approach 2:
The protruding portions act as an intermediary structure between the trench bottom and the resin portion surface. These protrusions transfer the height difference information to the resin, causing the resin surface to naturally elevate and achieve flatness with the surrounding areas.
2Manufacturing precision
If resin portion surface is elevated to improve flatness, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protruding portions are formed as part of the trench structure during the same fabrication process, before resin filling. This integrates the flatness-improving function into the existing structure without adding separate components or assembly steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The protruding portions are formed from the same semiconductor material as the mesa portions, merging the trench bottom structure with the existing semiconductor layers. This eliminates the need for separate materials or complex multi-layer structures.
Data Source
AI summary
An optical modulator includes a substrate, a first Mach-Zehnder modulator portion including a first semiconductor mesa portion provided on the substrate, a first mesa waveguide provided on the first semiconductor mesa portion, and a second mesa waveguide provided on the first semiconductor mesa portion, a second Mach-Zehnder modulator portion including a second semiconductor mesa portion provided on the substrate, a third mesa waveguide provided on the second semiconductor mesa portion, and a fourth mesa waveguide provided on the second semiconductor mesa portion, at least one protruding portion provided on a bottom surface of a trench formed between the first semiconductor mesa portion and the second semiconductor mesa portion on the substrate, and a resin portion provided in the trench and embedding the at least one protruding portion.