Ridge Waveguide Peninsula Contact Wire Intersection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing waveguide structures face challenges in maintaining light confinement and preventing back-reflections when contact wires intersect, leading to issues such as poor coverage and light leakage, particularly in applications like Optical Coherence Tomography.
Innovation Solution
A device and method involving a peninsula formation adjacent to a ridge waveguide with a conductive trace bridging across a gap between the peninsula and the ridge, allowing the trace to run over the top surfaces while maintaining light confinement within the ridge.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a contact wire intersects a ridge waveguide, then electrical contact with active elements is achieved, but light leakage and back-reflections occur
Solution Approach 1:
The contact wire is segmented into two separate conductive traces that run along opposite sides of the ridge waveguide rather than crossing it directly. This segmentation eliminates the intersection point where light leakage and back-reflections would occur, while still providing electrical contact to active elements on both sides of the waveguide.
Solution Approach 2:
The ridge waveguide itself serves as an intermediary structure that the conductive traces follow along its sides. By using the waveguide's geometry as a guide for trace placement, the design achieves electrical contact without direct wire-waveguide intersection, preventing optical interference.
2Ease of operation
If contact wires cross waveguides to contact active elements, then electrical connectivity is achieved, but discontinuities in conductive trace coverage occur
Solution Approach 1:
The single crossing wire is divided into two separate conductive traces that run parallel to the ridge waveguide on opposite sides. This segmentation allows each trace to maintain continuous coverage along its path without interruption from wire crossings, eliminating discontinuities in conductive trace coverage.
3Adaptability or versatility
If waveguides and contact wires are fabricated on the same chip, then integration of optical and electronic circuits is achieved, but layout complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ridge waveguide structure serves multiple functions: it guides light between optical components and simultaneously provides a geometric reference for routing conductive traces. This multi-functionality simplifies the overall layout by using the waveguide geometry itself to guide the placement of electrical contacts, reducing layout complexity while maintaining integration capability.
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
This design enables reliable contact with active elements on top surfaces while preventing light leakage and back-reflections, ensuring effective light confinement and reducing discontinuities in conductive trace coverage.
Implementation Method 1
The waveguides are used to guide light between various other components on the chip. The trenches create a step difference in the refractive index, which provides light confinement and assures light propagation within the waveguide.
Implementation Method 2
The conductive trace bridges across the gap such that the conductive trace runs over a top surface of the peninsula and a top surface of the ridge.
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A device and a method for manufacturing the device are presented. The device includes a ridge, a peninsula formation, and a conductive trace. The ridge is defined within a semiconducting material. The peninsula formation is also defined within the semiconducting material and is adjacent to the ridge such that a gap exists between an end face of the peninsula formation and a side wall of the ridge. The conductive trace bridges across the gap such that the conductive trace runs over a top surface of the peninsula and a top surface of the ridge.