Thin Film Polymer Waveguide Core Necked Down Active Portion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing thin film polymer waveguides require multiple layers, increasing production costs and labor, and introducing additional failure points due to the need for top and bottom electrodes for modulating electrical signals.
Innovation Solution
A thin film polymer device with a single layer of EO polymer positioned over a necked-down active portion of a waveguide core surrounded by dielectric material, where the refractive index of the waveguide core is higher than the EO polymer, and the EO polymer is higher than the dielectric material, forming a Mach-Zehnder modulator with simplified fabrication using standard processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple layers with top and bottom electrodes are used for light modulation, then effective modulating electrical signals can be applied, but production costs and labor increase, and opportunities for failure increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the lower cladding layer and bottom electrode from the traditional three-layer waveguide structure. The EO polymer layer is positioned directly on the waveguide core, removing unnecessary components while maintaining the essential light modulation function through the remaining upper cladding layer and top electrode configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the EO polymer layer with the waveguide core structure by positioning the EO polymer directly on the waveguide core surface. This integration eliminates the need for a separate lower cladding layer, as the EO polymer serves both as the functional material for light modulation and as part of the waveguide structure itself.
2Ease of manufacture
If multiple layers are used in the waveguide structure, then effective light modulation is achieved, but manufacturing expense and labor increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the lower cladding layer from the traditional three-layer structure, reducing the number of layers that require precise alignment during manufacturing. This extraction simplifies the fabrication process while maintaining the essential waveguide functionality through the remaining layers.
Solution Approach 2:
The EO polymer layer is merged with the waveguide core structure, eliminating the need for a separate lower cladding layer. This merging reduces the total number of fabrication steps and alignment operations required, directly improving ease of manufacture while maintaining manufacturing precision through the simplified layer structure.
3Reliability
If additional layers are added to the waveguide, then modulating electrical signals can be effectively applied, but opportunities for failure increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes the bottom electrode and lower cladding layer, reducing the total number of components that can fail. This extraction maintains the essential electrical signal application capability through the top electrode while eliminating potential failure points associated with the removed components and their interfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The EO polymer is merged with the waveguide core structure, eliminating the need for a separate lower cladding layer and its associated interfaces. This merging reduces the number of potential failure points at layer interfaces while maintaining the waveguide's light guiding and modulation functions through the integrated structure.
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 configuration reduces production complexity and costs by eliminating the need for additional layers, while maintaining effective light modulation through the EO polymer layer, requiring less labor and materials, and allowing for easier integration into standard fabrication processes.
Implementation Method 1
The waveguide core, the EO polymer, and the dielectric material all have refractive indices with the refractive index of the waveguide core generally being higher than the refractive index of the EO polymer and the refractive index of the EO polymer being higher than the refractive index of the dielectric material
Data Source
AI summary
A thin film polymer device including a waveguide core surrounded by dielectric material positioned on a platform. The core has a passive input portion and a passive output portion joined by a necked down active portion. A layer of EO polymer material positioned on the dielectric material overlying the active portion of the core and the core, the EO polymer, and the dielectric material all having refractive indices with the refractive index of the EO polymer being higher than the refractive index of the dielectric material. Light progressing through the core from the passive input portion to the passive output portion transitions to the layer of EO polymer material as it enters the necked down active portion and transitions back to the core as it leaves the necked down active portion.