Abstract: A novel method for producing a novel electro-optic electric-field sensor is disclosed. The resulting end product from this production method is a unique electro-optic electric-field sensor that includes thin film optical waveguides made from an electro-optic material on a low dielectric constant substrate. An optical circuit fabricated utilizing this production method may be a Mach-Zehnder interferometer or a micro-ring modulator. The low dielectric constant substrate allows the electric field to have high strength in the electro-optic thin film section, which in turn enables high sensitivity. In addition, for the Mach-Zehnder modulator sensor structure, phase matching is achieved between the RF or THz signal and the optical signal, resulting in an ultra-high-speed sensor for detection of Terahertz (THz) e-fields. An alternative design with a micro-ring electric-field sensor structure is also disclosed for high-spatial resolution electric-field sensing applications.

Abstract: A novel apparatus for bonding of two polished substrates includes a plasma source in a ultra-high vacuum (UHV) chamber and a wafer-guiding element to control and guide wafers in the UHV chamber, where after a plasma activation process the wafers are guided and pressed against each other to form a covalent bond between wafer surfaces. The plasma activation process involves deposition of mono-layer or sub-monolayer metallic atom on the surface of substrates. After deposition of metallic layers, a high-force actuation presses the wafers and forms a covalent bond between the wafers. Then, the bonded wafer pair is ion-sliced or thinned to form single crystalline optical thin film. An annealing process oxidizes the deposited metallic layers and produces optically-transparent single crystalline thin film. An optical waveguide may be fabricated by this thin film while utilizing an electro-optic effect to produce optical modulators and other photonic devices.

Abstract: A novel apparatus for bonding of two polished substrates includes a plasma source in a ultra-high vacuum (UHV) chamber and a wafer-guiding element to control and guide wafers in the UHV chamber, where after a plasma activation process the wafers are guided and pressed against each other to form a covalent bond between wafer surfaces. The plasma activation process involves deposition of mono-layer or sub-monolayer metallic atom on the surface of substrates. After deposition of metallic layers, a high-force actuation presses the wafers and forms a covalent bond between the wafers. Then, the bonded wafer pair is ion-sliced or thinned to form single crystalline optical thin film. An annealing process oxidizes the deposited metallic layers and produces optically-transparent single crystalline thin film. An optical waveguide may be fabricated by this thin film while utilizing an electro-optic effect to produce optical modulators and other photonic devices.

Abstract: A novel apparatus for bonding of two polished substrates includes a plasma source in a ultra-high vacuum (UHV) chamber and a wafer-guiding element to control and guide wafers in the UHV chamber, where after a plasma activation process the wafers are guided and pressed against each other to form a covalent bond between wafer surfaces. The plasma activation process involves deposition of mono-layer or sub-monolayer metallic atom on the surface of substrates. After deposition of metallic layers, a high-force actuation presses the wafers and forms a covalent bond between the wafers. Then, the bonded wafer pair is ion-sliced or thinned to form single crystalline optical thin film. An annealing process oxidizes the deposited metallic layers and produces optically-transparent single crystalline thin film. An optical waveguide may be fabricated by this thin film while utilizing an electro-optic effect to produce optical modulators and other photonic devices.