Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor substrate, a semiconductor device and a heating structure. The semiconductor substrate includes a device region and a heating region surrounding the device region. The semiconductor device is located on the device region. The heating structure is located on the heating region and includes an intrinsic semiconductor area, at least one heating element and at least one heating pad. The intrinsic semiconductor area is surrounding the semiconductor device. The at least one heating element is located at a periphery of the intrinsic semiconductor area. The at least one heating pad is joined with the at least one heating element, wherein the at least one heating pad includes a plurality of contact structures, and a voltage is supplied from the plurality of contact structures to control a temperature of the at least one heating element.

Abstract: An optical communication system and a method of signal transmission are provided. The optical communication system includes an optical fiber, a transmission module, and a reception module. The transmission module includes a first optical circuitry operable to: receive a plurality of input optical signals and data; modulate the plurality of input optical signals in accordance with the data and a polarization state of the plurality of input optical signals to generate a plurality of modulated optical signals; combine the plurality of modulated optical signals to form a combined signal; and relaying the combined optical signal to the optical fiber. The optical fiber transmits the combined optical signal to the reception module for detection.

Abstract: A photoelectric device, an optical transceiver, and a method of operating the photoelectric device are provided. The photoelectric device include a first die and a second die. The first die has a first back side. The second die is disposed over the first die. The second die has a second back side bonded to the first back side. The second die includes an optical circuitry and an electrical circuitry. The optical circuitry is configured to generate or process a first optical signal. The electrical circuitry is electrically coupled to the first die, and is configured to control an operation of the optical circuitry by a first electrical signal inputted into the first die or to provide a second electrical signal to the first die in response to the first optical signal.

Abstract: A device includes a first fiber array that includes first optical fibers and first magnetic members; a second fiber array that includes second optical fibers and second magnetic members; and a connector including third magnetic members adjacent an opening, wherein the opening extends from a first side of the connector to a second side of the connector, wherein the first magnetic members of the first fiber array correspond to third magnetic members near the first side, wherein the second magnetic members of the second fiber array correspond to third magnetic members near the second side.

Abstract: A benchmark device and a method for evaluating a semiconductor wafer are provided. The benchmark device includes a first grating coupler, a second grating coupler and a waveguide. The waveguide has a least one bending section and is arranged in communication with the first grating coupler and the second grating coupler. The bending section comprises a first region having a first width and a first height, and a second region having a second width and a second height, wherein the first region is surrounded by the second region, and the second width decreases gradually from a first end of the bending section to a second end of the bending section.

Abstract: An integrated circuit is provided, including a first conductive pattern, at least one first conductive segment, and a first via. The first conductive pattern is disposed in a first layer and configured as a terminal of an inverter. The at least one first conductive segment is disposed in a second layer above the first layer and configured to transmit an output signal output from the inverter. The first via contacts the first conductive pattern and the at least one first conductive segment to transmit the output signal. An area, contacting the first conductive pattern, of the first via is smaller than an area, contacting the at least one first conductive segment, of the first via.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides semiconductor devices and photonic circuits. The semiconductor device includes a substrate and an optical modulator disposed on the substrate. The optical modulator includes a first electrical coupling portion having a first type doping, a second electrical coupling portion having a second type doping, and an optical coupling portion disposed between the first electrical coupling portion and the second electrical coupling portion, where the optical coupling portion includes an intrinsic semiconductor. The optical modulator is configured to receive a first voltage through the first electrical coupling portion and the second electrical coupling portion to decrease a resonant wavelength of the optical modulator.

Abstract: A conductive line structure (in an integrated circuit (IC)) includes: in a first layer of metallization (M_first layer), M_first segments extending in a first direction and being aligned to M_first routing tracks, the M_first segments including first and second ones thereof; and in a second layer of metallization (M_second layer) over the M_first layer, M_second segments extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and being aligned to M_second routing tracks, the M_second segments including first and second ones thereof correspondingly overlapping the first and second M_first segments; and the first and second M_first segments being aligned to different first and second ones of the M_first routing tracks; and relative to the first direction, the first and second M_first segments being separated by a first gap having a size substantially equal to or greater than a minimum permissible offset between co-track aligned M_first segments.

Abstract: A method of characterizing a traveling-wave Mach-Zehnder modulator (TWMZM) includes measuring an electrooptic parameter, such as S21, of a test structure including a test TWMZM and a first instance of electrical pads which are connected to deliver a radio frequency (RF) signal to electrooptically modulate light traveling through the test TWMZM. The electrooptic parameter is similarly measured of a reference structure including a reference TWMZM and a second instance of the electrical pads which are connected to deliver the RF signal to electrooptically modulate light traveling through the reference TWMZM. A vestigial traveling-wave electrooptic phase modulator of the reference TWMZM is shorter than a traveling-wave electrooptic phase modulator of the test TWMZM. An electrooptic characteristic of the test TWMZM, such as S21 bandwidth, is determined by operations including subtracting the measured electrooptic S21 of the reference structure from the measured electrooptic S21 of the test structure.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor substrate, a semiconductor device and a heating structure. The semiconductor substrate includes a device region and a heating region surrounding the device region. The semiconductor device is located on the device region. The heating structure is located on the heating region and includes an intrinsic semiconductor area, at least one heating element and at least one heating pad. The intrinsic semiconductor area is surrounding the semiconductor device. The at least one heating element is located at a periphery of the intrinsic semiconductor area. The at least one heating pad is joined with the at least one heating element, wherein the at least one heating pad includes a plurality of contact structures, and a voltage is supplied from the plurality of contact structures to control a temperature of the at least one heating element.

Abstract: An interconnect package integrates a photonic die, an electronic die, and a switch ASIC into one package. At least some of the components in the electronic die, such as, for example, the serializer/deserializer circuits, transceivers, clocking circuitry, and/or control circuitry are integrated into the switch ASIC to produce an integrated switch ASIC. The photonic die is attached and electrically connected to the integrated switch ASIC.

Abstract: A method of using an integrated circuit includes monitoring a current between a first photodetector (PD) and an electronic circuit. The method further includes determining whether the monitored current is abnormal. The method further includes controlling a resonant structure to optically couple a first waveguide connected to the first PD to a second waveguide connected to a second PD, different from the first PD, in response to a determination that the monitored current is abnormal.

Abstract: A method of forming an optical device is provided that can include forming a backside reflector layer, and forming a cladding layer on the backside reflector layer. The method can further include forming a grating layer on the cladding layer, and forming a receiving reflector layer on the cladding layer. The receiving reflector layer can include an opening for receiving optical signal to at least the grating layer.

Abstract: A benchmark device and a method for evaluating a semiconductor wafer are provided. The benchmark device includes a first grating coupler, a second grating coupler and a waveguide. The waveguide has a least one bending section and is arranged in communication with the first grating coupler and the second grating coupler. The bending section comprises a first region having a first width and a first height, and a second region having a second width and a second height, wherein the first region is surrounded by the second region, and the second width decreases gradually from a first end of the bending section to a second end of the bending section.

Abstract: A semiconductor photonics device includes a multiple-layer coupler structure. The multiple-layer coupler structure includes a plurality of optical coupler layers, which enables the properties of the optical coupler layers to be configured to achieve efficient optical coupling for a broad spectrum of optical wavelengths. This enables the multiple-layer coupler structure to handle wide bandwidth optical signals, which enables the semiconductor photonics device to support high-bandwidth optical communication applications. Moreover, the optical coupler layers of the multiple-layer coupler device enable the performance of the multiple-layer coupler structure to be increased using less complex and less costly semiconductor manufacturing processes and techniques.

Abstract: Disclosed are apparatus and methods for optical interconnections that include the integration of a photonics die (pDie) and an electronic die (eDie) with a socket layer, waveguides and fiber connectors to enable high bandwidth communications. In one embodiment, an exemplary optical interconnect device includes an electronic die coupled to a photonics die and integrated with a substrate, a socket, a board, a pair of micro-lenses and a mirror coupled to a waveguide, which can be embedded in the board. In another embodiment, the waveguide is embedded in a socket layer and coupled to a fiber connector. In these embodiments, the exemplary optical interface device can be coupled one more other optical interconnect devices via a waveguide array and/or a fiber array.

Abstract: Structures and methods for high speed interconnection in photonic systems are described herein. In one embodiment, a photonic device is disclosed. The photonic device includes: a substrate; a plurality of metal layers on the substrate; a photonic material layer comprising graphene over the plurality of metal layers; and an optical routing layer comprising a waveguide on the photonic material layer.

Abstract: A vertical grating coupler is disclosed. The grating coupler includes a first waveguide having a first grating, a second waveguide having a second grating, and a dielectric layer positioned between the first waveguide and the second waveguide. The first grating includes a plurality of first grating ridges separated by a plurality first grating gaps, and the second grating includes a plurality of second grating ridges separated by a plurality second grating gaps. The first grating, the second grating, and the dielectric layer are located in a vertical overlap region between the first waveguide and the second waveguide. The first grating and the second grating have different grating periods, and each of the plurality of first grating gaps and second grating gaps are filled with the dielectric layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device include: a first bus waveguide; a first silicon ring optically coupled to the first bus waveguide; a backup silicon ring optically coupled to the first bus waveguide; a first heater and a second heater configured to heat the first silicon ring and the backup silicon ring, respectively; and a first switch, where the first switch is configured to electrically couple the first silicon ring to a first radio frequency (RF) circuit when the first switch is at a first switching position, and is configured to electrically couple the backup silicon ring to the first RF circuit when the first switch is at a second switching position.

Abstract: A conductive line structure includes: first and second offset sets of long pillars that are substantially coaxial on an intra-set basis; a third set of offset short pillars, the short pillars being: overlapping of long pillars in the first and second sets; and organized into groups of first quantities of the short pillars; each of the groups being overlapping of and electrically coupled between a pair of one of the long pillars in the first set and a one of the long pillars in the second set such that, in each of the groups, each short pillar being overlapping of and electrically coupled between the pair; and each long pillar in each of the first and second sets being overlapped by a second quantity of short pillars in the third set and being electrically coupled to same; and the first quantity being less than the second quantity.