Abstract: Disclosed are a structure with a substrate-embedded waveguide and a method of forming the structure. The waveguide includes cladding material lining a trench in a substrate, a core in the trench on the cladding material, and at least one cavity within the core. Each cavity extends from one end of the core toward the opposite end and contains a low refractive index material or is under vacuum so the waveguide is an arrow waveguide. An insulator layer is on the substrate and extends laterally over the waveguide and a semiconductor layer is on the insulator layer. Additionally, depending upon the embodiment, an additional waveguide can be aligned above the substrate-embedded waveguide either on the isolation region or on a waveguide extender that extends at least partially through the isolation region and the insulator layer to the waveguide.

Abstract: Disclosed are embodiments of a photonic structure with at least one tapered coupler positioned laterally adjacent and along the length of a sidewall of a layer, such as a light absorption layer (LAL), of a photodetector to facilitate mode matching. Some embodiments include a vertically oriented photodetector, which is on an insulator layer and has an LAL stacked between bottom and top semiconductor layers, and a coupler, which is on the insulator layer positioned laterally adjacent to the photodetector and has stacked cores with one of the cores being at the same level as the LAL. Other embodiments include a horizontally oriented photodetector, which is on an insulator layer and has an LAL on a recessed section of a bottom semiconductor layer between side sections, and coupler(s), which is/are above side section(s) of the bottom semiconductor layer and, thus, positioned laterally adjacent to one or both sides of the LAL.

Abstract: Disclosed is an optical waveguide including a waveguide core and waveguide cladding surrounding the waveguide core. The waveguide cladding includes at least one stack of cladding material layers positioned laterally adjacent to a sidewall of the waveguide core such that each cladding material layer in the stack abuts the sidewall of the waveguide core. Each of the cladding material layers in the stack has a smaller refractive index than the waveguide core and at least two of the cladding material layers in the stack have different refractive indices, thereby tailoring field confinement and reshaping the optical mode. Different embodiments include different numbers of cladding material layers in the stack, different stacking orders of the cladding material layers, different waveguide core types, symmetric or asymmetric cladding structures on opposite sides of the waveguide core, etc. Also disclosed is a method of forming the optical waveguide.

Abstract: A structure includes a polarization device such as a polarization splitter, a polarization combiner or a polarization splitter rotator including a waveguide having a light absorber at an end section with an at least hook shape, e.g., it can be hooked or spiral shape. The structure also includes another waveguide adjacent the stated waveguide. The hook or spiral shape acts as a light absorber that reduces undesired optical noise such as excessive light insertion loss and/or light scattering. The hook or spiral shape may also be used on supplemental waveguides used to further filter and/or refine an optical signal in one of the waveguides of the polarization device, e.g., downstream of an output section of the polarization splitter and/or rotator.

Abstract: A structure or PIC structure includes a hybrid plasmonic (HP) waveguide. The HP waveguide includes a waveguide core, and a metal silicide layer contacting the waveguide core. The metal silicide layer replaces noble metals typically provided in hybrid plasmonic waveguides, providing improved optical signal containment characteristics. The metal silicide layer is also compatible with CMOS fabrication techniques, and capable of additional scaling with other CMOS structures. The HP waveguide also has a reduce form factor compared to conventional HP waveguides, providing room for more waveguides closer together.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to semiconductor structures and, more particularly, to hybrid edge couplers with voids and methods of manufacture. The structure includes: a dielectric material; at least one waveguide structure embedded within the dielectric material; and at least one airgap within the dielectric material and extending along a length of the at least one waveguide structure.

Abstract: A stacked edge coupler for a photonic chip is provided. The stacked edge coupler includes an insulating layer, a waveguide core, a first assisting waveguide, and a back-end-of-line stack. The first assisting waveguide is on the insulating layer. The waveguide core is over the first assisting waveguide and includes a tapered section. The back-end-of-line stack is over the waveguide core. The back-end-of-line stack includes a side edge, a dielectric layer, and a second assisting waveguide. The second assisting waveguide is on the dielectric layer and arranged adjacent to the side edge. The second assisting waveguide has an overlapping arrangement with the tapered section of the waveguide core.

Abstract: Structures for an optical coupler and methods of forming a structure for an optical coupler. The structure comprises a stacked waveguide core including a first waveguide core and a second waveguide core. The first waveguide core includes a first tapered section, and the second waveguide core includes a second tapered section positioned to overlap with the first tapered section. The structure further comprises a third waveguide core including a third tapered section positioned adjacent to the first tapered section of the first waveguide core and the second tapered section of the second waveguide core.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a PIC structure including a photonic component on a semiconductor substrate. Each of a plurality of optical guard elements are composed of a light absorbing material and are in proximity to the photonic component. The optical guard elements may mimic an outer periphery of at least a portion of the photonic component. The optical guard elements may include at least one of: a germanium body positioned at least partially in a silicon element, a silicon body having a high dopant concentration, and a polysilicon body having a high dopant concentration over the silicon body.

Abstract: Structures for an edge coupler and methods of forming a structure for an edge coupler. The structure includes a waveguide core over a dielectric layer, and a back-end-of-line stack over the waveguide core and the dielectric layer. The back-end-of-line stack includes an interlayer dielectric layer, a side edge, a first feature, a second feature, and a third feature laterally arranged between the first feature and the second feature. The first feature, the second feature, and the third feature are positioned on the interlayer dielectric layer adjacent to the side edge, and the third feature has an overlapping relationship with a tapered section of the waveguide core.

Abstract: The disclosed subject matter relates to semiconductor devices for use in optoelectronic/photonic applications and integrated circuit (IC) chips. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to photonic devices having thermally conductive layers for the removal of heat from optoelectronic components in the photonic devices.

Abstract: Structures for a polarization rotator and methods of forming a structure for a polarization rotator. The structure comprises a first waveguide core having a first section, a second section, a first terminating end, and a second terminating end opposite to the first terminating end. The first and second sections of the first waveguide core are arranged between the first terminating end and the second terminating end. The structure further comprises a second waveguide core including a first tapered section having a first overlapping arrangement with the first section of the first waveguide core and a second tapered section having a second overlapping arrangement with the second section of the first waveguide core. The first waveguide core comprises a first material, and the second waveguide core comprises a second material different from the first material.

Abstract: Structures including an electro-absorption modulator and methods of forming such structures. The structure comprises a waveguide core including a first tapered section, a second tapered section, and a longitudinal axis. The first tapered section and the second tapered section are aligned along the longitudinal axis. The structure further comprises a first waveguide taper overlapping the first tapered section of the waveguide core, a second waveguide taper overlapping the second tapered section of the waveguide core, and a multiple-layer structure on the waveguide core between the first waveguide taper and the second waveguide taper.

Abstract: Structures for a waveguide core and methods of forming such structures. The structure comprises a stacked waveguide core including a first waveguide core and a second waveguide core stacked with the first waveguide core, and a layer adjacent to the stacked waveguide core. The layer comprises a material having a refractive index that is variable in response to a stimulus.

Abstract: Structures for an optical coupler and methods of forming an optical coupler. The structure comprises a first waveguide core including a first tapered section, a second waveguide core including a second tapered section overlapped with the first tapered section, and an active layer including a third tapered section overlapped with the second tapered section. The first waveguide core comprises a first passive material, the second waveguide core comprises a second passive material, and the active layer comprises an active material.

Abstract: Structures including an optical component and methods of fabricating a structure including an optical component. The structure includes an optical component having a waveguide core, and multiple features positioned adjacent to the waveguide core. The waveguide core contains a first material having a first thermal conductivity, and the features contain a second material having a second thermal conductivity that is greater than the first thermal conductivity.

Abstract: Structures for a waveguide core and methods of forming such structures. The structure comprises a stacked waveguide core including a first waveguide core and a second waveguide core stacked with the first waveguide core, and a layer adjacent to the stacked waveguide core. The layer comprises a material having a refractive index that is variable in response to a stimulus.

Abstract: A structure includes a dielectric waveguide, and at least one grating coupler adjacent the dielectric waveguide. Each grating coupler includes a set of parallel optofluidic grating channels oriented orthogonally to the dielectric waveguide. The structure may also include a radiation source operatively coupled to the dielectric waveguide, and an optical receiver such as a photosensor adjacent the grating coupler(s). The structure may be used as part of an optofluidic sensor system for, for example, biochemical applications.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to semiconductor structures and, more particularly, to waveguide structures with metamaterial structures and methods of manufacture. The structure includes: at least one waveguide structure; and metamaterial structures separated from the at least one waveguide structure by an insulator material, the metamaterial structures being structured to decouple the at least one waveguide structure to simultaneously reduce insertion loss and crosstalk of the at least one waveguide structure.

Abstract: Structures for an edge coupler and methods of fabricating a structure for an edge coupler. The structure comprises an edge coupler including a first waveguide core and a second waveguide core. The first waveguide core is positioned in a vertical direction between the second waveguide core and a substrate. The first waveguide core has a first longitudinal axis, the second waveguide core has a second longitudinal axis, and the second longitudinal axis of the second waveguide core is slanted at an angle relative to the first longitudinal axis of the first waveguide core.