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 adjacent to the first waveguide core in a lateral direction. The first waveguide core includes a first section with a first thickness and a first plurality of segments projecting in a vertical direction from the first section. The second waveguide core includes a second section with a second thickness and a second plurality of segments projecting in the vertical direction from the second section.

Abstract: Structures including an optical component and methods of fabricating a structure including an optical component. The structure includes a substrate, an optical component including a waveguide core, and a back-end-of-line stack including a heat spreader layer. The optical component is positioned in a vertical direction between the substrate and the back-end-of-line stack. The waveguide core contains a first material having a first thermal conductivity, and the heat spreader layer contains a second material having a second thermal conductivity that is greater than the first thermal conductivity of the first material.

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 including an optical component and methods of fabricating a structure including an optical component. The structure includes a waveguide core and a back-end-of-line stack including a first metallization level, a second metallization level, and a heat sink having a metal feature in the second metallization level. The heat sink is positioned adjacent to a section of the waveguide core. The first metallization level including a dielectric layer positioned between the metal feature and the section of the waveguide core.

Abstract: Structures for an edge coupler and methods of fabricating such structures. The structure comprises a substrate and a back-end-of-line edge coupler including a waveguide core and a grating positioned in a vertical direction between the substrate and the waveguide core. The first waveguide core includes a first longitudinal axis, the grating includes a second longitudinal axis and a plurality of segments positioned with a spaced-apart arrangement along the second longitudinal axis, and the second longitudinal axis is aligned substantially parallel to the first longitudinal axis.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to semiconductor structures and, more particularly, to a photonic chip security structure and methods of manufacture. The structure includes an optical component and a photonic chip security structure having a vertical wall composed of light absorbing material surrounding the optical component.

Abstract: Structures for an edge coupler and methods of fabricating such structures. The structure includes a back-end-of-line stack located over a substrate. The back-end-of-line stack includes a waveguide core having a longitudinal axis and a tapered section with a width that varies with position along the longitudinal axis based on a non-linear function.

Abstract: A photodetector disclosed herein includes an N-doped waveguide structure defined in a semiconductor material, wherein the N-doped waveguide structure comprises a plurality of first fins. Each adjacent pair of the plurality of first fins is separated by a trench formed in the semiconductor material. The photodetector also includes a detector structure positioned on the N-doped waveguide structure, wherein a portion of the detector structure is positioned laterally between the plurality of first fins. The detector structure comprises a single crystal semiconductor material. The photodetector also includes a first diffusion region that extends from the bottom surface of the trench into the semiconductor material, wherein the first diffusion region comprises atoms of the single crystal semiconductor material of the detector structure.

Abstract: Photonics structures for a waveguide or an edge coupler and methods of fabricating a photonics structure for a waveguide or an edge coupler. The photonics structure includes a waveguide core having a first section, a second section longitudinally adjacent to the first section, first segments projecting in a vertical direction from the first section, and second segments projecting in the vertical direction from the second section. The first section of the waveguide core has a first thickness, and the second section of the waveguide core has a second thickness that is greater than the first thickness.

Abstract: Photonics structures including an optical component and methods of fabricating a photonics structure including an optical component. The photonics structure includes an optical component, a substrate having a cavity and a dielectric material in the cavity, and a dielectric layer positioned in a vertical direction between the optical component and the cavity. The optical component is positioned in a lateral direction to overlap with the cavity in the substrate.

Abstract: Structures for an edge coupler and methods of fabricating such structures. The structure includes a substrate, a waveguide core, and a metamaterial layer positioned in a vertical direction between the substrate and the waveguide core. The metamaterial layer includes a plurality of elements separated by a plurality of gaps and a dielectric material in the plurality of gaps.

Abstract: Structures for an optical coupler and methods of fabricating a structure for an optical coupler. The structure includes a first waveguide core having a first tapered section and a second waveguide core having a second tapered section positioned adjacent to the first tapered section of the first waveguide core. The second tapered section is positioned with a lateral offset in a lateral direction relative to the first tapered section. The second tapered section is positioned with a vertical offset in a vertical direction relative to the first tapered section.

Abstract: Disclosed is a photonic structure and associated method. The structure includes a closed-curve waveguide having a first height, as measured from the top surface of an insulator layer, and an outer curved sidewall that extends essentially vertically the full first height (e.g., to minimize signal loss). The structure includes a closed-curve thermal coupler and a heating element. The closed-curve thermal coupler is thermally coupled to and laterally surrounded by the closed-curve waveguide and has a second height that is less than the first height. In some embodiments, the closed-curve waveguide and the closed-curve thermal coupler are continuous portions of the same semiconductor layer having different thicknesses. The heating element is thermally coupled to the closed-curve thermal coupler and thereby indirectly thermally coupled to the closed-curve waveguide.

Abstract: Photonics structures for a waveguide or an edge coupler and methods of fabricating a photonics structure for a waveguide or an edge coupler. The photonics structure includes a waveguide core having a first section, a second section longitudinally adjacent to the first section, first segments projecting in a vertical direction from the first section, and second segments projecting in the vertical direction from the second section. The first section of the waveguide core has a first thickness, and the second section of the waveguide core has a second thickness that is greater than the first thickness.

Abstract: Disclosed is a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) structure including a first waveguide core with a first end portion, a second waveguide core with a second end portion overlaying and physically separated from the first end portion, and a coupler configured to facilitate low-loss optical signal transmission between the waveguide cores. The coupler can include at least one array of photonic material elements (e.g., photonic crystal elements or photonic metamaterial elements) embedded in cladding material between the end portions. Alternatively, the coupler can include at least one photonic material layer (e.g., a photonic crystal layer or a photonic metamaterial layer) between and physically separated from the end portions and an array of cladding material elements extending through the photonic material layer. Also disclosed is a PIC structure including an on-chip system (e.g., a photonic computing system) including a crossing array implemented using any of the above-described couplers.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the present disclosure, an edge coupler for a photonic chip is provided. The edge coupler includes a substrate having a top surface, a sealed cavity in the substrate, a waveguide core, and a back-end-of-line stack. The sealed cavity has varying depths relative to the top surface of the substrate. The waveguide core is over the sealed cavity. The back-end-of-line stack includes a side edge, an interlayer dielectric layer, and an assisting waveguide. The assisting waveguide is on the interlayer dielectric layer adjacent to the side edge. The assisting waveguide and the waveguide core have an overlapping arrangement with the sealed cavity in the substrate.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the present disclosure, an edge coupler for a photonic chip is provided. The edge coupler includes a substrate having a top surface, a sealed cavity in the substrate, a waveguide core, and a back-end-of-line stack. The sealed cavity has varying depths relative to the top surface of the substrate. The waveguide core is over the sealed cavity. The back-end-of-line stack includes a side edge, an interlayer dielectric layer, and an assisting waveguide. The assisting waveguide is on the interlayer dielectric layer adjacent to the side edge. The assisting waveguide and the waveguide core have an overlapping arrangement with the sealed cavity in the substrate.

Abstract: Optical coupler structures include a waveguide having waveguide metamaterial segments aligned along a first line. A second insulator is on the first insulator and the waveguide metamaterial segments. A coupler structure is in the second insulator and has coupler metamaterial segments aligned along a second line. The first line and the second line are parallel and within a plane. A portion of the waveguide overlaps a portion of the coupler structure. The waveguide metamaterial segments intersect the plane and have first widths perpendicular to the plane, and the first widths have a first taper along the first line. The coupler metamaterial segments intersect the plane and have second widths in the direction perpendicular to the plane. The second widths have a second taper along the second line that is different from the first taper of the first widths where the waveguide overlaps the coupler structure.

Abstract: Structures for a wavelength splitter used in a wavelength-division-multiplexing filter stage and methods of forming same. The structure comprises a first waveguide core including a first section, a second section, and a phase delay line between the first section and the second section. The phase delay line of the first waveguide core includes a delay section and a plurality of segments longitudinally arranged in the delay section. The structure further comprises a second waveguide core including a first section, a second section, and a phase delay line between the first section and the second section. The first section of the second waveguide core is positioned adjacent to the first section of the first waveguide core to define a first directional coupler, and the second section of the second waveguide core is positioned adjacent to the second section of the first waveguide core to define a second directional coupler.

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.