Patent ID: 9002154
Filing Date: 2015-04-07
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
1. An apparatus supporting through-wafer electrical signal communication, comprising: a semiconductor substrate having a first surface, a second surface and a continuous peripheral edge; said first surface being an active device surface of said apparatus supporting active integrated circuit components and said second surface being a back surface of said apparatus; an electromagnetic waveguide supporting sub-light frequency electrical signal communication through said semiconductor substrate between said first surface and said second surface; said waveguide having an electrically conductive waveguide boundary structure surrounding a waveguide interior region formed by a portion of said semiconductor substrate; said waveguide being sized and configured to propagate sub-light frequency electromagnetic waves of selected wavelength and propagation mode from a first waveguide end to a second waveguide end through said waveguide interior region; a signal launching structure configured to radiate electromagnetic waves into said first waveguide end; a signal pickup structure configured to receive electromagnetic waves from said second waveguide end; and wherein said waveguide is a virtual waveguide having a virtual waveguide boundary structure formed by an electrically conductive region of said semiconductor substrate comprising free semiconductor charge carriers that have been excited into a conduction band by incident light emitted by a light source onto one of said first or second surfaces in a selected pattern at a selected wavelength.