Patent ID: 6738546
Filing Date: 2004-05-18
Classification: B82Y,G02B,G02F,H01L

Abstract:
An optical waveguide device that controls the transmission of light through an optical waveguide, the optical waveguide device comprising:a first passive optical waveguide device etched at least in part in a semiconductor layer of a wafer, wherein a value and a position of an effective mode index within the first passive optical waveguide device remains substantially unchanged over time and applies a substantially unchanging optical function to light travelling through the first passive optical waveguide device over the lifetime of the first passive optical waveguide device; and a second passive optical waveguide device formed at least in part from a polysilicon layer, wherein the polysilicon layer is formed at least in part from polysilicon and deposited above an unetched portion of the semiconductor layer, an effective mode index of a region of static effective mode index within the optical waveguide is created by the polysilicon layer of the second passive optical waveguide device, the polysilicon layer has a shape and a height, the effective mode index of the region of static effective mode index is related to the shape of the polysilicon layer and the height of the polysilicon layer, and wherein a value and a position of the effective mode index within the region of static effective mode index remains substantially unchanged over time and applies a substantially unchanging optical function to light travelling through the region of static effective mode index over the lifetime of the second passive optical waveguide device; wherein the optical waveguide forms at least a part of both the first passive optical waveguide device and the second passive optical waveguide device, the optical waveguide couples the first passive optical waveguide device and the second passive optical waveguide device, and the optical waveguide is formed at least in part using the semiconductor layer.