Patent ID: 8637335

Claim:
A method of forming a semiconductor structure, said method comprising: forming a modulator semiconductor structure having a uniform width and a uniform thickness and having sidewalls and a bottom surface contacting at least one dielectric material in a semiconductor substrate; forming a first lateral p-n junction within said modulator semiconductor structure by forming a p-doped modulator semiconductor portion and an n-doped modulator semiconductor portion within said modulator semiconductor structure; forming a semiconductor contact structure over said semiconductor substrate and directly on said modulator semiconductor structure; and forming a second lateral p-n junction within said semiconductor contact structure by forming a p-doped semiconductor contact portion and an n-doped semiconductor contact portion within said semiconductor contact structure, wherein said p-doped semiconductor contact portion is in contact with said p-doped modulator semiconductor portion upon formation of said p-doped semiconductor contact portion, and said n-doped semiconductor contact portion is in contact with said n-doped modulator semiconductor portion upon formation of said n-doped semiconductor contact portion.