Patent ID: 8070973

Claim:
A method comprising: forming an optically conductive layer on a top surface of a substrate; selectively dry etching the optically conductive layer to form first and second distal lateral wall portions of first and second lateral walls of the optically conductive layer; forming first and second sidewall layers located on the distal lateral wall portions; and selectively wet etching the optically conductive layer to expose a portion of the top surface and to form an optically conductive waveguide peak being elongated in a first direction along the top surface of the substrate, the optically conductive waveguide peak being configured for propagating light generally in the first direction and including first and second proximal lateral wall portions of the first and second lateral walls of the optically conductive layer that intersect the top surface; wherein the sidewall layers do not intersect the top surface, and span a first height in a second direction generally away from the top surface that is less than a second height spanned by the optically conductive peak measured in the second direction.