Patent ID: 7700391

Claim:
A method for creating a photonic device, comprising the steps of: a) base structure; b) forming an optical structure on the base structure; c) forming a coherent photonic emitter device on the optical structure; d) depositing at least one metal contact on the coherent photonic emitter device; e) creating at least one facet having a first surface on the coherent photonic emitter structure, optical structure and base structure, wherein the facet and an output trench are created simultaneously by etching at least one trench and facet into the base structure; f) depositing a first sacrificial spacer layer along the horizontal and vertical trench surfaces and a user-definable portion of the optical structure; g) depositing an intermediate layer on the sacrificial spacer layer; h) returning to steps (f) and (g) if additional sacrificial spacer layers are desired, otherwise proceeding to step (i); i) proceeding to step (m) if the gaps are to be the same dimensions on the facet and trench sidewalls created in step (e), otherwise proceeding to step (j) if trench sidewall gaps are to be different from the; j) depositing a mask layer over the sacrificial spacer layers and intermediate layers deposited in steps (f), (g) and (h); k) defining openings in the mask layer over the trench; l) modifying the thickness of the sacrificial spacer layers and intermediate layers that were deposited into the trench in steps (f), (g) and (h) using the mask layer; m) fabricating a waveguide on the sacrificial spacer layers and intermediate layers; wherein the waveguide fills a user-definable portion of the trench; n) depositing a second mask layer on the sacrificial spacer layers and intermediate layers deposited in steps (f), (g) and (h); o) defining openings in the second mask layer beside the facet adjacent to each end of the trench; p) etching holes in the sacrificial spacer and intermediate layers beneath the openings in the second mask layer; and q) removing a user-definable portion of each sacrificial spacer layer.