Patent ID: 7755825

Claim:
A method of fabricating an optical modulator, comprising the steps of: providing a silicon substrate; forming a silicon nitride layer on the silicon substrate; forming a first polycrystalline silicon layer on the silicon nitride layer; patterning the first polycrystalline silicon layer; forming a first silicon dioxide layer on the first patterned polycrystalline silicon layer; patterning the first silicon dioxide layer; forming a second polycrystalline silicon layer on the first patterned silicon dioxide layer; patterning the second polycrystalline silicon layer; forming a second silicon dioxide layer on the second patterned polycrystalline silicon layer; patterning the second silicon dioxide layer; forming a third polycrystalline silicon layer on the second patterned silicon dioxide layer; patterning the third polycrystalline silicon layer; forming a metal layer on the third patterned polycrystalline silicon layer; patterning the metal layer; removing the first and second silicon dioxide layers to effect release of first and second side reflectors; forming an active layer on the metal layer; and patterning the active layer or stack to form a base reflector and associated conductive traces for biasing.