Patent ID: 7469558

Claim:
A process of fabricating a planar optical device, the process comprising: forming a plurality of ridge structures in a lower cladding layer of a first material, wherein: the lower cladding layer has a first refractive index; and each of the plurality of ridge structures has a top surface and sidewalls; simultaneously depositing and etching a core layer over the plurality of ridge structures to form an intermediate structure, the core layer comprising a core material having a second refractive index greater than the first refractive index, wherein the core layer completely and continuously covers an entire surface of the top surface, an entire surface of the sidewalls, and an entire surface of horizontal surfaces between each of the plurality of ridge structures; and depositing an upper cladding layer over the intermediate structure, the upper cladding layer comprising an upper cladding material having a third refractive index less than the second refractive index.