Patent ID: 7187837

Claim:
An SOI-based optical arrangement for actively manipulating a lightwave signal propagating in a silicon-insulator-silicon capacitive (SISCAP) waveguide, the SISCAP waveguide including a sub-micron surface silicon layer (SOI layer) of the SOI-based optical arrangement, a relatively thin dielectric layer overlying at least a portion of the SOI layer and an upper silicon layer overlying a combination of the SOI layer and the relatively thin dielectric layer, the arrangement for actively manipulating a lightwave signal comprising at least one doped area formed in the SISCAP waveguide area of the SOI layer, the at least one doped area having a first conductivity type; at least one doped area formed in the upper silicon layer so as to overlap at least a portion of the at least one doped area formed in the SOI layer to create an active optical region, the at least one doped area in the upper silicon layer having a second, opposite conductivity type; and separate electrical contact regions associated with each doped area, wherein upon the application of a voltage to one or more of the separate electrical contact regions, the refractive index of the associated doped area will be modified to create regions for manipulating the properties of the propagating lightwave signal.