US 12,276,836 B2
Optical waveguide apparatus and method of fabrication thereof
Chan-Hong Chern, Palo Alto, CA (US); Chih-Chang Lin, San Jose, CA (US); Min-Hsiang Hsu, Hsinchu (TW); Weiwei Song, Hsinchu (TW); Chewn-Pu Jou, Hsinchu (TW); Feng-Wei Kuo, Hsinchu County (TW); Huan-Neng Chen, Taichung (TW); and Lan-Chou Cho, Hsinchu (TW)
Assigned to TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD., Hsinchu (TW)
Filed by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Hsinchu (TW)
Filed on Dec. 9, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/078,793.
Application 18/078,793 is a continuation of application No. 17/212,934, filed on Mar. 25, 2021, granted, now 11,531,159.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/041,149, filed on Jun. 19, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0111170 A1, Apr. 13, 2023
Int. Cl. G02B 6/12 (2006.01); G02B 6/122 (2006.01); G02B 6/13 (2006.01)
CPC G02B 6/1228 (2013.01) [G02B 6/12002 (2013.01); G02B 6/12004 (2013.01); G02B 6/122 (2013.01); G02B 6/13 (2013.01); G02B 2006/12061 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A semiconductor structure, comprising:
a semiconductor substrate;
an oxide layer disposed over the semiconductor substrate;
a first dielectric layer disposed on the oxide layer;
a second dielectric layer disposed over and in contact with the first dielectric layer;
a first waveguide disposed in the first dielectric layer and extending lengthwise along a first direction; and
a second waveguide disposed in the second dielectric layer and extending lengthwise along the first direction,
wherein, along the first direction, the first waveguide comprises a non-tapered portion and a tapered portion adjacent the non-tapered portion,
wherein, along the first direction, the second waveguide comprises a non-tapered portion, a tapered portion adjacent the non-tapered portion, and a tip portion adjacent the tapered portion,
wherein the tip portion of the second waveguide vertically overlaps the tapered portion of the first waveguide,
wherein a portion of the second dielectric layer is sandwiched between a top surface of the first waveguide and a bottom surface of the second waveguide,
wherein the taper portion of the second waveguide tapers from the non-tapered portion of the second waveguide toward the tip portion of the second waveguide.