US 12,306,481 B2
Diffusion barrier layer in lithium niobate-containing photonic devices
Roy Meade, Bastrop, TX (US); Kevin Luke, Cambridge, MA (US); Mian Zhang, Cambridge, MA (US); and Christian Reimer, Wellesley, MA (US)
Assigned to HyperLight Corporation, Cambridge, MA (US)
Filed by HyperLight Corporation, Cambridge, MA (US)
Filed on Jun. 12, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/208,818.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/351,723, filed on Jun. 13, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0400716 A1, Dec. 14, 2023
Int. Cl. G02F 1/035 (2006.01)
CPC G02F 1/035 (2013.01) 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An electro-optic device, comprising:
a thin film electro-optic layer including lithium and including a plurality of patterned structures, each of the plurality of patterned structures having a plurality of surfaces, the plurality of surfaces including a bottom surface, a top surface, and a plurality of sidewalls, the thin film electro-optic layer being on a substrate, the thin film electro-optic layer having a thickness not exceeding three micrometers; and
a lithium barrier structure covering at least a portion of the plurality of surfaces, wherein the lithium barrier structure includes an upper lithium barrier structure, a lower lithium barrier structure, and a sidewall lithium barrier structure, wherein the upper surface of the thin film electro-optic layer is covered by the upper lithium barrier structure, wherein the bottom surface of the thin film electro-optic layer is covered by the lower lithium barrier structure, wherein at least one sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls of the thin film electro-optic layer is covered by the sidewall lithium barrier structure, and wherein the sidewall lithium barrier structure has an L shape.