A polarizer chip based on CMOS Cu-interconnect for optical telecommunications

Area of Science:

• Photonics and Optical Engineering
• Semiconductor Device Fabrication
• Materials Science

Background:

• Integrated optical devices are crucial for optical communications.
• Existing fabrication methods can be costly and complex.
• CMOS technology offers a potential pathway for cost-effective mass production.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and simulate an optical chip for linear polarization using CMOS fabrication technology.
• To evaluate the performance of the chip within the optical communication wavelength range.
• To demonstrate the feasibility of using CMOS interconnects for optical functions.

Main Methods:

• Utilized CMOS Copper (Cu)-interconnect fabrication technology.
• Designed a chip with a one-dimensional array of rods in a square lattice, embedded in a slab waveguide.
• Employed the finite-difference-time-domain (FDTD) approach for optical property simulation.

Main Results:

• Achieved a high linear polarization ratio of 10^6 under double-cascaded operation.
• Simulated optical properties within the 1.475–1.625 micrometer wavelength range.
• Demonstrated the functionality of Cu-interconnects for optical purposes.

Conclusions:

• CMOS IC technology is suitable for the mass fabrication of passive integrated optical chips.
• The developed optical chip shows promise for advanced optical communication applications.
• This approach integrates optical functionalities with established semiconductor manufacturing processes.