Multi Project Wafer Service

To enable you a low cost easy access to our photonic integrated circuit technology, suitable for components for telecom/datacom as well as sensing applications, LioniX International offers together with PhoeniX Software the regular Multi Project Wafer (MPW) runs in the TriPleX™ technology.

LioniX International and PhoeniX Software provide in addition to chip manufacturing:

• Training on design tools
• Special offer for simulation tools and mask layout software
• Design kit
• Design support

In addition we offer post processing upon request:

• Etching trenches for fluidic applications
• Etching trenches next to waveguides for heat localization
• Packaging (in particular fiber chip coupling)
• Glass bonding and fluidic connection
• Polishing

Technology

The TriPleX™ waveguides offered within this MPW are designed for single polarization (TE) applications to operate at the telecom wavelength (1.55 µm). The waveguide however is also transparent for lower wavelengths. The TriPleX™ technology has applications from 405nm to 2.35µm. In addition, these waveguides show a low propagation loss (< 0.5 dB/cm @ 1.55µm). The high contrast waveguide allows bend radii of 125 micron, which makes large scale integration (VLSI) on chip possible. The coupling to and from a fiber from this high contrast waveguide is optimized by the addition of spot size converters , which expand the mode profile to the size of a standard telecom fiber, allowing low loss fiber chip coupling. The offered waveguides consist of an asymmetric  double stripe shown in Figure 2 using layers of Si3N4 with a high refractive index. Furthermore the cladding and core region consist of SiO2. The layer between the nitride stripes is also SiO2. The entire waveguide will be realized on 100 mm silicon wafers with 8 µm thermal oxide and thermo-optic phase shifters will be applied on top of the waveguide. The process includes a “ asymmetric double stripe” waveguide geometry, thermo-optic phase shifters and spot size converters and 4 dies will be supplied to the customer. For more details, please request our MPW Overview manual.

Figure 2: Cross-section of the TriPleX™ waveguide in Si₃N₄ with SiO₂ cladding. Left: schematic cross section, Right: SEM image of realized structure

TriPleX™ Background

In the last years the proprietary TriPleX™ waveguide technology of LioniX International has been further developed and has become one of the three main integrated optical platforms (besides InP and SOI) in the world. TriPleX™ structures are realized with CMOS compatible fabrication equipment and the materials used are based on chemical end products of LPCVD processes, resulting in very reproducible material properties, allowing design by geometry. The basic concept of a TriPleX™ waveguide consists of a multilayer stack of stoichiometric silicon nitride and silicon oxide. These materials have an opposite stress when deposited on a silicon wafer (nitride is tensile and oxide is compressive) and stacking them in a multilayer results in a macroscopically low stress layer stack. The fabrication process can be used to realize a variety of geometries. The differences are based on etchdepth, layerthickness and waveguide width. Three “standard” geometries are shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3:

Planning

MPW Technology – Visible

For the visible (400-700 nm) the MPW is offered through an EU H2020 funded pilot-line project called PiX4life. This project will mature a state of the art silicon nitride (SiN) photonics pilot line for life science applications in the visible range and pave the way to make it accessible as an enabler for product development by a broad range of industrial customers. See www.pix4life.eu for more information including the planning.