Processing and Characterization of Inorganic Films for Optical Waveguide Components

Optical communications are becoming technologically important on progressively shorter length scales. As computer chip speeds increase longer metal wire interconnects become problematic and may limit device performance. Wide bandwidth optical interconnects may be used to address this problem. Silicon oxide and silicon nitride were explored as prospective optical and processing materials in the making of optical interconnects. Etching of slopes, which would be an important process for making optical interconnects, was studied. Slopes with angles ranging from 5 to 50 degrees were fabricated using a silicon oxide / silicon nitride stack.