EUROPRACTICE-IC provides Multi-Project-Wafer prototyping and Volume Production services of imec Silicon Photonics and Silicon Nitride Photonics.
Imec is a world-leading research and innovation hub in nanoelectronics and digital technologies headquartered in Belgium.
It offers cost-effective, highly reproducible and CMOS compatible fabrication. Customers can benefit from regularly scheduled MPW runs and dedicated mask runs.
Complete PDKs include technology details, design and layout rules, and a library of building block components.
imec currently offers the following technologies for EUROPRACTICE customers:
The ISiPP50G platform co-integrates a wide variety of passive and active components to support a wide range of optical transceiver architectures at data rates of 25Gb/s or 50Gb/s. The offered integrated components include low-loss waveguides, efficient vertical grating or broadband edge couplers, high-speed silicon electro-optic modulators, high-speed silicon-germanium electro-absorption modulators, high-speed germanium waveguide photo-detectors, and an option for exposed waveguides (removing oxide from the top of the waveguides so exposing them to ambient). iSiPP50G offers state-of-the-art performance, design flexibility and superior CD and thickness control. It is a fixed process technology (130nm) with a validated device library.
imec Si-Photonics iSiPP50G | ||
|---|---|---|
Modules | Description | Enabled devices |
3 silicon patterning steps | 3 etch depths in 220nm Si: 70nm, 160nm; 220nm (193 nm litho) | Strip/rib waveguides, various passive optical devices, silicon taper |
Gate oxide and Poly-Silicon layer | 1 etch depth: full poly etch (160nm) (193nm litho) | Advanced grating couplers, poly-Si waveguide |
Ion implantation in Si | 8 implants levels: 4x n-type and 4x p-type | Si carrier depletion, injection and accumulation devices, Ge Photodectors, doped Si resistors, … |
Ge module | 100% Ge(Si) RPCVD selective epitaxial growth & 2x implants levels | Ge Photodectors Ge(Si) EA
modulator |
Silicide tungsten
contact module | Ohmic contacts to doped silicon | Standard CMOS contacts plugs |
Metal heater | Metal layer for heaters | Metal heaters |
Two-level metal
interconnect | Cu-based two-level metallization | Standard CMOS interconnects |
Aluminium passivation | Aluminium finish metallization | Standard CMOS interconnects |
Deep trench | Deep trench to expose edge coupler facets | Edge couplers |
imec Si-Photonics Passives+ technology is a subset of iSiPP50G technology.
Main characteristics:
BioPIX is imec’s silicon nitride (SiN) photonics platform which is particularly optimized for applications in the visible and near infra-red wavelengths. The platform is based on PECVD SiN-on-insulator 200mm wafers processed on 180nm process technology in a CMOS fab. This allows highly repeatable and low variability fabrication of integrated photonic devices. The technology has been validated through 6 early-access MPWs in the EU project PIX4life.
BioPIX is available in two different technology flavors:
The platform offers possibility of two depth levels for SiN etch to allow fabrication of components such as strip waveguide, rib waveguide, shallow and fully etched grating couplers etc. The platform allows selective removal of cladding from waveguides for micro-fluidic channels and sensing zones etc. The platform also offers two layers of metals for functions such as thermo-optic tuning, electrical inter-connects etc., and a layer for deep trench etch for devices such as edge couplers.
Designing for this platform is supported through the process-design-kits (PDK) for Synopsys and Luceda Photonics software. The PDK includes technology files for designing, design library of building block components (waveguides, grating couplers, MMIs, directional couplers etc.), and documentation describing the technology, design rules and library components.
imec Si-Photonics BioPIX | ||
|---|---|---|
Modules | Description | Enabled devices |
2 SiN flavors | 2 SiN thicknesses:
150nm (BioPIX150)
300nm (BioPIX300) | 2 flavors optimized for wavelengths 300nm – 1000nm |
2 SiN patterning steps each | 2 etch depths BioPIX150: 90nm / 150nm BioPIX300: 150nm / 300nm | Strip / rib waveguides, shallow etched grating couplers |
Clad oxide removal | Exposure of waveguides for sensing by removing local clad SiO2 | Micro-channels for evanescent sensing by waveguides.
|
Metal heater | TiN metal lines for resistive heating | Thermo-optic tuners, switches, modulators etc.
|
Metal interconnect | Al metal lines and pads for interconnects | Metal interconnects, probe-pads, bond-pads |
Metal heater | Metal layer for heaters | Metal heaters |
Deep trench | Deep trench to expose edge coupler facets | Edge couplers |
