Method of fabricating photonic semiconductor device using selective movpe

Abstract

A method of fabricating a photonic semiconductor device is provided, which is capable of preventing the performance of a fabricated photonic semiconductor device from degrading and its fabrication yield from lowering. In the step (a), a semiconductor substrate having a flat surface is prepared. In the step (b), a dielectric mask layer having an elongated opening is formed on the surface of the substrate. An elongated region of the surface of the substrate is exposed from the mask layer through the elongated opening. In the step (c), a diffraction grating is formed on a part of the elongated region of the surface of the substrate through the opening of the mask layer. In the step (d), semiconductor layers are successively and selectively formed on the elongated region of the surface of the substrate by a selective MOVPE process through the opening of the mask layer, thereby forming a multi-layer, elongated optical waveguide on the surface of the substrate. At least part of the waveguide is located on the part of the elongated region of the surface of the substrate and is contacted with the diffraction grating. In the step (e), the mask layer is removed from the surface of the substrate after the step (d).