Silicon light waveguide with mos capacitors positioned on the waveguide

Abstract

The present invention provides a silicon wave-guide (), with a silicon oxide cladding () on a silicon substrate (). At predetermined positions along the length of the wave-guide, are created metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) structures. A poly-silicon, or any other conductive layer (), is deposited and patterned above the upper cladding () and electrical contacts are made to the substrate (), the silicon wave-guide (), and the poly-silicon layer (). Upon the application of a potential difference between at least two of the layers from the group comprising the substrate (), the silicon wave-guide (), and the poly-silicon layer (), the free carrier concentration at the top and/or bottom layer of the silicon wave-guide () is changed by the electric field. The change in the electric field results in a change in the index of refraction, and the change in the index of refraction causes a change in the optical mode propagating in the waveguide (). The propagation is controlled by controlling the changes in the electric field, which can be enhanced by localized changes in the optical properties of the wave-guide () induced by ion implantation () or trapping of photo-carriers.