Post processing of a SiNy-based photonic stack above a CMOS imager sensor

This paper presents the fabrication of a SiN
y
-based photonic integrated circuit (PIC) on top of a CMOS imager sensor (CIS) using semiconductor post processing fabrication technology. The photonic key components consists of SiN
y
optical waveguides (WG), grating in/out couplers and Cu vertical mirrors defining the resonator boundaries and the sloped Cu output mirrors. The optical signal (photons) from the photonics is converted by the CIS into an electrical signal for further data processing. This photonic integration technology can be used for a wide range of applications, e.g., an optical spectrometer.