"We are looking for SOI wafers, GaN epitaxial wafers, and SiC epitaxial wafers for fabricating photonic devices such as wire waveguides. Device layer thicknesses should be approximately 250-300 nm."
Substrates Used to Fabricate Photonic Devices
Researchers developing photonic devices, optical waveguides, photonic integrated circuits (PICs), and low-loss optical components commonly use SOI wafers, silicon nitride substrates, SiC epitaxial wafers, GaN epitaxial wafers, fused silica, and silicon-on-sapphire substrates.
A postdoctoral researcher from a microphotonics laboratory requested:
Reference #121483 contains specifications and pricing.
SOI Wafers for Low-Loss Photonic Devices
Silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafers are the most popular platform for silicon photonics. Typical photonics wafers utilize device layers between 220 nm and 500 nm with buried oxide layers ranging from 1 µm to 3 µm.
Researchers developing rib waveguides, grating couplers, resonators, and photonic integrated circuits frequently request ultra-flat SOI wafers with extremely low optical loss.
"We are going to purchase SOI wafers for fabricating low-loss photonic devices. Device layer 220 nm and insulation layer 2–3 µm are preferred."
Reference #267056 contains specifications and pricing.
Silicon Nitride Waveguide Substrates
LPCVD silicon nitride (Si3N4) deposited on thermal oxide or fused silica is commonly used for low-loss optical waveguides, nonlinear optics, frequency combs, and biosensors.
"We require 100 mm silicon wafers with 5 µm thermal oxide and 300 nm LPCVD silicon nitride to build waveguides and other photonic devices."
Reference #225367 contains specifications and pricing.
Fused Silica and Thick Thermal Oxide for Photonics
Researchers requiring extremely low optical loss often select fused silica substrates or thick thermal oxide wafers. These materials provide excellent surface flatness, optical transparency, and low absorption.
Applications include:
- Nanophotonic devices.
- Integrated optical circuits.
- Waveguides.
- Optical resonators.
- Biosensors.
- Quantum photonic devices.
Silicon-on-Sapphire for Photonic Device Fabrication
Silicon-on-sapphire (SoS) substrates are used in RF photonics, optical communication, and radiation-hard electronics. Researchers often request silicon layers around 600 nm for custom photonic structures.
"We are looking for 4-inch silicon-on-sapphire wafers with silicon thickness near 600 nm, including diced 10 mm × 10 mm pieces."
Reference #276252 contains specifications and pricing.
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What Are Photonic Devices?
Photonic devices generate, manipulate, transmit, and detect light. They are used in optical communications, quantum technologies, biosensors, LiDAR systems, AI hardware, AR/VR systems, and data centers. Common photonic devices include lasers, modulators, photodetectors, optical amplifiers, resonators, and photonic integrated circuits (PICs).
The performance of these devices depends heavily on substrate selection. Common materials include SOI wafers, silicon nitride substrates, SiC epitaxial wafers, GaN epitaxial wafers, fused silica, and silicon-on-sapphire substrates.
SOI Wafers for Photonic Integrated Circuits
Silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafers are the most widely used platform for silicon photonics. They provide excellent optical confinement and support the fabrication of:
- Optical waveguides.
- Ring resonators.
- Grating couplers.
- Mach-Zehnder modulators.
- Photonic integrated circuits (PICs).
- Quantum photonic devices.
- High-speed optical interconnects.
Typical photonics wafers use silicon device layers between 220 nm and 500 nm with buried oxide layers ranging from 1 µm to 3 µm.
Low-Loss Silicon Nitride Waveguides
Silicon nitride (Si3N4) waveguides provide extremely low optical loss and are widely used in optical communications, frequency combs, biosensors, and nonlinear photonics. SiN deposited on thermal oxide or fused silica substrates offers low absorption and high refractive index contrast.
Substrates Used in Photonics Research
| Substrate | Typical Applications |
|---|---|
| SOI Wafers | Waveguides, PICs, modulators |
| SiN on Oxide | Low-loss photonics, frequency combs |
| Silicon Carbide | Quantum photonics, nonlinear optics |
Applications of Photonic Devices
- Fiber-optic communications.
- Quantum computing and quantum information processing.
- Artificial intelligence hardware.
- Biosensors and lab-on-a-chip devices.
- LiDAR systems.
- Medical imaging and diagnostics.
- AR/VR displays.
- Data center optical interconnects.
- High-speed optical communications.