The main materials used in the production of optical chips include the following:
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Semiconductor materials: Optical chips are mainly composed of semiconductor materials, the most common being silicon (Si). Silicon is a commonly used semiconductor material with good electrical properties and preparability. In addition to silicon, some III-V compounds (such as gallium arsenide, indium phosphide, etc.) and II-VI compounds (such as zinc sulfide, cadmium sulfide, etc.) are also used for specific optical chip applications.
Sputtering materials: Metal electrodes and conductors in optical chips are prepared by sputtering metal or alloy targets onto the substrate using physical vapor deposition technology. Commonly used sputtering materials include aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), silver (Ag) and molybdenum (Mo).
Optical waveguide material: The optical waveguide layer is a key part of the optical chip for guiding and transmitting optical signals. The commonly used optical waveguide materials include polymer optical waveguide materials, inorganic materials such as silicon nitride (SiNx) and niobium oxide (Nb2O5).
Substrate material: As the substrate of the optical chip, used to support and carry the hierarchy of optoelectronic devices. Common substrate materials include silicon (Si) and sapphire (Al2O3).
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In addition to the above materials, the manufacturing of optical chips also involves other ancillary materials and processes, such as photoresist, metal plating solution, silicon dioxide (SiO2) layer, etc. The choice of these materials and processes will vary depending on the specific optical chip design and application needs.