Photonic systems are being developed for incorporation into integrated circuitry. The photonic systems may be utilized for chip-to-chip communication, for photosensors and/or for numerous other applications. The photonic systems may utilize silicon as an optical medium of a waveguide, and may utilize any suitable wavelengths of radiation; such as, for example, wavelengths within a band centered at about 1.2 micrometers.
It is often desired that photonic systems have integrated detectors in addition to the integrated waveguides, with the detectors being configured to determine if radiation is passing through the waveguides. Germanium may be utilized to fabricate detectors which can be integrated into photonic systems with silicon-based waveguides. Specifically, a diode may be formed to have a depletion zone within germanium, and passage of light across the germanium may be detected by a change in current within such diode.
Difficulties are encountered in attempting to create fabrication sequences suitable for commercial production of integrated photonic systems. Accordingly, it is desired to develop new photonic systems, and new methods of fabrication of photonic systems, suitable for commercial production.