Lightwave Logic, Inc. (NASDAQ:LWLG), a technology platform company leveraging its proprietary electro-optic polymers to transmit data at higher speeds with less power, today announced the publication of a U.S. patent application on a new invention that will enable simplified foundry-level packaging of polymer modulators using chip-scale techniques which can be applied at wafer level, critical for high-volume manufacturing applications.
This patent application – entitled “Hybrid electro-optic polymer modulator with atomic layer deposition (ALD) sealant layer” with publication number 2022/0187638A1 – allows Lightwave Logic’s proprietary polymers to be sealed to moisture and other atmospheric gases in a very low temperature and quasi-hermetic environment through the use of a chip-scale packaging approach that can be applied in parallel at wafer level (i.e. in volume) and that eliminates the need for a separate hermetic enclosure or “gold box.” Chip-scale packaging is a technique that has been gathering momentum in the silicon electronics industry for the past decade to reduce device chip packaging costs and increase device performance – enabling high-volume front and back-end manufacturing as well as extremely small sizes in miniaturization.
Over the past two years, Lightwave Logic has optimized its atomic layer deposition techniques to not only seal its polymers in a quasi-hermetic environment, but to improve both the stability and reliability of polymer devices, without any adverse effects to poling. The sealant process will enable lower cost system implementation in a high-volume foundry environment. Specifically, Lightwave Logics’ electro-optic polymer modulators are sealed with a low-temperature conformal atomic layer deposition dielectic layers that are supported on a silicon substrate with passive silicon photonics waveguides.
Dr. Michael Lebby, Chief Executive Officer of Lightwave Logic, commented: “We continue to fortify our intellectual property portfolio, with this particular patent application representing a significant breakthrough for polymer modulator devices in general – allowing them to be miniaturized and packaged using chip-scale-packaging techniques popular in the silicon electronics industry today. The timing of this invention positions us to make polymers truly ubiquitous as we continue to simplify the production of polymer modulators for our foundry partners.
“We are confident in the performance and stability of our polymers and are focusing our R&D efforts on innovative new ways to further simplify the fabrication efforts for our foundry partners, supporting them as we position our technology platform for high-volume manufacturing. I look forward to continued operational execution in the months ahead as we strive to create long-term value for our stakeholders.
