2. Technology and design environment

2.1 Manufacturing environment

Silicon photonics technology aims to realize all the elementary components on a silicon platform, and more precisely a silicon-on-insulator : SOI (Silicon On Insulator). This SOI platform features a layer of monocrystalline silicon on an oxide layer, itself on the silicon substrate. The silicon layer is used to form the core of the optical guides, while the oxide layer forms the lower cladding. The upper cladding is produced by depositing oxide after the silicon has been patterned (figure 3 ).