# US 11,994,758 B1 · Active photonic devices with enhanced pockels effect via isotope substitution

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- Number: US 11,994,758 B1
- Document ID: US11994758B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 18/142,419
- Filed: 2023-05-02
- Granted: 2024-05-28
- Earliest claimed: 2019-06-21
- Assignees: Psiquanum, Corp.
- Applicants: Psiquantum, Corp.
- Inventors: Gary Gibson
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11994758B1

## CPC

- G02F 1/035: in an optical waveguide structure
- G02F 1/03: based on ceramics or electro-optical crystals, e.g. exhibiting Pockels effect or Kerr effect (G02F1/061 takes precedence)
- G02F 1/225: in an optical waveguide structure
- G02F 1/31: Digital deflection, {i.e. optical switching}(G02F1/33 takes precedence)
- G02F 1/212: {Mach-Zehnder type}
- G02F 2202/105: single crystal Si
- G02F: OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS

## Abstract

An optical switch structure includes a substrate, a first electrical contact, and a first material having a first conductivity type electrically connected to the first electrical contact. The optical switch structure also includes a second material having a second conductivity type coupled to the first material, a second electrical contact electrically connected to the second material, and a waveguide structure disposed between the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact. The waveguide structure includes a waveguide core coupled to the substrate and including a core material characterized by a first index of refraction and a waveguide cladding at least partially surrounding the waveguide core and including a cladding material characterized by a second index of refraction less than the first index of refraction and an isotope-enhanced Pockels effect.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An optical switch structure comprising:
a first electrical contact;
a second electrical contact;
doped semiconductor regions forming a p-n junction, the doped semiconductor regions disposed between the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact; and
a waveguide structure disposed between the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact, the waveguide structure comprising:
a waveguide core including a core material characterized by a first index of refraction; and
a planar waveguide cladding coupled to the waveguide core, the first electrical contact, and the second electrical contact, wherein the planar waveguide cladding includes a cladding material characterized by a second index of refraction less than the first index of refraction and an isotope-enhanced Pockels effect.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The optical switch structure of claim 1 further comprising a first dielectric region and a second dielectric region disposed on either lateral side of the waveguide core.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The optical switch structure of claim 1 wherein the first dielectric region and the second dielectric region comprise silicon dioxide.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The optical switch structure of claim 1 wherein the isotope-enhanced Pockels effect is greater than a Pockels effect of the cladding material using constituent materials having naturally occurring isotope percentages.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The optical switch structure of claim 4 wherein one or more constituent atoms of the planar waveguide cladding are characterized by an isotope percentage greater than a naturally occurring isotope percentage of the one or more constituent atoms.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The optical switch structure of claim 1 further comprising a second cladding layer coupled to the planar waveguide cladding.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The optical switch structure of claim 6 wherein the waveguide core comprises silicon, the planar waveguide cladding comprises isotope-enhanced barium titanate and the second cladding layer comprises silicon dioxide.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The optical switch structure of claim 1 wherein the cladding material is characterized by a X(3) value greater than 2.2×10−18 m2/W.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The optical switch structure of claim 6 wherein the cladding material comprises at least one of isotope-enhanced barium titanate (BaTiO3) or isotope-enhanced lead zirconate titanate (PZT).

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The optical switch structure of claim 1 wherein the waveguide structure comprises a Mach-Zehnder interferometer.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The optical switch structure of claim 1 wherein the waveguide structure comprises a ring resonator.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The optical switch structure of claim 1 wherein the core material comprises silicon.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The optical switch structure of claim 1 wherein the core material consists of silicon.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The optical switch structure of claim 1 wherein the cladding material comprises hafnium dioxide (HfO2).

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The optical switch structure of claim 1 wherein the cladding material comprises Ta2O5.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The optical switch structure of claim 1 wherein the doped semiconductor regions comprise a p-type region and an n-type region.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The optical switch structure of claim 16 wherein the doped semiconductor regions further comprise a p+ contact region and an n+ contact region.