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US 12,051,884 B2Granted
Semiconductor optical element
AssigneeNippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
InventorsTakuma Aihara, Shinji Matsuo, Tai Tsuchizawa, Takaaki Kakitsuka, Tatsurou Hiraki
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Abstract
A wavelength tunable laser formed on a substrate made of single-crystal silicon is provided. The wavelength tunable laser includes a light emitting portion made of a III-V compound semiconductor, and external resonators provided with an optical filter. Cores included in the external resonators are made of one of SiN, SiON, and SiOn (n is smaller than 2).
Claims14
A semiconductor optical element comprising:
- a wavelength tunable laser on a silicon substrate, wherein the wavelength tunable laser includes:
- a light emitting portion made of a III-V compound semiconductor;
- and
- an external resonator comprising an optical filter and an optical waveguide, wherein the optical waveguide comprises:
- a lower cladding layer on the silicon substrate, wherein the lower cladding layer comprises an oxide;
- a core on the lower cladding layer, wherein the core comprises SiN, SiON, or SiOn, and wherein n is smaller than 2;
- and
- an upper cladding layer covering the core, wherein the upper cladding layer comprises an oxide, and wherein the light emitting portion and the external resonator are optically connected via a spot-size converter, wherein the spot-size converter is made of a different material than the core;
- and
- a semiconductor core made of a III-V compound semiconductor, wherein the semiconductor core is optically connected to the light emitting portion through butt coupling, wherein the semiconductor core is tapered away from the light emitting portion, wherein a tapered region of the semiconductor core is covered by the core, and wherein the spot-size converter is the tapered region of the semiconductor core.
7 more elements
A method for forming a semiconductor optical element, the method comprising:
- forming a wavelength tunable laser on a silicon substrate, wherein forming the wavelength tunable laser includes:
- providing a light emitting portion made of a III-V compound semiconductor;
- and
- connecting the light emitting portion to an external resonator via a spot-size converter, wherein an external resonator comprises an optical filter and an optical waveguide, and wherein the optical waveguide comprises:
- a lower cladding layer on the silicon substrate, wherein the lower cladding layer comprises an oxide;
- a core on the lower cladding layer, wherein the core comprises SiN, SiON, or SiOn, and wherein n is smaller than 2, wherein the spot-size converter is made of a different material than the core;
- and
- an upper cladding layer covering the core, wherein the upper cladding layer comprises an oxide;
- and
- optically connected a semiconductor core to the light emitting portion through butt coupling, wherein the semiconductor core that is made of a III-V compound semiconductor, wherein the semiconductor core is tapered away from the light emitting portion, wherein a tapered region of the semiconductor core is covered by the core, and wherein the spot-size converter is the tapered region of the semiconductor core.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.