Etched-facet semiconductor optical component with integrated end-coupled waveguide and methods of fabrication and use thereof

An optical apparatus, comprising:

• a semiconductor device substrate;
• a semiconductor optical device formed on the device substrate and including a device waveguide segment terminating at a device end face;
• and
• an end-coupled planar optical waveguide formed on the device substrate at the device end face and end-coupled at its proximal end to the device waveguide through the device end face, the end-coupled waveguide including a waveguide core and waveguide cladding;
• and
• a reflective coating formed between the device substrate and at least a portion of the end-coupled waveguide.

An optical apparatus, comprising:

• a semiconductor device substrate;
• a semiconductor optical device formed on the device substrate and including a device waveguide segment terminating at a device end face;
• and
• an end-coupled planar optical waveguide formed on the device substrate at the device end face and end-coupled at its proximal end to the device waveguide through the device end face, the end-coupled waveguide including a waveguide core and waveguide cladding;
• and
• a second optical waveguide optically end-coupled with the end-coupled planar optical waveguide at a distal end thereof.

An optical apparatus, comprising:

• a semiconductor device substrate;
• a semiconductor optical device formed on the device substrate and including a device waveguide segment terminating at a device end face;
• and
• an end-coupled planar optical waveguide formed on the device substrate at the device end face and end-coupled at its proximal end to the device waveguide through the device end face, the end-coupled waveguide including a waveguide core and waveguide cladding;
• and
• a second optical waveguide optically transverse-coupled with the end-coupled planar optical waveguide.

An optical apparatus, comprising:

• a semiconductor device substrate;
• a semiconductor optical device formed on the device substrate and including a device waveguide segment terminating at a device end face;
• and
• an end-coupled planar optical waveguide formed on the device substrate at the device end face and end-coupled at its proximal end to the device waveguide through the device end face, the end-coupled waveguide including a waveguide core and waveguide cladding,
• wherein at least a portion of the device end face is curved in at least one dimension.

An optical apparatus, comprising:

• a semiconductor device substrate;
• a semiconductor optical device formed on the device substrate and including a device waveguide segment terminating at a device end face;
• and
• an end-coupled planar optical waveguide formed on the device substrate at the device end face and end-coupled at its proximal end to the device waveguide through the device end face, the end-coupled waveguide including a waveguide core and waveguide cladding,
• wherein:
• the device end face includes an outwardly protruding portion extending along the substrate from a bottom portion of the device end face beneath a proximal portion of the end-coupled waveguide;
• and
• at least one layer of the end-coupled waveguide decreases in thickness toward the end face, the outwardly protruding portion of the device waveguide and the decreasing layer thickness together yielding a desired layer surface profile for at least one layer of the end-coupled waveguide.

A method, comprising:

• forming a semiconductor optical device on a device substrate, the optical device including a device waveguide segment terminating at a device end face;
• depositing waveguide cladding material on the substrate and the device end face so that the cladding material substantially covers the device end face and forms a waveguide lower cladding layer;
• depositing waveguide core material over the lower cladding layer so as to form a waveguide core, deposited waveguide core material extending upward from a proximal end of the waveguide core away from the substrate;
• and
• depositing waveguide cladding material over the waveguide core material and lower cladding layer so as to form a waveguide upper cladding layer,
• wherein the lower cladding layer, the waveguide core, and the upper cladding layer form an end-coupled planar optical waveguide on the device substrate end-coupled at its proximal end to the device waveguide through the device end face.

A method, comprising:

• forming a semiconductor optical device on a device substrate, the optical device including a device waveguide segment terminating at a device end face;
• depositing waveguide cladding material on the substrate so as to form a waveguide lower cladding layer;
• depositing waveguide core material over the lower cladding layer so as to form a waveguide core;
• depositing waveguide cladding material over the waveguide core material and the lower cladding layer so as to form a waveguide upper cladding layer, thereby forming an end-coupled planar optical waveguide on the device substrate end-coupled at its proximal end to the device waveguide through the device end face, the end-coupled waveguide comprising the lower cladding layer, the waveguide core, and the upper cladding layer;
• and
• forming a reflective coating between the device substrate and at least a portion of the end-coupled waveguide.

A method, comprising:

• forming a semiconductor optical device on a device substrate, the optical device including a device waveguide segment terminating at a device end face;
• depositing waveguide cladding material on the substrate so as to form a waveguide lower cladding layer;
• depositing waveguide core material over the lower cladding layer so as to form a waveguide core;
• depositing waveguide cladding material over the waveguide core material and the lower cladding layer so as to form a waveguide upper cladding layer, thereby forming an end-coupled planar optical waveguide on the device substrate end-coupled at its proximal end to the device waveguide through the device end face, the end-coupled waveguide comprising the lower cladding layer, waveguide core, and the upper cladding layer;
• and
• optically end-coupling a second optical waveguide with the end-coupled planar optical waveguide at a distal end thereof.

A method, comprising:

• forming a semiconductor optical device on a device substrate, the optical device including a device waveguide segment terminating at a device end face;
• depositing waveguide cladding material on the substrate so as to form a waveguide lower cladding layer;
• depositing waveguide core material over the lower cladding layer so as to form a waveguide core;
• depositing waveguide cladding material over the waveguide core material and the lower cladding layer so as to form a waveguide upper cladding layer, thereby forming an end-coupled planar optical waveguide on the device substrate end-coupled at its proximal end to the device waveguide through the device end face, the end-coupled waveguide comprising the lower cladding layer, waveguide core, and the upper cladding layer;
• and
• optically transverse-coupling a second optical waveguide with the end-coupled planar optical waveguide.

A method, comprising:

• forming a semiconductor optical device on a device substrate, the optical device including a device waveguide segment terminating at a device end face;
• depositing waveguide cladding material on the substrate so as to form a waveguide lower cladding layer;
• depositing waveguide core material over the lower cladding layer so as to form a waveguide core;
• and
• depositing waveguide cladding material over the waveguide core material and the lower cladding layer so as to form a waveguide upper cladding layer, thereby forming an end-coupled planar optical waveguide on the device substrate end-coupled at its proximal end to the device waveguide through the device end face, the end-coupled waveguide comprising the lower cladding layer, waveguide core, and the upper cladding layer,
• wherein at least a portion of the device end face is curved in at least one dimension.

A method, comprising:

• forming a semiconductor optical device on a device substrate, the optical device including a device waveguide segment terminating at a device end face;
• depositing waveguide cladding material on the substrate so as to form a waveguide lower cladding layer;
• depositing waveguide core material over the lower cladding layer so as to form a waveguide core;
• and
• depositing waveguide cladding material over the waveguide core material and the lower cladding layer so as to form a waveguide upper cladding layer, thereby forming an end-coupled planar optical waveguide on the device substrate end-coupled at its proximal end to the device waveguide through the device end face, the end-coupled waveguide comprising the lower cladding layer, waveguide core, and the upper cladding layer,
• wherein:
• the device end face includes an outwardly protruding portion extending along the substrate from a bottom portion of the device end face beneath a proximal portion of the end-coupled waveguide;
• and
• at least one layer of the end-coupled waveguide decreases in thickness toward the end face, the outwardly protruding portion of the device waveguide and the decreasing layer thickness together yielding a desired layer surface profile for at least one layer of the end-coupled waveguide.