Integrated optoelectronics devices
AssigneeTriQuint Technology Holding Co.
InventorsKenneth Gerard Glogovsky, Charles William Lentz, Abdallah Ougazzaden, Claude Lewis Reynolds JR.
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Abstract
The invention is an optoelectronic device and method of fabrication where at least two optical devices are formed on a single semiconductor substrate, with each optical device including an active region such as a multi-quantum well region. The active devices are spatially separated and optically coupled by a passive waveguide formed over the substrate which provides butt joints with the active regions. The butt joints can be optimized independently from the active regions thus improving yield.
Claims20
An optoelectronic device comprising at least two spatially separate optical components formed on a single semiconductor substrate, each optical component including an active region, and a passive waveguide formed over the substrate and optically butt coupling the two components.
An optoelectronic device comprising:
- at least three spatially separate optical components including a laser, modulator, and optical amplifier formed on a single substrate, each optical component comprising a multi-quantum well layer comprising InGaAsP sandwiched between cladding layers and separate confinement layers;
- a passive waveguide formed over the substrate so as to form butt joints with the multi-quantum well layers and optically connect the components, the waveguide having an identical composition between the components comprising InGaAsP;
- and
- a stop-etch layer comprising InAlAs or GaInAlAs formed over the substrate.
A method of forming an optoelectronic device comprising the steps of:
- forming a plurality of epitaxial semiconductor layers on essentially the entire surface of a semiconductor substrate, the layers including at least one layer of an active material;
- selectively etching the layers to form spatially separate structures including the active material;
- and
- forming at least one passive waveguide layer in the etched areas so as to provide optical butt coupling between the active material of the separate structures.
A method of forming an optoelectronic device including at least a laser, modulator, and optical amplifier on a single substrate comprising the steps of:
- forming an etch-stop layer comprising InAlAs or GaInAlAs on a surface of the substrate;
- separately forming a plurality of epitaxial layers over the substrate for each of the laser, modulator, and amplifier, the plurality of layers including multi-quantum active layers comprising InGaAsP;
- selectively etching the plurality of epitaxial layers down to the etch-stop layer to form spatially separate structures;
- sequentially forming a first cladding layer comprising InP, a passive waveguide layer comprising InGaAsP, and a second cladding layer comprising InP in the etched areas so as to form butt joints between the active layers and passive waveguide layer;
- and
- forming the spatially separate structures into the laser, modulator, and optical amplifier.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.