Iii-v lasers with integrated silicon photonic circuits
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsCheng-Wei Cheng, Frank R. Libsch, Tak H. Ning, Uzma Rana, Kuen-Ting Shiu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
III-V lasers integrated with silicon photonic circuits and methods for making the same include a three-layer semiconductor stack formed from III-V semiconductors on a substrate, where a middle layer has a lower bandgap than a top layer and a bottom layer; a mirror region monolithically formed at a first end of the stack, configured to reflect emitted light in the direction of the stack; and a waveguide region monolithically formed at a second end of the stack, configured to transmit emitted light.
Claims20
A laser, comprising:
- a three-layer semiconductor stack formed from III-V semiconductors on a substrate, wherein a middle layer has a lower bandgap than a top layer and a bottom layer;
- a mirror region monolithically formed at a first end of the stack, configured to reflect emitted light in the direction of the stack;
- and
- a waveguide region monolithically formed at a second end of the stack, configured to transmit emitted light.
A laser, comprising:
- a plurality of three-layer semiconductor stacks formed from III-V semiconductors on a substrate, wherein a middle layer has a lower bandgap than a top layer and a bottom layer, and wherein the stack has a height-to-width aspect ratio greater than 1 to trap lattice mismatch defects;
- a mirror region monolithically formed at a first end of the stacks, configured to reflect emitted light in the direction of the stacks, said mirror region comprising alternating regions of first and second non-conductive materials having different indices of refraction;
- a waveguide region monolithically formed from a non-conductive material at a second end of the stacks, configured to transmit emitted light;
- a front contact that provides a shared electrical connection to the top layer of the stacks;
- and
- a back contact comprising a conductive layer in the substrate that provides a shared electrical connection to the bottom layer of the stacks.
A method for forming a laser, comprising:
- etching a high-aspect ratio trench into an insulator layer on a substrate;
- depositing a three-layer semiconductor stack formed from III-V semiconductors on a substrate, wherein a middle layer has a lower bandgap than a top layer and a bottom layer;
- and
- monolithically forming a mirror region and a waveguide region in contact with respective ends of the stack.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.