Monolithic III-V/Si Waveguide Phase Modulator

A method for producing a monolithic integrated phase modulator, comprising:

• forming a waveguide for propagating light by:
• forming a waveguide base from a Si-based semiconductor material;
• doping the waveguide base to be of a first conductivity type;
• forming at least one groove in a surface of the waveguide base;
• and
• epitaxially growing a region of a second conductivity type III-V semiconductor material on the waveguide base in the at least one groove,
• wherein the waveguide base and the epitaxially grown region form a monolithically integrated junction diode that is a phase modulation region for light propagated through the waveguide.

A method of operating a monolithic integrated phase modulator,

• wherein the monolithic integrated phase modulator comprises:
• a waveguide for propagating light, comprising:
• a waveguide base made of a first conductivity type Si-based semiconductor material;
• at least one groove formed in a surface of the waveguide base;
• and
• an epitaxial region formed on the waveguide base in the at least one groove,
• wherein the epitaxial region is made of a second conductivity type III-V semiconductor material,
• wherein the waveguide base and the epitaxial region form a monolithically integrated junction diode that is a phase modulation region for light propagated through the waveguide, and
• wherein the method comprises:
• propagating light through the waveguide;
• and
• reversely biasing the monolithically integrated junction diode to modulate a phase of the light propagated through the waveguide based on a reverse bias potential.