Optical sources including heating elements and optical waveguides and related photonic integrated circuit devices

A photonic integrated circuit (PIC) device, the PIC device comprising:

• a optical source including,
• a substrate having a surface,
• a dielectric support layer on the surface of the substrate, wherein the dielectric support layer comprises a dielectric material,
• an electrically conductive heating element on the dielectric support layer, and an optical waveguide on the dielectric support layer, wherein the optical waveguide comprises a waveguide material different than the dielectric material of the dielectric support layer;
• power supply circuitry on the substrate, wherein the power supply circuitry is configured to provide electrical current through the electrically conductive heating element to drive thermal emission of optical output from the electrically conductive heating element due to electrical resistive heating, wherein at least a portion of the optical output is coupled into the waveguide;
• and
• a photonic component on the substrate, wherein the optical waveguide is optically coupled with the photonic component so that the portion of the optical emission is coupled through the optical waveguide to the photonic component on the substrate.

An optical source comprising:

• a substrate having a surface, wherein the substrate defines a trench in the surface thereof;
• a dielectric support layer on the surface of the substrate, wherein the dielectric support layer comprises a dielectric material, wherein opposite ends of the dielectric support layer are supported on the surface of the substrate on opposite ends of the trench, wherein a central portion of the dielectric support layer is suspended across the trench with the trench defining a void between the central portion of the dielectric support layer and the substrate;
• an optical emission element on the central portion of the dielectric support layer, wherein the void is between the optical emission element and the substrate;
• and
• an optical waveguide on the central portion of the dielectric support layer, wherein the void is between the optical waveguide and the substrate, and wherein the optical waveguide comprises a waveguide material different than the dielectric material of the dielectric support layer.

A photonic integrated circuit (PIC) device, the PIC device comprising:

• a optical source including,
• a substrate having a surface, wherein the substrate defines a trench in the surface thereof,
• a dielectric support layer on the surface of the substrate, wherein the dielectric support layer comprises a dielectric material, wherein opposite ends of the dielectric support layer are supported on the surface of the substrate on opposite ends of the trench, wherein a central portion of the dielectric support layer is suspended across the trench (703) with the trench (703) defining a void between the central portion of the dielectric support layer (711b) and the substrate (701),
• an optical emission element on the central portion of the dielectric support layer, wherein the void is between the optical emission element and the substrate, and an optical waveguide on the central portion of the dielectric support layer,
• wherein the void is between the optical waveguide and the substrate, and wherein the optical waveguide comprises a waveguide material different than the dielectric material of the dielectric support layer;
• power source circuitry on the substrate, wherein the power source circuitry is configured to provide electrical current through optical emission element to drive optical output from the optical emission element, wherein at least a portion of the optical output is coupled into the waveguide;
• and
• a photonic component on the substrate, wherein the optical waveguide is optically coupled with the photonic component so that the portion of the optical output is coupled through the optical waveguide to the photonic component on the substrate.