Nanometer-scale silicon-on-insulator photonic componets
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
InventorRichard A. Soref
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Nanometer scale silicon-on-insulator (SOI) guided-wave optical components in the near infra-red employ an SOI platform for optical isolation, and single mode silicon strip etched into the buried oxide. A multi-layer core for the strip consistes of several 1-3 nanometer crystal silicon multiple quantum wells confined by wide bandgap epitaxial barriers. The MQW region of the strip employs intersubband or band-to-band photonic effects. Active strip microcavities use a photonic bandgap resonator of etched air cylinders, or two sets of etched slot Bragg grating reflectors. Many thousands of these components can be integrated on a Si chip.
Claims40
A silicon-on-insulator single mode waveguide for transmitting optical waves in the near infra-red wavelength range comprising:
- (a) a silicon light transmissive strip having a lower surface portion, a cross sectional height H of less than about 300 nanometers and wherein said lower surface portion has a cross sectional width of less than 1-5 H;
- (b) a dielectric insulating layer having an upper surface portion underlying the lower surface portion of said light transmissive strip, and a lower surface portion;
- (c) a silicon substrate having an upper surface portion underlying the lower surface portion of said dielectric insulating layer.
A silicon-on-insulator single mode waveguide for transmitting optical waves in the near infra-red wavelength range comprising:
- (a) a silicon light transmissive strip having a rectangular cross section, an upper and lower surface portion, a height H of less than 300 nanometers and a width of less than 1.5 H;
- (b) a dielectric insulating layer having an upper surface portion in contact with the lower surface portion of said light transmissive strip, and a lower surface portion;
- and
- (c) a silicon substrate having an upper surface portion in contact with the lower surface portion of said dielectric insulating layer.
A silicon-on-insulator single mode waveguide for transmitting optical waves in the near infra-red wavelength range comprising:
- (a) a silicon light transmissive strip having a square cross section, the sides of said square cross section having a length of about 0.2 times the wavelength of light in free space transmitted therethrough;
- (b) a dielectric insulating layer having an upper surface portion in contact with a lower surface portion of said light transmissive strip, and a lower surface portion;
- and
- (c) a silicon substrate having an upper surface portion in contact with the lower surface portion of said dielectric insulating layer.
A silicon-on-insulator single mode waveguide for transmitting optical waves in the near infra-red wavelength range comprising:
- (a) a crystal silicon light transmissive strip having a lower surface portion, a cross sectional height H of less than about 300 nanometers and wherein said lower surface portion has a cross sectional width of less than 1.5 H;
- and
- (b) a dielectric insulating layer of single crystal bulk sapphire having an upper surface portion underlying the lower surface portion of said light transmissive strip.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.