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US 6,501,092 B1Granted
Integrated semiconductor superlattice optical modulator
AssigneeIntel Corporation
InventorsDmitri E. Nikonov, Mario J. Paniccia
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Devices and techniques for integrating a silicon superlattice optical modulator on a silicon substrate with other circuit elements. The superlattice structure is designed to convert the indirect bandgap structure of silicon into a direct bandgap structure to achieve more efficient optical absorption. The modulator can be fabricated based on a structure of a circuit element by using standard fabrication processes for silicon integrated circuits such as metal oxide semiconductor processing.
Claims26
A semiconductor device, comprising:
- a substrate of a semiconductor material configured to have an integrated circuit element that defines a first area and a second area that are at different electrical potentials;
- a superlattice structure formed in said integrated circuit element relative to said first and second areas to have alternating layers formed of said semiconductor material and insulator layers formed of another material;
- and
- at least one of a reflector in said substrate or a reflective layer associated with said superlattice structure.
1 more element
A semiconductor device, comprising:
- a substrate of a semiconductor material having a front side surface and a back side surface opposing each other, said substrate configured to have a source region, a drain region, and a gate region adjacent to said front side surface for constructing a transistor, wherein both said source and drain regions are kept at a first electrical potential;
- a gate electrode, at a second electrical potential that is different from said first electrical potential, formed over and insulated from said gate region;
- a superlattice structure formed in said gate region to have alternating layers of charge layers formed of said semiconductor material and insulator layers, formed of another material, that are substantially parallel to said first surface;
- and
- at least one of a reflector in said substrate or a reflective layer coupled to said gate electrode.
2 more elements
A semiconductor device, comprising:
- an integrated circuit element, in a substrate of a semiconductor material, coupled to a first area and a second area that are at different electrical potentials;
- a superlattice structure formed in the integrated circuit element, the superlattice structure having alternating layers of the semiconductor material and an insulator material;
- and
- a reflector disposed in or on the superlattice structure.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.