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US 7,609,916 B2Granted
Electrical contact apparatus for optical waveguides
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsCharles M. Santori, Duncan Stewart, Philip J. Kuekes, Theodore I. Kamins
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An optical apparatus includes a waveguide configured to propagate optical energy; an electrical contact surface; and a semiconductor electrical interconnect extending from a first surface of the optical waveguide to electrical communication with the electrical contact surface. The semiconductor electrical interconnect comprises a geometry configured to substantially confine the optical energy to the waveguide.
Claims20
An optical apparatus, comprising:
- a substrate;
- a waveguide configured to propagate optical energy disposed on said substrate;
- and
- a semiconductor electrical interconnect disposed between said waveguide and an electrical contact surface, said interconnect being in electrical communication with said electrical contact surface;
- in which said semiconductor electrical interconnect comprises a geometry configured to substantially confine said optical energy to said waveguide, and
- in which said semiconductor electrical interconnect is configured to separate said waveguide and said electrical contact surface by a distance greater than one wavelength of the optical energy to propagate through said waveguide.
3 more elements
An optical resonator, comprising:
- a substrate;
- an insulating layer disposed on said substrate;
- a semiconductor waveguide disposed on said insulating layer;
- and
- a plurality of semiconductor electrical interconnects extending at least one half of a wavelength of optical energy configured to propagate through said waveguide from a first surface of said semiconductor waveguide in a direction substantially away from said substrate, each of said plurality of semiconductor electrical interconnects forming a substantially independent electrical path from an electrical contact surface to said semiconductor waveguide;
- wherein said plurality of semiconductor electrical interconnects comprise a geometry configured to substantially confine said optical energy to said waveguide.
3 more elements
A method of fabricating an optical apparatus, comprising:
- providing an optical waveguide configured to propagate optical energy;
- providing a plurality of semiconductor electrical interconnects extending from a first surface of said optical waveguide, wherein said plurality of semiconductor electrical interconnects comprise a geometry configured to substantially confine optical energy to said optical waveguide;
- and
- disposing a metal contact surface on said plurality of semiconductor electrical interconnects.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.