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US 8,410,420 B1Granted
Semiconductor travelling-wave evanescent waveguide photodetector
AssigneeUniversity of Washington through its Center for Commercialization
InventorsMichael Hochberg, Thomas W. Baehr-Jones
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An optoelectronic structure includes a waveguide region, a detector region that is weakly evanescently coupled to the waveguide region, and a dielectric layer interposed between the waveguide region and the detector region and configured to provide the weak evanescent coupling.
Claims17
An optoelectronic structure, comprising:
- a waveguide region configured to guide an optical signal;
- a detector region weakly evanescently coupled to the waveguide region and arranged to detect the optical signal via the weak evanescent coupling;
- a first electrode and a second electrode coupled to the detector region, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are configured to carry an output radiofrequency signal that is phase-matched with the optical signal;
- and
- a dielectric layer interposed between the waveguide region and the detector region, wherein the dielectric layer is configured to provide the weak evanescent coupling.
2 more elements
An optoelectronic structure, comprising:
- a waveguide region configured to guide an optical signal;
- a detector region weakly evanescently coupled to the waveguide region and arranged to detect the optical signal via the weak evanescent coupling;
- and
- a dielectric layer interposed between the waveguide region and the detector region,
- wherein
- the dielectric layer is configured to provide the weak evanescent coupling;
- the detector region includes a PN or a PIN junction that is arranged to receive, via the weak evanescent coupling, a portion of the optical energy of the optical signal;
- the junction is arranged to provide a detection current based on the optical signal;
- the junction is coupled between a first electrode and the second electrode, and wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are each configured to carry one or more Transverse ElectroMagnetic (TEM) modes of electromagnetic radiation based on the detection current;
- and
- the structure further comprises a dielectric region configured to provide phase velocity matching between an optical mode of the optical signal and the TEM modes.
8 more elements
An optoelectronic device, comprising:
- a silicon waveguide having a waveguide region configured to guide an optical signal;
- a photodetector having a detector region weakly evanescently coupled to the waveguide region and arranged to detect the optical signal via the weak evanescent coupling;
- and
- a dielectric layer interposed between the waveguide region and the detector region;
- wherein
- the dielectric layer is configured to provide the weak evanescent coupling;
- the waveguide has an axis arranged to guide the optical signal;
- and
- the photodetector has an axis (1) aligned with the axis of the waveguide and (2) arranged to provide an RF signal such that the RF signal is phase matched with the optical signal.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.