# US 8,787,417 B2 · Laser light coupling into SOI CMOS photonic integrated circuit > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,787,417 B2 - Document ID: US8787417B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/580,984 - Filed: 2011-02-24 - Published: 2012-12-20 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2010-02-24 - Assignees: Universiteit Gent; Imec - Applicants: Roeland Baets; Dries Van Thourhout; Gunther Roelkens; Geert Morthier; Yannick De Koninck - Inventors: Roeland Baets; Dries Van Thourhout; Gunther Roelkens; Geert Morthier; Yannick De Koninck - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8787417B2 ## CPC - H01S 5/1032: {Coupling to elements comprising an optical axis that is not aligned with the optical axis of the active region} - B82Y 20/00: Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals - H01S 5/021: {Silicon based substrates} - H01S 5/0216: {using an intermediate compound, e.g. a glue or solder} - H01S 5/0218: {Substrates comprising semiconducting materials from other groups of the Periodic Table than the materials of the active layer} - H01S 5/1035: {Forward coupled structures [DFC]} - H01S 5/1042: {Optical microcavities, e.g. cavity dimensions comparable to the wavelength} - H01S 5/1071: {Ring-lasers} - H01S 5/1075: {Disk lasers with special modes, e.g. whispering gallery lasers} - H01S 5/3095: {Tunnel junction} - H01S 5/3211: {characterised by special cladding layers, e.g. details on band-discontinuities} - H01S 5/34306: {emitting light at a wavelength longer than 1000nm, e.g. InP based 1300 and 1500nm lasers} - H01S 5/4087: {emitting more than one wavelength} - H01S: DEVICES USING THE PROCESS OF LIGHT AMPLIFICATION BY STIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION [LASER] TO AMPLIFY OR GENERATE LIGHT; DEVICES USING STIMULATED EMISSION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION IN WAVE RANGES OTHER THAN OPTICAL - B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES ## Abstract A hybrid laser for generating radiation includes an optical passive material and an optical active material. The laser includes a first optical waveguide and optical laser components with reflectors in the optical passive material. The first optical waveguide is adapted for coupling out radiation from the hybrid laser. The laser also includes a second optical waveguide defined in the optical active material. The optical laser components include reflectors defining a cavity and furthermore are adapted for providing laser cavity confinement in the first optical waveguide and the second optical waveguide. The second optical waveguide thereby is positioned at least partly over the first optical waveguide so that an evanescent coupling interface is defined between the second optical waveguide and the first optical waveguide and the evanescent coupling interface is positioned within the laser cavity. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A hybrid laser for generating radiation, the hybrid laser comprising an optical passive material and an optical active material, the hybrid laser furthermore comprising: a first optical waveguide and optical laser components defined in the optical passive material, a second optical waveguide defined in the optical active material, wherein the second optical waveguide is positioned at least partly over the first optical waveguide so that an evanescent coupling interface is defined between the second optical waveguide and the first optical waveguide to couple radiation from the second optical waveguide to the first optical waveguide, the optical laser components comprising reflectors, the reflectors defining a cavity and being arranged to provide laser cavity confinement for the radiation in the first optical waveguide and the second optical waveguide by means of overlap of an optical mode guided by the second optical waveguide and the optical laser components, wherein the hybrid laser is arranged to provide amplification of the radiation in the second optical waveguide, the evanescent coupling interface between the first and the second optical waveguides being positioned within the cavity, and the first optical waveguide is arranged to couple out radiation from the hybrid laser. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A hybrid laser according to claim 1, wherein the optical passive material is a CMOS compatible material. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A hybrid laser according to claim 1, wherein the first optical waveguide and the optical laser components are defined in the optical passive material at distinct different positions. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A hybrid laser according to claim 1, wherein the reflectors are any of a Bragg grating reflectors, a mirror or a waveguide loop mirror. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) A hybrid laser according to claim 4, wherein at least one of the reflectors is a Bragg grating reflector comprising a phase shifting section. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A hybrid laser according to claim 1, the hybrid laser comprising a current injection device defining a current injection path in the second optical waveguide, wherein the second optical waveguide and the optical laser components are positioned such that the optical mode in the second optical waveguide and the current injection path overlap at least 5%. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A hybrid laser according to claim 1, wherein the second optical waveguide comprises a thin film waveguide. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) A hybrid laser according to claim 6, wherein the hybrid laser comprises metal contacts providing current injection and wherein any of lateral oxidation, gratings, indium tin oxide or proton implants are implemented between the metal contacts and the second optical waveguide to avoid absorption of radiation in the metal contacts. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A hybrid laser according to claim 1, wherein the second optical waveguide is any of a straight waveguide, a curved waveguide, an open or closed ring waveguide or part thereof or a full or partially disc shaped waveguide or part thereof. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A hybrid laser according to claim 9, the second optical waveguide being a curved waveguide, ring waveguide or part thereof or a disc waveguide or part thereof, wherein metal contacts for current injection in the second optical waveguide are positioned at the inner side of the curved waveguide, ring waveguide or part thereof or the disc waveguide or part thereof so that radiation is guided away from the contacts when the radiation travels in the curved waveguide, ring or disc. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A hybrid laser according to claim 1, wherein a bonding layer is present between the optical passive material and the optical active material and/or wherein the hybrid laser comprises a set of first waveguides and a set of optical laser elements so as to form a plurality of laser channels. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A hybrid laser according to claim 1, wherein the optical passive material is one of the group of silicon, germanium, silicon germanium, silicon nitride, silicon carbide or SOI and the optical active material is a III-V semiconductor. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A hybrid laser according to claim 1, the hybrid laser comprising a set of first waveguides and a set of optical laser elements so as to form a plurality of laser channels. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A hybrid laser according to claim 1, wherein the hybrid laser is part of an integrated photonic circuit. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) A hybrid laser according to claim 1, wherein the optical laser components comprise modal-asymmetric cavity reflectors. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) Use of the hybrid laser recited in claim 1 to generate an optical link, for spectroscopy, for biosensing or for imaging. ### Claim 17 A method for making a hybrid laser, comprising the steps: obtaining a substrate comprising an optical passive material, defining a first optical waveguide arranged to couple out radiation from the hybrid laser and optical laser components in the optical passive material, obtaining an optical active material on the substrate defining a second optical waveguide in the optical active material, wherein said obtaining the second optical waveguide comprises obtaining the second optical waveguide so that an evanescent coupling interface is formed between the first optical waveguide and the second optical waveguide for coupling radiation from the second optical waveguide to the first optical waveguide, wherein said defining comprises defining the laser components comprising reflectors defining a cavity and being arranged to provide laser cavity confinement in the first optical waveguide and the second optical waveguide, and wherein the evanescent coupling interface is positioned within the laser cavity.