Multi-section heterogeneous semiconductor optical amplifier
AssigneeAurrion, Inc.
InventorsErik Norberg, Brian R. Koch, Gregory Alan Fish
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Abstract
Described herein are methods, systems, and apparatuses to utilize a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) comprising a silicon layer including a silicon waveguide, a non-silicon layer disposed on the silicon layer and including a non-silicon waveguide, first and second mode transition region comprising tapers in the silicon waveguide and/or the non-silicon waveguide for exchanging light between the waveguide, and a plurality of regions disposed between the first and second mode transition regions comprising different cross-sectional areas of the silicon waveguide and the non-silicon waveguide such that confinement factors for the non-silicon waveguide in each of the plurality of regions differ.
Claims20
A semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) comprising:
- a silicon layer comprising silicon semiconductor material and including a silicon waveguide;
- a non-silicon layer comprising non-silicon semiconductor gain material and disposed on the silicon layer and including a non-silicon waveguide;
- a first mode transition region comprising tapers in at least one of the silicon waveguide and/or the non-silicon waveguide to couple light from the silicon waveguide to the non-silicon waveguide;
- a second mode transition region comprising tapers in at least one of the silicon waveguide and/or the non-silicon waveguide to couple light from the non-silicon waveguide to the silicon waveguide;
- a plurality of regions disposed between the first and second mode transition regions comprising different cross-sectional areas of the silicon waveguide or the non-silicon waveguide such that confinement factor for the non-silicon waveguide in at least one of the plurality of regions differ;
- and
- at least one set of electrical contacts to inject current into the non-silicon waveguide material.
A wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) receiving component comprising:
- a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) to receive and amplify an optical signal comprising a plurality of wavelengths, the SOA comprising:
- a silicon layer comprising silicon semiconductor material and including a silicon waveguide;
- a non-silicon layer comprising non-silicon semiconductor gain material and disposed on the silicon layer and including a non-silicon waveguide;
- a first mode transition region comprising tapers in at least one of the silicon waveguide and/or the non-silicon waveguide to couple light from the silicon waveguide to the non-silicon waveguide;
- a second mode transition region comprising tapers in at least one of the silicon waveguide and/or the non-silicon waveguide to couple light from the non-silicon waveguide to the silicon waveguide;
- a plurality of regions disposed between the first and second mode transition regions comprising different cross-sectional areas of the silicon waveguide or the non-silicon waveguide such that confinement factor for the non-silicon waveguide in at least one of the plurality of regions differ;
- and
- at least one set of electrical contacts to inject current into the non-silicon waveguide material;
- a (de)multiplexer to receive an amplified optical signal from the SOA and to output a separate optical signal for each of the plurality of wavelengths;
- and
- a plurality of optical receiver modules each receiving one of the optical signals from the de-multiplexer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.