Vertically integrated optoelectronics package for MEMS devices

• US 10,139,564 B1
• Filed: 01/28/2016
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions Of Sandia LLC (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions Of Sandia LLC (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Homeijer, Brian D., Eichenfield, Matt
• Primary Examiner(s): Epps, Georgia Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): Williams, Don
• Application Number:
  US15/009,153
• Time in Patent Office: 1,034 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/1225 comprising photonic band-gap structures or photonic lattices
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/34 utilising prism or grating G02B6/293 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4214 the intermediate optical element having redirecting reflective means, e.g. mirrors, prisms for deflecting the radiation from horizontal to down- or upward direction toward a device G02B6/4246 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4232 using the surface tension of fluid solder to align the elements, e.g. solder bump techniques flip-chip mounting techniques in assembly of semiconductor devices H01L24/81
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/43 Arrangements comprising a plurality of opto-electronic elements and associated optical interconnections
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0225 Out-coupling of light
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/02325 Mechanically integrated components on mount members or optical micro-benches
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0237 by soldering
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/02375 Positioning of the laser chips
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0683 by monitoring the optical output parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18308 having a special structure for lateral current or light confinement
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/343 in AIIIBV compounds, e.g. AlGaAs-laser , InP-based laser
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/423 having a vertical cavity
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/426 Vertically stacked cavities

Abstract

The present application relates to vertically integrated assemblies including a MEMS-based optomechanical architecture. In some embodiments, the assembly includes a MEMS/optoelectronic module, an emitter module, and a detector module, where these modules are vertically integrated. Methods of fabricating such assemblies are also described herein.

Claims

1. An integrated assembly comprising:

a MEMS/optoelectronic module comprising a photonic circuit;

one or more emitter modules, wherein each emitter module comprises one or more vertically emitting light sources, wherein each vertically emitting light source is directly optically connected to a portion of the photonic circuit and configured to provide an optical input signal to the photonic circuit, wherein each emitter module is displaced in a direction normal to a plane of the photonic circuit, and wherein an optical axis of each vertically emitting light source is substantially parallel to the normal to the plane of the photonic circuit; and

one or more detector modules, wherein each detector module comprises one or more vertically integrated photodetectors, wherein each vertically integrated photodetector is directly optically connected to a portion of the photonic circuit and configured to receive an optical output signal from the photonic circuit and to transmit an electrical output signal, wherein each detector module is displaced in the direction normal to the plane of the photonic circuit, and wherein an optical axis of each vertically integrated photodetector is substantially parallel to the normal to the plane of the photonic circuit.

2. The integrated assembly of claim 1, wherein the electrical output signal from one or more detector modules is transmitted to an electrical circuit of the MEMS/optoelectronic module.

3. The integrated assembly of claim 1, wherein the photonic circuit comprises a photonic crystal having one or more optical waveguides and one or more resonant grating couplers, and wherein an input resonant grating coupler is configured to be positioned directly beneath at least one emitter module.

4. The integrated assembly of claim 3, wherein at least one resonant grating coupler is an on-chip splitter.

5. The integrated assembly of claim 3, wherein at least one resonant grating coupler is optically connected to each of a first optical waveguide and a second optical waveguide and wherein each of the first optical waveguide and the second optical waveguide are configured to travel in opposite directions from the at least one resonant grating coupler.

6. The integrated assembly of claim 5, wherein a third optical waveguide is optically coupled to the MEMS/optoelectronic module.

7. The integrated assembly of claim 6, wherein the MEMS/optoelectronic module comprises a sensor structure configured to provide a sensing signal, and wherein the third optical waveguide is configured to carry information regarding the sensing signal.

8. The integrated assembly of claim 7, wherein the sensing signal is transmitted by an optical resonator, wherein the optical resonator is configured to provide an optical sensing signal carrying the information regarding the sensing signal, and wherein the optical resonator is optically connected to the third optical waveguide.

9. The integrated assembly of claim 8, wherein the third optical waveguide is optically connected to at least one detector module of the one or more detector modules.

10. The integrated assembly of claim 9, wherein the third optical waveguide is optically connected to an output resonant grating coupler, and wherein the output resonant grating coupler is configured to be positioned beneath at least one detector module.

11. The integrated assembly of claim 1, wherein the MEMS/optoelectronic module comprises a stack comprising one or more mesas configured to provide a fixed gap between the MEMS/optoelectronic module and at least one detector module of the one or more detector modules or at least one emitter module of the one or more emitter modules.

12. The integrated assembly of claim 1, wherein a front surface portion of each emitter module of the one or more emitter modules and a front surface portion of each detector module of the one or more detector modules are vertically aligned and bonded to a front surface portion of the MEMS/optoelectronic module.

13. The integrated assembly of claim 12, further comprising a fully integrated optical signal path from an emitter module of the one or more emitter modules to the MEMS/optoelectronic module and from the MEMS/optoelectronic module to each detector module of the one or more detector modules.

14. The integrated assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the MEMS/optoelectronic module comprises a MEMS/photonic chip, one or more fixed gap structures disposed on a front surface portion of the MEMS/photonic chip, the photonic circuit disposed on the one or more fixed gap structures and a front surface portion of the MEMS/photonic chip, and one or more metal bond pads disposed in proximity to each fixed gap structure and on a front surface portion of the photonic circuit;

each emitter module comprises a III-V emitter chip, one or more vertically emitting light sources disposed on a front surface portion of the III-V emitter chip, one or more posts beneath one or more fixed gap structures, and one or more metal bond pads in proximity to each post and on a front surface portion of the III-V emitter chip; and

each detector module comprises a semiconductor detector chip, one or more vertically integrated photodetectors disposed on a front surface portion of the semiconductor detector chip, one or more posts beneath one or more fixed gap structures, and one or more metal bond pads in proximity to each post and on a front surface portion of the semiconductor detector chip.

15. A method of making an integrated assembly comprising:

providing a MEMS/optoelectronic module comprising a photonic circuit and an electrical circuit, wherein the photonic circuit comprises one or more input resonant grating couplers, one or more output resonant grating couplers, and at least one optical waveguide optically connecting one input resonant grating coupler to one output resonant grating coupler;

vertically aligning one or more emitter modules with at least one input resonant grating coupler each emitter module being displaced in a direction normal to a plane of the photonic circuit, and an optical axis of each emitter module being substantially parallel to the normal to the plane of the photonic circuit;

vertically aligning one or more detector modules with at least one output resonant grating coupler, each detector module being displaced in a direction normal to the plane of the photonic circuit, and an optical axis of each detector module being substantially parallel to the normal to the plane of the photonic circuit;

bonding each emitter module to the MEMS/optoelectronic module, thereby directly optically coupling the MEMS/optoelectronic module to each emitter module; and

bonding each detector module to the MEMS/optoelectronic module, thereby directly optically coupling the MEMS/optoelectronic module to each detector module.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the MEMS/optoelectronic module comprises a stack comprising one or more mesas configured to provide a fixed gap between the MEMS/optoelectronic module and at least one of a detector module of the one or more detector modules or an emitter module of the one or more emitter modules.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein each of the MEMS/optoelectronic module, one or more detector modules, and one or more emitter modules comprises one or more metal bond pads disposed on a front surface portion.

18. The method of claim 16,

wherein the MEMS/photonic module comprises one or more metal bond pads each disposed in proximity to a respective one of the one or more mesas, and

wherein each detector module and each emitter module comprises one or more posts configured to be positioned directly beneath a respective one of the one or more metal bond pads.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

aligning each post of a detector module of the one or more detector modules with at least one respective mesa;

aligning each post of an emitter module of the one or more emitter modules with at least one respective mesa;

placing a first solder material between the detector module of the one or more detector modules and the MEMS/optoelectronic module; and

placing a second solder material between the emitter module of the one or more emitter modules and the MEMS/optoelectronic module.

20. An integrated assembly comprising:

a MEMS/optoelectronic module comprising a photonic circuit, wherein the photonic circuit comprises one or more input resonant grating couplers, one or more output resonant grating couplers, and at least one optical waveguide optically connecting one of the one or more input resonant grating couplers to one of the one or more output resonant grating couplers;

an emitter module aligned with at least one of the one or more input resonant grating couplers, wherein the emitter module is bonded to the MEMS/optoelectronic module, wherein each emitter module is directly optically connected to a portion of the photonic circuit, wherein the emitter module is displaced in a direction normal to a plane of the photonic circuit, and wherein an optical axis of the emitter is substantially parallel to the normal to the plane of the photonic circuit; and

a detector module aligned with at least one of the one or more output resonant grating couplers, wherein the detector module is bonded to the MEMS/optoelectronic module, wherein each detector module is directly optically connected to a portion of the photonic circuit, wherein the detector module is displaced in the direction normal to the plane of the photonic circuit, and wherein an optical axis of the detector module is substantially parallel to the normal to the plane of the photonic circuit.