HYBRID SILICON EVANESCENT PHOTODETECTORS

• US 20090016399A1
• Filed: 04/12/2007
• Published: 01/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Original Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: Bowers, John E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,106,379 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 372/50.210
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0232 Optical elements or arrangements associated with the device H01L31/0236 takes precedence; for photovoltaic cells H01L31/054; for photovoltaic modules H02S40/20
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/02327 the optical elements being integrated or being directly associated to the device, e.g. back reflectors optical coatings H01L31/0216
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0304 including, apart from doping materials or other impurities, only AIIIBV compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/035236 Superlattices; Multiple quantum well structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/167 the light sources and the devices sensitive to radiation all being semiconductor devices characterised by potential barriers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/544 Solar cells from Group III-V materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

Photodetectors and integrated circuits including photodetectors are disclosed. A photodetector in accordance with the present invention comprises a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) structure resident on a first substrate, the SOI structure comprising a passive waveguide, and a III-V structure bonded to the SOI structure, the III-V structure comprising a quantum well region, a hybrid waveguide, coupled to the quantum well region and the SOI structure adjacent to the passive waveguide, and a mesa, coupled to the quantum well region, wherein when light passes through the hybrid waveguide, the quantum well region detects the light and generates current based on the light detected.

Claims

1. A photodetector, comprising:

a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) structure resident on a first substrate, the SOI structure comprising a passive waveguide; and

a III-V structure bonded to the SOI structure, the III-V structure comprising an absorption region wherein the absorption region and the passive waveguide comprise a hybrid waveguide, wherein when light passes through the hybrid waveguide, the absorption region detects the light and generates current based on the light detected.

2. The photodetector of claim 1, wherein the absorption region is an AlGaInAs quantum well region.

3. The photodetector of claim 1, wherein the SOI structure comprises a silicon substrate.

4. The photodetector of claim 1, wherein an end of the hybrid waveguide is tilted with respect to the passive waveguide.

5. The photodetector of claim 4, wherein the end of the hybrid waveguide is tilted by seven degrees with respect to the passive waveguide.

6. The photodetector of claim 1, wherein the photodetector is part of an array of photodetectors.

7. The photodetector of claim 1, wherein the photodetector is integrated with at least one other electronic device.

8. The photodetector of claim 7, wherein the at least one other electronic device is a CMOS device.

9. The photodetector of claim 1, further comprising a mesa, coupled to the absorption region, wherein the mesa is implanted with protons.

10. The photodetector of claim 1, wherein the coupling between the passive waveguide and the hybrid waveguide is evanescent.

11. An integrated laser/photodetector device, comprising:

a semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) structure resident on a first substrate, the SOI structure comprising a passive waveguide;

a semiconductor structure bonded to the SOI structure, the semiconductor structure comprising;

a quantum well region;

a hybrid waveguide, coupled to the quantum well region and the SOI structure adjacent to the passive waveguide; and

a mesa, coupled to the quantum well region; and

a lasing device, coupled to the hybrid waveguide, for providing light to the hybrid waveguide to generate current in the photodetector.

12. The integrated laser/photodetector device of claim 11, wherein the coupling between the quantum well region and the passive waveguide is evanescent.

13. The integrated laser/photodetector device of claim 12, wherein the SOI structure comprises a silicon substrate.

14. The integrated laser/photodetector device of claim 13, wherein the semiconductor structure comprises a III-V semiconductor material.

15. The integrated laser/photodetector device of claim 14, wherein the lasing device comprises a ring laser.

16. The integrated laser/photodetector device of claim 15, wherein the lasing device is coupled to the photodetector via a directional coupler.

17. The integrated laser/photodetector device of claim 15, further comprising at least one additional photodetector coupled to the lasing device.

18. An avalanche photodiode, comprising:

a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) structure resident on a first substrate, the SOI structure comprising a silicon avalanche waveguide layer; and

a III-V structure bonded to the SOI structure, the III-V structure comprising;

an absorption region; and

a waveguide, coupled to the absorption region and the SOI structure;

wherein when light passes through the waveguide, the absorption region generates electron current based on the light detected and the electron current is amplified in the silicon avalanche waveguide layer.

19. The avalanche photodiode of claim 18, wherein the avalanche photodiode is part of an array of photodiodes.

20. The avalanche photodiode of claim 18, wherein the avalanche photodiode is integrated with at least one other device.