Semiconductor optical waveguide type switch including light control means

• US 5,329,601 A
• Filed: 12/21/1992
• Issued: 07/12/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Nakamura, Shigeru
• Primary Examiner(s): Healy, Brian
• Application Number:
  US07/993,698
• Time in Patent Office: 568 Days
• Field of Search: 385/14, 385/15, 385/16, 385/39, 385/40, 385/41, 385/130, 385/131, 385/132, 385/1, 385/2, 385/3, 356/345, 356/350
• US Class Current: 385/41
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2006/12078 Gallium arsenide or alloys (GaAs, GaAlAs, GaAsP, GaInAs)
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2006/12159 Interferometer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/122 Basic optical elements, e.g. light-guiding paths
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/0126 Opto-optical modulation, i.e. control of one light beam by another light beam, not otherwise provided for in this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/2257 the optical waveguides being made of semiconducting material
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/3133 the optical waveguides being made of semiconducting materials

Abstract

A semiconductor waveguide type all-optical switch of a simple structure which can switch at high speed with low switching energy. A waveguide is formed within a core layer made of a semiconductor for absorbing controlling light when an electric field is applied, and a pair of electrodes are formed for applying a voltage to a waveguide part where a refractive index change is to be caused. The controlling light together with controlled light is entered in the waveguide. When a voltage is applied, Franz-Keldysh effect causes the wavelength at the optical absorption spectrum edge in the refractive index change part to shift to the long wavelength side. If light of a wavelength satisfying a predetermined condition is used as the controlling light, the controlling light is absorbed only in the refractive index change part for changing the refractive index in the part, thus the controlled light is switched. Preferably, a p-i-n structure is adopted.

Claims

1. A semiconductor waveguide type optical switch comprising:

at least one optical waveguide formed within a core layer made of a semiconductor for absorbing controlling light; and

a pair of electrodes for applying a static electric field to a part of said waveguide where a refractive index change is to be caused by absorbing said controlling light;

said controlling light being entered into said waveguide together with light to be controlled wherein said controlling light is selectively absorbed at said part and said light to be controlled is propagated through said part, resulting in a switching operation of said light to be controlled.

2. The semiconductor waveguide type optical switch as claimed in claim 1, comprising a plurality of said waveguides within said core layer, and parts of said plurality of waveguides being disposed close to each other to form a couple portion for constituting a directional coupler;

wherein said pair of said electrodes are disposed so as to apply said static electric field to said couple portion.

3. The semiconductor waveguide type optical switch as claimed in claim 2, wherein said pair of said electrodes are disposed on a semiconductor cladding layer such that each of said electrodes is positioned at each side of said couple portion, respectively, and adjacent said couple portion.

4. The semiconductor waveguide type optical switch as claimed in claim 3, wherein one of said electrodes is disposed on a surface of said semiconductor cladding layer and the other of said electrodes is disposed on a back surface of a semiconductor substrate for supporting said core layer and said cladding layer and wherein said static electric field is substantially perpendicular to said core layer and is generated by a voltage applied to said pair of electrodes.

5. The semiconductor waveguide type optical switch as claimed in claim 4, wherein said electrode disposed on the surface of said semiconductor cladding layer is arranged only in said part of said waveguide where the refractive index is to be changed, and is electrically insulated from areas other than said part.

6. The semiconductor waveguide type optical switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein said core layer is made of a semiconductor of no impurity-doped material and is disposed between a p⁺ -type semiconductor cladding layer and an n⁺ -type semiconductor cladding layer positioned at both sides of said core layer.

7. The semiconductor waveguide type optical switch as claimed in claim 6, wherein one of said electrodes is disposed on a surface of one of said semiconductor cladding layers and the other of said electrodes is disposed on a back surface of a semiconductor substrate, and a DC voltage is applied to said pair of electrodes so that said voltage is a reverse bias to said p⁺ -type and n⁺ -type semiconductor cladding layers for generating said static electric field substantially perpendicular to said core layer.

8. The semiconductor waveguide type optical switch as claimed in claim 7, wherein said electrode disposed on said surface of one of said semiconductor cladding layers is arranged only in said part of said waveguide where the refractive index is to be changed, and is electrically insulated from areas other than said part.

9. The semiconductor waveguide type optical switch as claimed in claim 1, comprising first and second optical waveguides within said core layer wherein:

said first waveguide is at a beginning thereof branched into at least two portions and thereafter said two portions are coupled together, said light to be controlled being propagated through said first waveguide, and said second waveguide is connected to said first waveguide, said controlling light being propagated through said second waveguide, and

said pair of electrodes are disposed so as to apply said static electric field to at least one of said branched portions of said first waveguide.

15. The semiconductor waveguide type optical switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein said light to be controlled is selected from signal light or incident light.

10. A semiconductor waveguide type optical switch comprising:

a semiconductor substrate;

a first semiconductor cladding layer formed on said substrate;

a semiconductor core layer formed on said first cladding layer;

a second semiconductor cladding layer formed on said core layer, said second cladding layer having a first rib and a second rib disposed on a surface of said second cladding layer;

said core layer having inside thereof a first optical waveguide and a second optical waveguide disposed under said first and second ribs, respectively;

said first and second waveguides having a couple portion where refractive index change is to be caused; and

a pair of electrodes for applying a static electric field to said couple portion,

wherein a DC voltage is applied between said pair of electrodes, controlling light is entered into at least one of said first and second waveguides together with light to be controlled, and said controlling light is selectively absorbed at said couple portion and said light to be controlled is propagated through said couple portion, resulting in a switching operation of said light to be controlled.

13. The semiconductor waveguide type optical switch as claimed in claim 10, wherein said core layer is made of a semiconductor of no impurity-doped material and is disposed between a p⁺ -type semiconductor cladding layer and an n⁺ -type semiconductor cladding layer positioned at both sides of said core layer.

14. The semiconductor waveguide type optical switch as claimed in claim 13, wherein one of said electrodes is disposed on a surface of one of said semiconductor cladding layers and the other of said electrodes is disposed on a back surface of a semiconductor substrate, and a DC voltage is applied to said pair of electrodes so that said voltage is a reverse bias to said p⁺ -type and n⁺ -type semiconductor cladding layers for generating said static electric field substantially perpendicular to said core layer.

16. The semiconductor waveguide type optical switch as claimed in claim 10, wherein said light to be controlled is selected from signal light or incident light.

11. A semiconductor waveguide type optical switch comprising:

a semiconductor substrate;

a first semiconductor cladding layer formed on said substrate;

a semiconductor core layer formed on said first cladding layer;

a second semiconductor cladding layer formed on said core layer, said second cladding layer having a first rib and a second rib disposed on a surface of said second cladding layer;

said core layer having inside thereof a first optical waveguide and a second optical waveguide disposed under said first and second ribs, respectively;

said first and second waveguides having a couple portion where refractive index change is to be caused; and

a pair of first electrodes for applying a static electric field to said couple portion;

said pair of first electrodes being formed on a surface of said second cladding layer and each of said first electrodes being disposed at each respective side of said couple portion; and

a second electrode for applying said static electric field to said couple portion;

said second electrode being formed on a back surface of said substrate;

wherein a DC voltage is applied between said pair of first electrodes and said second electrode, controlling light is entered into at least one of said first and second waveguides together with light to be controlled, and said controlling light is selectively absorbed at said couple portion and said light to be controlled is propagated through said couple portion, resulting in a switching operation of said light to be controlled.

17. The semiconductor waveguide type optical switch as claimed in claim 11, wherein said core layer is made of a semiconductor of no impurity-doped material and wherein said first cladding layer is a p⁺ -type semiconductor cladding layer and said second cladding layer is an n⁺ -type semiconductor cladding layer.

18. The semiconductor waveguide type optical switch as claimed in claim 17, wherein one of said electrodes is disposed on a surface of one of said semiconductor cladding layers and the other of said electrodes is disposed on a back surface of a semiconductor substrate, and said DC voltage is applied between said first and second electrodes so that said voltage is a reverse bias to said p⁺ -type and n⁺ -type semiconductor cladding layers for generating said static electric field substantially perpendicular to said core layer.

12. A semiconductor waveguide type optical switch comprising:

a semiconductor substrate;

a first semiconductor cladding layer formed on said substrate;

a semiconductor core layer formed on said first cladding layer;

a second semiconductor cladding layer formed on said core layer, said second cladding layer having a first rib and a second rib disposed on a surface of said second cladding layer;

said core layer having inside thereof a first optical waveguide and a second optical waveguide disposed under said first and second ribs, respectively;

said first waveguide being branched at a beginning thereof into two portions and thereafter said portions being coupled together, light to be controlled being entered and propagated through said first waveguide;

said second waveguide being connected to said first waveguide at a branched portion thereof, controlling light being entered and propagated through said second waveguide to said branched portion;

said first waveguide having at said branched portion thereof a portion where refractive index change is to be caused;

a first electrode formed on a surface of said second cladding layer;

said first electrode being disposed above said portion where refractive index change is to be caused; and

a second electrode formed on a back surface of said substrate, wherein;

a DC voltage is applied between said first and second electrodes for applying said static electric field to said portion where refractive index change is to be caused, and

wherein said light to be controlled is entered into and propagated through said first waveguide, and said controlling light is entered into and propagated through said second waveguide and is then selectively absorbed at said portion, resulting in a switching operation of said light to be controlled.