Optical structure and method for producing the same

• US 6,614,575 B1
• Filed: 08/10/2000
• Issued: 09/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG, Polaris Innovations Limited (Wi-LAN Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Grüning, Ulrike, Wendt, Hermann, Stengl, Reinhard, Lehmann, Volker, Reisinger, Hans
• Primary Examiner(s): LESTER, EVELYN A
• Application Number:
  US09/636,521
• Time in Patent Office: 1,118 Days
• Field of Search: 257/461, 257/465, 257/466, 257/444, 257/448, 257/2, 257/3, 250/338.4, 250/370.1, 250/492.1, 250/492.2, 385/146, 385/129, 359/351, 359/248
• US Class Current: 359/248
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/1225 comprising photonic band-gap structures or photonic lattices

Abstract

An optical structure includes a substrate having semiconductor material and a grating structure. The grating structure has the property of emitting at least one frequency band so that light having a frequency from that frequency band cannot propagate in the grating structure. The grating structure has a configuration of pores and a defective region. The pores are disposed outside the defective region in a periodic array, and the periodic array is disturbed in the defective region. A surface of the grating structure is provided with a conductive layer at least in the vicinity of the defective region. A method for producing the optical structure is also provided.

Claims

1. An optical structure, comprising:

a substrate having a grating structure with a surface;

said substrate having semiconductor material at least in a vicinity of said grating structure;

said grating structure emitting at least one frequency band preventing light having a frequency from said at least one frequency band from propagating in said grating structure;

said grating structure having a configuration of pores with a defective region, said pores disposed outside said defective region in a periodic array, and said periodic array disturbed in said defective region; and

a conductive layer disposed at said surface of said grating structure, at least in a vicinity of said defective region.

2. The optical structure according to claim 1, wherein said substrate is doped;

and said conductive layer is implemented by a doped zone differing from a doping of said substrate in at least one of conductivity type and doping concentration.

3. The optical structure according to claim 1, wherein said substrate has a main surface, and said pores run substantially perpendicular to said main surface.

4. The optical structure according to claim 1, wherein said substrate contains monocrystalline silicon, and said pores are formed by electrochemical etching.

5. The optical structure according to claim 4, wherein said pores include neighboring pores having a mutual spacing in said periodic array in a range of between 0.5 and 25 μ

m, and said pores have a diameter in a range of between 0.4 μ

m and 23 μ

m.

6. The optical structure according to claim 1, wherein said periodic array is trigonal.