Fabrication of a wavelength locker within a semiconductor structure

• US 7,019,332 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2001
• Issued: 03/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NXP USA, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Inventors: Brophy, Timothy J., Barenburg, Barbara F., Vieira, Amarildo J. C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cao, Phat X.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Doan, Theresa T.
• Application Number:
  US09/908,888
• Publication Number:
  US 20030015710A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,712 Days
• Field of Search: 257/82, 257/184, 438/24, 438/48
• US Class Current: 257/82
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02381 Silicon, silicon germanium, germanium
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02488 Insulating materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02505 consisting of more than two layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02513 Microstructure
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02521 Materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/8258 the substrate being a semiconductor, using a combination of technologies covered by H01L21/8206, H01L21/8213 , H01L21/822, H01L21/8252, H01L21/8254 or H01L21/8256
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/0605 integrated circuits made of compound material, e.g. AIIIBV
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/021 Silicon based substrates
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0261 Non-optical elements, e.g. laser driver components, heaters H01S5/0265 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0264 for monitoring the laser-output
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0687 Stabilising the frequency of the laser

Abstract

High quality epitaxial layers of monocrystalline materials can be grown overlying monocrystalline substrates such as large silicon wafers by forming a compliant substrate for growing the monocrystalline layers. An accommodating buffer layer comprises a layer of monocrystalline oxide spaced apart from a silicon wafer by an amorphous interface layer of silicon oxide. The amorphous interface layer dissipates strain and permits the growth of a high quality monocrystalline oxide accommodating buffer layer. The accommodating buffer layer is lattice matched to both the underlying silicon wafer and the overlying monocrystalline material layer. Any lattice mismatch between the accommodating buffer layer and the underlying silicon substrate is taken care of by the amorphous interface layer. In addition, formation of a compliant substrate may include utilizing surfactant enhanced epitaxy, epitaxial growth of single crystal silicon onto single crystal oxide, and epitaxial growth of Zintl phase materials. A wavelength locker for stabilizing a wavelength of an optical output signal from an optical transmitter is formed overlying the silicon wafer.

Claims

1. A semiconductor structure comprising:

a monocrystalline silicon substrate;

an amorphous oxide material in contact with the monocrystalline silicon substrate;

a monocrystalline metal oxide selected from the group consisting of alkaline earth metal titanates, alkaline earth metal zirconates, alkaline earth metal hafnates, alkaline earth metal tantalates, alkaline earth metal ruthenates, alkaline earth metal niobates, alkaline earth metal vanadates, alkaline earth metal tin-based perovskites, lanthanum aluminate, lanthanum scandium oxide, gadolinium oxide and mixtures thereof contacting the amorphous oxide material;

a monocrystalline compound semiconductor material overlying the monocrystalline metal oxide; and

a wavelength locker overlying the monocrystalline silicon substrate, the wavelength locker operable to provide a feedback signal to an optical transmitter in response to a reception of an optical output signal from the optical transmitter, the feedback signal to stabilize a transmission of the optical output signal by the optical transmitter.

2. The semiconductor structure of claim 1, wherein

the wavelength locker comprises a reference filter formed in the monocrystalline compound semiconductor material.

3. The semiconductor structure of claim 1, wherein

the wavelength locker comprises a signal converter formed in the monocrystalline compound semiconductor material.

4. The semiconductor structure of claim 1, wherein

the wavelength locker comprises a splitter formed in the monocrystalline compound semiconductor material.

5. The semiconductor structure of claim 1, wherein

the wavelength locker comprises a controller formed in monocrystalline silicon substrate.