Waveguide optically pre-amplified detector with passband wavelength filtering
First Claim
1. A photonic component comprising:
- a) an epitaxial semiconductor structure grown in a III-V semiconductor material system in a single growth step upon a substrate comprising a common designated waveguide for supporting propagation of optical signals within a predetermined first wavelength range and at least one of a plurality of wavelength designated waveguides vertically disposed in order of increasing wavelength bandgap, each of the plurality of wavelength designated waveguides supporting a predetermined second wavelength range, each of the predetermined second wavelength ranges being within the predetermined first wavelength range;
b) an optical input port for receiving optical signals within the first wavelength range;
c) a first filter comprising at least a first output port and a second output port and characterized by at least a first passband width, the filter optically coupled to the optical input port for receiving optical signals within the first wavelength range and for providing a first predetermined portion of the received optical signals to the first output port, the first predetermined portion of the received optical signals being determined in dependence upon at least the first passband width;
d) an optical amplifier comprising at least a gain section formed within the one of the plurality of wavelength designated waveguides, a first contact for forward biasing the optical amplifier, and a third output port, the optical amplifier optically coupled to the first output port for receiving the first predetermined portion of the received optical signals and providing amplified filtered optical signals to the third output port;
e) a second filter comprising at least a fourth output port and a fifth output port and characterized by at least a second passband width, the filter optically coupled to the third output port of the optical amplifier and for providing a first predetermined portion of the amplified filtered optical signals to the fourth output port and a second predetermined portion of the amplified filtered optical signals to the fifth output port, the first and second predetermined portions of the amplified filtered optical signals being determined in dependence upon at least the second passband width;
f) a first photodetector optically comprising at least a second contact for reverse biasing the first photodetector, the first photodetector being coupled to the fourth output port of the second filter for receiving the first predetermined portion of the amplified filtered optical signals;
g) a second photodetector optically coupled to the fifth output port of the second filter for receiving the second predetermined portion of the amplified filtered optical signals; and
h) a third photodetector optically coupled to the second output port of the first filter for receiving a predetermined portion of optical signals propagating from the optical amplifier to the first filter, the predetermined portion of the optical signals determined in dependence upon at least the first passband width;
wherein,the first contact and second contact are formed upon the same layer of the epitaxial semiconductor structure but are electrically isolated from one another.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention describes an integrated-photonics arrangement, implementable in a multi-guide vertical integration (MGVI) structure composed from III-V semiconductors and grown in one epitaxial growth run, allowing for the integration of semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) and PIN photodetector (PIN) structures within a common wavelength-designated waveguide of the plurality of the vertically integrated wavelength-designated waveguides forming the MGVI structure. The integration includes a wavelength filter integrated between the SOA and PIN to reduce noise within the PIN arising from ASE generated by the SOA. In exemplary embodiments of the invention, the wavelength filter is integrated into MGVI structure either within a common wavelength designated waveguide or within the wavelength-designated waveguide. Further in other embodiments the wavelength filter is provided by a thin-film filter abutting a facet of the integrated-photonics arrangement wherein optical signals are coupled by optical waveguides and/or additional optical elements such as a multimode interference device.
42 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A photonic component comprising:
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a) an epitaxial semiconductor structure grown in a III-V semiconductor material system in a single growth step upon a substrate comprising a common designated waveguide for supporting propagation of optical signals within a predetermined first wavelength range and at least one of a plurality of wavelength designated waveguides vertically disposed in order of increasing wavelength bandgap, each of the plurality of wavelength designated waveguides supporting a predetermined second wavelength range, each of the predetermined second wavelength ranges being within the predetermined first wavelength range; b) an optical input port for receiving optical signals within the first wavelength range; c) a first filter comprising at least a first output port and a second output port and characterized by at least a first passband width, the filter optically coupled to the optical input port for receiving optical signals within the first wavelength range and for providing a first predetermined portion of the received optical signals to the first output port, the first predetermined portion of the received optical signals being determined in dependence upon at least the first passband width; d) an optical amplifier comprising at least a gain section formed within the one of the plurality of wavelength designated waveguides, a first contact for forward biasing the optical amplifier, and a third output port, the optical amplifier optically coupled to the first output port for receiving the first predetermined portion of the received optical signals and providing amplified filtered optical signals to the third output port; e) a second filter comprising at least a fourth output port and a fifth output port and characterized by at least a second passband width, the filter optically coupled to the third output port of the optical amplifier and for providing a first predetermined portion of the amplified filtered optical signals to the fourth output port and a second predetermined portion of the amplified filtered optical signals to the fifth output port, the first and second predetermined portions of the amplified filtered optical signals being determined in dependence upon at least the second passband width; f) a first photodetector optically comprising at least a second contact for reverse biasing the first photodetector, the first photodetector being coupled to the fourth output port of the second filter for receiving the first predetermined portion of the amplified filtered optical signals; g) a second photodetector optically coupled to the fifth output port of the second filter for receiving the second predetermined portion of the amplified filtered optical signals; and h) a third photodetector optically coupled to the second output port of the first filter for receiving a predetermined portion of optical signals propagating from the optical amplifier to the first filter, the predetermined portion of the optical signals determined in dependence upon at least the first passband width;
wherein,the first contact and second contact are formed upon the same layer of the epitaxial semiconductor structure but are electrically isolated from one another. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A photonic component comprising:
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a) an epitaxial semiconductor structure grown in a III-V semiconductor material system grown in a single growth step upon a substrate comprising a common designated waveguide for supporting propagation of optical signals within a predetermined first wavelength range and at least one of a plurality of wavelength designated waveguides vertically disposed in order of increasing wavelength bandgap, each of the plurality of wavelength designated waveguides supporting a predetermined second wavelength range, each of the predetermined second wavelength ranges being within the predetermined first wavelength range; b) an optical input port for receiving optical signals within the first wavelength range; c) an optical amplifier comprising at least a gain section formed within the one of the plurality of wavelength designated waveguides, a first contact for forward biasing the optical amplifier, and a first output port, the optical amplifier optically coupled to the optical input port for receiving the optical signals and providing amplified optical signals to the first output port; d) a first filter comprising at least a second output port and characterized by at least a first passband width, the filter optically coupled to the first output port of the optical amplifier and for providing a first predetermined portion of the amplified optical signals to the second output port, the first predetermined portion of the amplified optical signals being determined in dependence upon at least the first passband width; e) a first photodetector optically comprising at least a second contact for reverse biasing the first photodetector, the first photodetector being coupled to the second output port of the first filter for receiving the first predetermined portion of the amplified optical signals;
wherein the first contact and second contact are formed upon the same layer of the epitaxial semiconductor structure but are electrically isolated from one another. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification