III-V lasers with integrated silicon photonic circuits

• US 9,407,066 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2013
• Issued: 08/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Globalfoundries US Incorporated (GlobalFoundries, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: GlobalFoundries, Inc.
• Inventors: Cheng, Cheng-Wei, Libsch, Frank R., Ning, Tak H., Rana, Uzma, Shiu, Kuen-Ting
• Primary Examiner(s): Stultz, Jessica
• Assistant Examiner(s): Forde, Delma R
• Application Number:
  US13/949,973
• Publication Number:
  US 20150030047A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,105 Days
• Field of Search: 438/29, 438/30, 438/31, 438/34, 438/42
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/0315 Waveguide lasers
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/0637 Integrated lateral waveguide, e.g. the active waveguide is integrated on a substrate made by Si on insulator technology (Si/SiO2)
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/2375 Hybrid lasers H01S3/07 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/021 Silicon based substrates
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/026 Monolithically integrated components, e.g. waveguides, monitoring photo-detectors, drivers stabilisation of output H01S5/06
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/1017 Waveguide having a void for insertion of materials to change optical properties
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/1057 varying composition along the optical axis
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/125 Distributed Bragg reflector [DBR] lasers
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/166 with window regions comprising non-semiconducting materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18363 comprising air layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/2018 Optical confinement, e.g. absorbing-, reflecting- or waveguide-layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/2275 mesa created by etching
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/3013 AIIIBV compounds

Abstract

III-V lasers integrated with silicon photonic circuits and methods for making the same include a three-layer semiconductor stack formed from III-V semiconductors on a substrate, where a middle layer has a lower bandgap than a top layer and a bottom layer; a mirror region monolithically formed at a first end of the stack, configured to reflect emitted light in the direction of the stack; and a waveguide region monolithically formed at a second end of the stack, configured to transmit emitted light.

Claims

1. A method for forming a laser, comprising:

etching a high-aspect ratio trench into an insulator layer on a substrate;

depositing a three-layer semiconductor stack formed from III-V semiconductors on a substrate, wherein a middle layer has a lower bandgap than a top layer and a bottom layer;

monolithically forming a mirror region and a waveguide region in contact with respective ends of the stack; and

forming front and back contacts that contact the top and bottom of the stack, respectively.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the stack has a height-to-width aspect ratio greater than 2.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein monolithically forming the mirror region and the waveguide region comprises etching the respective regions from the insulator and depositing a first non-conductive material.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein monolithically forming the mirror region further comprises etching trenches in the non-conductive material and depositing a second non-conductive material.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein alternating regions of the first and second non-conductive materials are separated on a wavelength of the emitted light.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the back contact includes a conductive layer in the substrate that connects to the bottom layer of the stack.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein forming the back contact comprises:

etching a vertical channel; and

depositing a metal contact that contacts the conductive layer in the substrate and provides electrical access.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising depositing a plurality of said three-layer semiconductor stacks.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein monolithically forming the waveguide region comprises:

forming a surface perpendicular to the stack; and

forming an extension from said surface that connects with the stack.

10. A method for forming a laser, comprising:

etching a high-aspect ratio trench into an insulator layer on a substrate;

depositing a three-layer semiconductor stack formed from III-V semiconductors on a substrate, wherein a middle layer has a lower bandgap than a top layer and a bottom layer; and

monolithically forming a mirror region and a waveguide region in contact with respective ends of the stack, comprising;

etching the respective regions from the insulator;

depositing a first non-conductive material;

etching trenches in the first non-conductive material; and

depositing a second non-conductive material.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein alternating regions of the first and second non-conductive materials are separated on a wavelength of the emitted light.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein monolithically forming the waveguide region comprises:

forming a surface perpendicular to the stack; and

forming an extension from said surface that connects with the stack.

13. A method for forming a laser, comprising:

etching a high-aspect ratio trench into an insulator layer on a substrate;

depositing a three-layer semiconductor stack formed from III-V semiconductors on a substrate, wherein a middle layer has a lower bandgap than a top layer and a bottom layer; and

monolithically forming a mirror region and a waveguide region in contact with respective ends of the stack, comprising;

forming a surface perpendicular to the stack; and

forming an extension from said surface that connects with the stack.