Optical interconnection device and integrated optical device using bulk-silicon substrate

• US 9,915,782 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2016
• Issued: 03/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kookmin University
• Original Assignee: Kookmin University
• Inventors: Ahn, Donghwan, Bae, Yoonyoung
• Primary Examiner(s): PEACE, RHONDA S
• Application Number:
  US15/355,293
• Publication Number:
  US 20180039022A1
• Time in Patent Office: 480 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2006/12061 Silicon
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2006/12152 Mode converter
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/12002 Three-dimensional structures
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/12004 Combinations of two or more optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/1228 Tapered waveguides, e.g. integrated spot-size transformers for coupling with fibres G02B6/305
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/14 Mode converters
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/0151 modulating the refractive index
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/025 in an optical waveguide structure G02F1/017, G02F1/2257 take precedence

Abstract

An optical interconnection device including: a first element layer formed on a substrate; a second element layer disposed on the first element layer and receiving an optical signal; and a mode converter interposed between the first element layer and the second element layer, and eliminating a difference between an effective refractive index of the first element layer and an effective refractive index of the second element layer and match a mode profile, wherein the first element layer, the mode converter, and the second element layer are sequentially disposed on respective planes spaced apart from each other on the substrate, and one end of the mode converter overlaps a part of the second element layer, and the other end of the mode converter overlaps a part of the first element layer.

Claims

1. An optical interconnection device comprising:

a first element layer formed on a substrate;

a second element layer disposed on the first element layer and receiving an optical signal; and

a mode converter interposed between the first element layer and the second element layer, and eliminating a difference between an effective refractive index of the first element layer and an effective refractive index of the second element layer and match a mode profile,

wherein the first element layer, the mode converter, and the second element layer are sequentially disposed on respective planes spaced apart from each other on the substrate,

wherein a first end of the mode converter overlaps a part of the second element layer along a direction parallel to a top surface of the substrate, and a second end of the mode converter, which is opposite to the first end of the mode converter, overlaps a part of the first element layer along the direction,

wherein the substrate is a bulk substrate comprising a material having a first refractive index, and the first element layer comprises a material having a second refractive index, the mode converter comprises a material having a third refractive index, and the second element layer comprises a material having a fourth refractive index,

wherein a first effective refractive index of the first element layer in a waveguide mode is approximately same as an effective refractive index of the second end of the mode converter in a waveguide mode, and a second effective refractive index of the second element layer in a waveguide mode is approximately same as an effective refractive index of the first end of the mode converter in a waveguide mode, and

wherein the first effective refractive index is greater than the first refractive index and less than the second refractive index, and the second effective refractive index is less than the third and fourth refractive indexes.

2. The optical interconnection device of claim 1, wherein a material having the first refractive index is silicon (Si),

wherein a material having the second refractive index is germanium (Ge) or silicon germanium (SiGe),

wherein a material having the third refractive index is Ge, SiGe, or Si, and

wherein a material having the fourth refractive index is Si, silicon oxide (SiOx), silicon nitride (SiNx), silicon oxynitride (SiON), or a combination thereof.

3. The optical interconnection device of claim 1, wherein

a width of the first end of the mode converter is different from a width of the second end of the mode converter.

4. The optical interconnection device of claim 3, wherein

the width of the first end of the mode converter is less than the width of the second end of the mode converter.

5. The optical interconnection device of claim 1, wherein

the mode converter further comprises a tapered region connecting the first end with the second end.

6. The optical interconnection device of claim 1, wherein the first element layer is vertically spaced apart from the second end of the mode converter by a first distance,

wherein the second element layer is vertically spaced apart from the first end of the mode converter by a second distance, and

wherein the second distance is different from the first distance.

7. The optical interconnection device of claim 6, wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance.

8. The optical interconnection device of claim 1, the optical interconnection device further comprising:

an insulating layer filling spaces between the substrate, the first element layer, the second element layer, and the mode converter.

9. An optical device comprising:

a first element layer formed on a substrate;

a second element layer disposed on the first element layer and receiving an optical signal; and

a mode converter interposed between the first element layer and the second element layer, and eliminating a difference between an effective refractive index of the first element layer and an effective refractive index of the second element layer and match a mode profile,

wherein the first element layer, the mode converter, and the second element layer are sequentially disposed on respective planes spaced apart from each other on the substrate,

wherein a first end of the mode converter overlaps a part of the second element layer along a direction parallel to a top surface of the substrate, and a second end of the mode converter, which is opposite to the first end of the mode converter, overlaps a part of the first element layer along the direction, and

wherein a width of the first end of the mode converter is different from a width of the second end of the mode converter.

10. The optical device of claim 9, wherein

the width of the first end of the mode converter is less than the width of the second end of the mode converter.

11. An optical device comprising:

a first element layer formed on a substrate;

a second element layer disposed on the first element layer and receiving an optical signal; and

a mode converter interposed between the first element layer and the second element layer, and eliminating a difference between an effective refractive index of the first element layer and an effective refractive index of the second element layer and match a mode profile,

wherein the first element layer, the mode converter, and the second element layer are sequentially disposed on respective planes spaced apart from each other on the substrate,

wherein a first end of the mode converter overlaps a part of the second element layer along a direction parallel to a top surface of the substrate, and a second end of the mode converter, which is opposite to the first end of the mode converter, overlaps a part of the first element layer along the direction,

wherein the first element layer is vertically spaced apart from the second end of the mode converter by a first distance,

wherein the second element layer is vertically spaced apart from the first end of the mode converter by a second distance, and

wherein the second distance is different from the first distance.

12. The optical device of claim 11, wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance.