Optical component having reduced interference from radiation modes

• US 6,970,611 B1
• Filed: 08/27/2003
• Issued: 11/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mellanox Technologies, Inc. (NVIDIA Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kotura, Inc. (NVIDIA Corporation)
• Inventors: Feng, Dazeng, Fong, Joan, Van Der Vliet, Frederik Marcel
• Primary Examiner(s): Palmer, Phan T. H.
• Application Number:
  US10/649,044
• Time in Patent Office: 825 Days
• Field of Search: 385/14, 385129-132, 385/147, 359/243, 257/3, 257/4
• US Class Current: 385/14
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2006/12126 Light absorber
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/122 Basic optical elements, e.g. light-guiding paths
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/136 by etching
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/266 the optical element being an attenuator

Abstract

An optical component includes an optical device positioned between isolation channels. The isolation channels are configured to at least partially isolate different regions of the optical component from one another. The optical component also includes at least one light absorbing region positioned so as to intercept light traveling in a direction that would take the light between the optical device and an isolation channel.

Claims

1. An optical component, comprising:

an optical device positioned between isolation channels configured to at least partially isolate different regions of the optical component from one another; and

at least one light absorbing region positioned so as to intercept light traveling in a direction that would take the light between the optical device and an isolation channel.

2. The component of claim 1, wherein the optical device includes a plurality of electrical contacts and a plurality of doped regions;

and

a plurality of light absorbing region, each light absorbing region being positioned adjacent to a different doped region.

3. The component of claim 2, wherein a dopant in each of the light absorbing regions is the same as a dopant in the adjacent doped region.

4. The component of claim 2, wherein a light absorbing region is positioned adjacent to every other doped region positioned on one side of a waveguide.

5. The component of claim 1, wherein the optical device includes a waveguide defined by a ridge extending from a slab of a light transmitting medium and wherein the optical device includes at least one electrical contact positioned in a trench extending into the slab of light transmitting medium.

6. The component of claim 5, wherein a distance between a side of the trench and the waveguide tapers at one end of the trench.

7. The component of claim 1, wherein the optical device includes at least one electrical contact positioned over a doped region.

8. The component of claim 7, wherein at least a portion of a light absorbing region is positioned between the doped region and an isolation channel.

9. The component of claim 1, wherein the optical device includes a waveguide having a transition structure where radiation modes can be excited.

10. The component of claim 9, wherein at least a portion of at least one light absorbing region is located adjacent to the transition structure.

11. The component of claim 1, wherein at least one light absorbing region is positioned between the optical device and an isolation channel.

12. The component of claim 1, wherein the optical device includes a waveguide formed in a light transmitting, the at least one isolation channel extending through the light transmitting medium to a base.

13. An optical component, comprising:

an optical device positioned between an isolation channel and an edge of the optical component, the isolation channel being configured to at least partially isolate different regions of the optical component from one another; and

at least one light absorbing region positioned so as to intercept light traveling in a direction that would take the light between the optical device and an isolation channel.

14. The component of claim 13, wherein the optical device includes a plurality of electrical contacts and a plurality of doped regions;

and

a plurality of light absorbing region, each light absorbing region being positioned adjacent to a different doped region.

15. The component of claim 14, wherein a dopant in each of the light absorbing regions is the same as a dopant in the adjacent doped region.

16. The component of claim 14, wherein a light absorbing region is positioned adjacent to every other doped region positioned on one side of a waveguide.

17. The component of claim 13, wherein at least one light absorbing region is positioned between the optical device and the isolation channel.

18. The component of claim 13, wherein the optical device includes at least one electrical contact positioned over a doped region and at least a portion of a light absorbing region is positioned between the doped region and an isolation channel.

19. The component of claim 13, wherein the optical device includes a waveguide defined by a ridge extending from a slab of a light transmitting medium and wherein the optical device includes at least one electrical contact positioned in a trench extending into the slab of light transmitting medium.

20. The component of claim 13, wherein the optical device includes a waveguide having a transition structure where radiation modes can be excited and at least a portion of at least one light absorbing region is located adjacent to the transition structure.

21. The component of claim 13, wherein the optical device includes a waveguide formed in a light transmitting, the at least one isolation channel extending through the light transmitting medium to a base.

22. An optical component, comprising:

a light transmitting medium positioned on a base;

a plurality of optical devices positioned on the base such that the light transmitting medium extends between the optical devices;

at least one light absorbing region positioned so as to intercept light traveling through the light transmitting medium between optical devices; and

wherein the optical device includes at least one electrical contact positioned over a doped region and at least a portion of a light absorbing region is positioned between the doped region and the adjacent optical device.

23. An optical component, comprising:

a light transmitting medium positioned on a base;

a plurality of optical devices positioned on the base such that the light transmitting medium extends between the optical devices;

at least one light absorbing region positioned so as to intercept light traveling through the light transmitting medium between optical devices; and

wherein the optical device includes a waveguide defined by a ridge extending from a slab of the light transmitting medium and wherein the optical device includes at least one electrical contact positioned in a trench extending into the slab of light transmitting medium.

24. An optical component, comprising:

a light transmitting medium positioned on a base;

a plurality of optical devices positioned on the base such that the light transmitting medium extends between the optical devices;

at least one light absorbing region positioned so as to intercept light traveling through the light transmitting medium between optical devices; and

wherein the optical device includes a plurality of electrical contacts and a plurality of doped regions and the optical component includes a plurality of light absorbing region, each light absorbing region being positioned adjacent to a different doped region.

25. The component of claim 24, wherein a light absorbing region is positioned adjacent to every other doped region positioned on one side of a waveguide.

26. The component of claim 25, wherein the optical device includes a waveguide having a transition structure where radiation modes can be excited and at least a portion of at least one light absorbing region is located adjacent to the transition structure.

27. The component of claim 24, wherein a dopant in each of the light absorbing regions is the same as a dopant in the adjacent doped region.

28. A method of forming an optical component, comprising:

forming an optical device between isolation channels configured to at least partially isolate different regions of the optical component from one another; and

forming at least one light absorbing region on the optical component such that the at least one light absorbing region is positioned so as to intercept light traveling in a direction that would take the light between the optical device and an isolation channel.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein forming the optical device includes forming at least one electrical contact formed over a doped region.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein at least a portion of a light absorbing region is positioned between the doped region and an isolation channel.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein forming the optical device includes a forming a ridge extending from a slab of a light transmitting medium and forming at least one electrical contact in a trench extending into the slab of light transmitting medium.

32. The method of claim 28, wherein forming the optical device includes forming a plurality of doped regions such that each light absorbing region is positioned adjacent to a different doped region.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein a dopant in each of the light absorbing regions is different from a dopant in the adjacent doped region.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the optical device includes a waveguide having a transition structure where radiation modes can be excited and at least one light absorbing region is positioned adjacent to the transition structure.

35. The method of claim 28, wherein at least one light absorbing region is formed between the optical device and an isolation channel.

36. A method of forming an optical component, comprising:

obtaining an optical component having an optical device positioned between an isolation channel and an edge of the optical component, the isolation channel being configured to at least partially isolate different regions of the optical component from one another; and

forming at least one light absorbing region on the optical component such that the at least one light absorbing region is positioned so as to intercept light traveling in a direction that would take the light between the optical device and an isolation channel.