Trw Limited

Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation

Eric R Anderson

Dean Tran

Edward A Rezek

Ronald L Strijek

William L Jones

Luis M Rochin

George J Vendura, Jr

A device and a process for integrating light energy transmit and/or receive functions with active devices such as GaAs or InP devices or light emitting devices, such as lasers. The device and process includes forming a passivation layer on top of the active device and forming a silicon photodetector on top of the passivation layer. The photodetector may be formed utilizing a standard solar cell growth process and may be formed as a mesa on top of the active or light-emitting device, thus forming a relatively less complicated semiconductor with an integrated monitoring device.

Integration of amorphorous silicon transmit and receive structures with GaAs or InP processed devices

A resonant photodetector assembly ( ) which uses multiple reflections of light within a photodetector ( ) to convert input light into an electrical signal. The photodetector ( ) includes a combination of generally planar semiconductor layers including a photodetector active layer ( ) where light is converted into an electrical output. The photodetector ( ) further includes a first outer electrical contact layer ( ) and a second outer electrical contact layer ( ). A waveguide ( ) is positioned on the photodetector ( ) and has a waveguide active layer ( ) positioned between a pair of waveguide cladding layers ( ), a first end ( ) for receiving input light and a second end ( ) for reflecting the light. A reflector ( ) is positioned on the second end ( ) of the waveguide ( ) at an angle relative to a line parallel to the substrate ( ), where the reflector ( ) reflects the light received by the first end ( ) of the waveguide active layer ( ) towards the photodetector ( ). A reflector ( ) is positioned on the second outer layer ( ) of the photodetector ( ) and provides a reflective surface for reflecting the light within the photodetector ( ).

Resonant photodetector

An angle cavity resonant photodetector assembly ( ), which uses multiple reflections of light within a photodetector ( ) to convert input light into an electrical signal. The photodetector ( ) has a combination of generally planar semiconductor layers including semiconductor active layers ( ) where light is converted into an electrical output. The photodetector ( ) is positioned relative to a waveguide ( ), where the waveguide ( ) has a waveguide active layer ( ) located between a pair of waveguide cladding layers ( ) and ( ) and includes a first end ( ) for receiving light and a second end ( ) for transmitting the light to the photodetector ( ). The photodetector ( ) has a first reflector ( ) and second reflector ( ) that provides for multiple reflections across the semiconductor active layers ( ). In another embodiment, the waveguide ( ) is positioned on one side of a cavity ( ) and the photodetector ( ) is positioned at an opposite end of the cavity ( ) such that the light from the waveguide ( ) travels across the cavity ( ). The photodetector ( ) is angled relative to the propagation direction of the light. The photodetector includes the first reflector ( ) and the second reflector ( ), which causes the light to pass through different areas of the photodetector active layers ( ).

Angle cavity resonant photodetector

A resonant photodetector assembly (,) which uses multiple reflections of light within a photodetector (,) to convert input light into an electrical signal. The photodetector (,) includes a combination of generally planar semiconductor layers including a photodetector active layer (,) where light is converted into an electrical output. The photodetector (,) further includes a first outer electrical contact layer (,) and a second outer electrical contact layer (,). A waveguide (,) is positioned on the photodetector (,) and has a waveguide active layer (,) positioned between a pair of waveguide cladding layers (,), a first end (,) for receiving input light and a second end (,) for reflecting the light. A reflector (,) is positioned on the second end (,) of the waveguide (,) at an angle relative to a line parallel to the substrate (,), where the reflector (,) reflects the light received by the first end (,) of the waveguide active layer (,) towards the photodetector (,). A reflector (,) is positioned on the second outer layer (,) of the photodetector (,) and provides a reflective surface for reflecting the light within the photodetector (,).

A method for fabricating a monolithic micro-optical component. The construction of the micro-optical components is accomplished by using standard semiconductor fabrication techniques. The method comprises the steps of depositing an etch stop layer (,) onto a semiconductor substrate (,); depositing an optical component layer (,) onto the etch stop layer (,); coating the entire surface of the optical component layer with a photoresist material; applying a photoresist mask (,) to the photoresist material on the optical component layer (,); selectively etching away the optical component layer (,) to form at least one optical column (,); forming a pedestal (,) for each of the optical columns (,) by selectively etching away the etch stop layer (,); and finally polishing each of the optical columns (,), thereby forming monolithic optical components (,). The method may optionally include the step of removing the photoresist mask from each of the optical columns prior to polishing the optical columns, as well as the step of depositing an antireflectivity coating onto each of the optical components.

Semiconductor micro epi-optical components

An angle cavity resonant photodetector assembly (,), which uses multiple reflections of light within a photodetector (,) to convert input light into an electrical signal. The photodetector (,) has a combination of generally planar semiconductor layers including semiconductor active layers (,) where light is converted into an electrical output. The photodetector (,) is positioned relative to a waveguide (,), where the waveguide (,) has a waveguide active layer (,) located between a pair of waveguide cladding layers (,) and (,) and includes a first end (,) for receiving light and a second end (,) for transmitting the light to the photodetector (,). The photodetector (,) has a first reflector (,) and second reflector (,) that provides for multiple reflections across the semiconductor active layers (,). In another embodiment, the waveguide (,) is positioned on one side of a cavity (,) and the photodetector (,) is positioned at an opposite end of the cavity (,) such that the light from the waveguide (,) travels across the cavity (,). The photodectetors (,) is angled relative to the propagation direction of the light. The photodetector includes the first reflector (,) and the second reflector (,), which causes the light to pass through different areas of the photodetector active layers (,).

The invention relates to an optical integrated circuit microbench system for accurately aligning optical fiber and waveguides to efficiently couple energy between optical devices. This is accomplished by using the anisotropic etch characteristics of III-V semiconductor materials in two orthogonal directions. One etch direction serves to provide a channel for precise fiber-positioning; the other direction, which is orthogonal provides a reflecting surface for directing the optical energy onto optical devices.

Optical integrated circuit microbench system

A micromirror device (,) is provided with a rotatable optical component (,) for use in a digital image processing application. The micromirror device (,) includes a semiconductor wafer (,), having a recess (,) formed therein, and a platform (,) with the optical component (,) deposited thereon that is movably coupled to the side surface of the recess (,). A first magnetic field source (,) is disposed around the periphery of the optical component (,) on the platform (,) and a second magnetic field source (,) is disposed proximate to this first magnetic field source (,), such that these magnetic field sources are selectively activatable to generate an electromagnetic field for rotating the platform (,). More specifically, the second magnetic field source (,) is disposed on the angular side surfaces of the recess (,) or adjacent to the recess (,) on a top surface of the wafer (,). A magnetic strip (,) may optionally be disposed on the bottom surface of the recess (,) for concentrating the electromagnetic field.

Electromagnetic force controlled micromirror array

An interconnected apparatus for producing a low loss, reproducible electrical interconnection between a semiconductor device and a substrate includes a rod and rod receptor. The rod, generally cylindrically shaped, is attached to the semiconductor device and includes an outer circumferential wall which comes into contact with the rod receptor during a bonding process. A lip portion is formed on one end of the rod receptor for interlocking engagement with the rod. The rod receptor is plated on the substrate and includes a generally circularly shaped body which forms a centrally disposed well for receiving the rod. A lip portion is formed on one end or mouth of the rod receptor for interlocking engagement with the rod. When the rod and corresponding receptor are aligned and brought together, the rod deforms and interlocks with its corresponding rod receptor. A thermo-compression bonding process is utilized to bond the rod to the rod receptor, thereby producing a strong interlocking bond.

Apparatus and method for snap-on thermo-compression bonding

The invention relates to an optical integrated alignment device for accurately aligning optical fiber and waveguides to efficiently couple energy between optical devices. This is accomplished by using the anisotropic etch characteristics of III-V semiconductor materials. One orthogonal etch direction serves to provide a channel for precise fiber-positioning; the other direction, which is also orthogonal provides a reflecting surface for directing the optical energy between optical devices; and finally, a non-selective etch to form a micro-optical lens to focus optical energy to an optical device.

Fiber/waveguide-mirror-lens alignment device

A method for fabricating a monolithic micro-optical component. The construction of the micro-optical components is accomplished by using standard semiconductor fabrication techniques. The method comprises the steps of depositing an etch stop layer (44) onto a semiconductor substrate (42); depositing an optical component layer (46) onto the etch stop layer (44); coating the entire surface of the optical component layer with a photoresist material; applying a photoresist mask (50) to the photoresist material on the optical component layer (46); selectively etching away the optical component layer (46) to form at least one optical column (52); forming a pedestal (54) for each of the optical columns (52) by selectively etching away the etch stop layer (44); and finally polishing each of the optical columns (52), thereby forming monolithic optical components (56). The method may optionally include the step of removing the photoresist mask from each of the optical columns prior to polishing the optical columns, as well as the step of depositing an antireflectivity coating onto each of the optical components.

Method for fabricating semiconductor micro epi-optical components

The invention relates to a method for fabricating III-V semiconductor micro-optical lenses for hybrid integration with micro-optical devices, where a micro-optical lens is formed from a semiconductor wafer by selectively etching a surface of the semiconductor wafer and a lens arm is formed from the semiconductor wafer on a surface opposite the surface by selectively etching the surface of the semiconductor wafer. The lens and lens arm are then cleaved from the substrate wafer and directly mounted to a micro-optical device. As a result of using III-V semiconductor material to form micro-optical lenses for hybrid integration to micro-optical devices of the same semiconductor material, thermal expansion stability is increased and efficient transfer of light between micro-optical lenses and micro-optical devices is achieved.

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Redondo Beach, CA, United States of America

Eric R Anderson