Xponent Photonics Inc

Hoya Corporation USA

Katrina H Nguyen

David W Vernooy

Joel S Paslaski

Charles I Grosjean

Franklin G Monzon

Hao Lee

Henry A Blauvelt

Henry A Blauvlet

An optical apparatus comprises: a semiconductor substrate; a semiconductor optical device integrally formed on the substrate and having an off-normal device end face; and a low-index planar optical waveguide integrally formed on the semiconductor substrate at the device end face. The device and waveguide are non-collinear, and the waveguide is end-coupled at its proximal end to the optical device by refraction at the device end face. The apparatus further includes a reflective coating between the waveguide and substrate, an etched end face curved in the horizontal dimension, or an etched end face with a lower portion that protrudes beneath a proximal portion of the waveguide.

Etched-facet semiconductor optical component with integrated end-coupled waveguide and methods of fabrication and use thereof

An optical apparatus comprises: a semiconductor substrate; a semiconductor optical device integrally formed on the substrate and having a device end face; and a low-index planar optical waveguide integrally formed on the semiconductor substrate at the device end face. The waveguide is end-coupled at its proximal end to the optical device through the device end face and is arranged so as to comprise a waveguide mode converter. The waveguide is arranged at its distal end to transmit or receive an optical signal through its distal end to or from another low-index optical waveguide end-coupled with the integrally-formed waveguide and assembled with the integrally-formed waveguide, optical device, or substrate. The optical apparatus can further comprise a discrete low-index optical waveguide assembled with the integrally-formed waveguide, optical device, or substrate so as to be end-coupled with the integrally-formed waveguide at its distal end.

An optical apparatus comprises a semiconductor optical device waveguide formed on a semiconductor substrate, and an integrated end-coupled waveguide formed on the semiconductor substrate. The integrated waveguide may comprise materials differing from those of the device waveguide and the substrate. Spatially selective material processing may be employed for first forming the optical device waveguide on the substrate, and for subsequently depositing and forming the integrated end-coupled waveguide on the substrate. Spatially selective material processing enables accurate spatial mode matching and transverse alignment of the waveguides, and multiple device waveguides and corresponding integrated end-coupled waveguides may be fabricated concurrently on a common substrate on a wafer scale. The integrated end-coupled waveguide may be adapted for fulfilling one or more functions, and the device waveguide and/or integrated waveguide and/or spatially selective material processing steps may be adapted in a variety of ways for achieving the needed/desired degree of end-coupling.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Katrina H Nguyen