Mellanox Technologies Silicon Photonics Inc.

Kotura, Inc.

Mellanox Technologies, Ltd.

Oracle International Corporation

Kotusa, Inc.

Wei Qian

Dazeng Feng

Mehdi Asghari

Joan Fong

Cheng-Chih Kung

Monish Sharma

Jacob Levy

Wei Liu

Elad Mentovich

Dimitrios Kalavrouziotis

Dawei Zheng

Xiaoming Yin

Zhi Li

Lih-Jou Chung

Zhian Shao

Jay Jie Lai

Ashok V Krishnamoorthy

Xuezhe Zheng

John E Cunningham

Bradley Jonathan Luff

Kannan Raj

Shirong Liao

Roshanak Shafiiha

Daniel C Lee

Pegah Seddighian

Jonathan Luff

Joan Yiqiong Fong

An optical interconnect device and the method of fabricating it are described. The device includes an in-plane laser cavity transmitting a light beam along a first direction, a Franz Keldysh (FK) optical modulator transmitting the light beam along the first direction, a mode-transfer module including a tapered structure disposed after the FK optical modulator along the first direction to enlarge the spot size of the light beam to match an external optical fiber and a universal coupler controlling the light direction. The tapered structure can be made linear or non-linear along the first direction. The universal coupler passes the laser light to an in-plane external optical fiber if the fiber is placed along the first direction, or it is a vertical coupler in the case that the external optical fiber is placed perpendicularly to the substrate surface. The coupler is coated with highly reflective material.

Optical coupler

A modulator and method of fabrication thereof are provided. In various embodiments, the modulator is a Franz-Keldysh (FK) effect electro-absorption modulator. In an example embodiment, the modulator comprises a waveguide column formed from waveguide material deposited onto a substrate; a first contact layer doped with a P-type dopant and deposited on a first side of the waveguide column; a second contact layer doped with an N-type dopant and deposited on a second side of the waveguide column; and first and second contacts. The first contact is in electrical communication with the first contact layer and the second contact is in electrical communication with the second contact layer.

Low voltage modulator

The optical device includes a waveguide positioned on a base and a modulator positioned on the base. The modulator includes a ridge that includes SiGewhere x is greater than or equal to 0.4 and less than or equal to 0.8. The modulator is configured to guide a light signal through the modulator such that the light signal contacts the SiGe. A local heater is configured to heat the modulator.

Silicon-germanium optical modulator structure for use with optical chips

A method of forming an optical device includes forming a waveguide mask on a device precursor. The device precursor includes a waveguide positioned on a base. The method also includes forming a facet mask on the device precursor such that at least a portion of the waveguide mask is between the facet mask and the base. The method also includes removing a portion of the base while the facet mask protects a facet of the waveguide. The portion of the base that is removed can be removed such that a recess is defined in the base and/or a shelf is defined on the device precursor. A light source such as an optical fiber or laser can be received in the recess and/or positioned over the shelf such that the light source is optically aligned with the facet of the waveguide.

Edge construction on optical devices

An optical device includes a waveguide on a base and a taper on the base. The waveguide and the taper are optically aligned such that the taper and the waveguide exchange light signals during operation of the device. The taper is configured to guide the light signals through a taper material and the waveguide is configured to guide the light signals through a waveguide medium. The taper material and the waveguide medium are different materials and/or have different indices of refraction.

Construction of integrated mode transformers

Forming an optical device includes growing an electro-absorption medium in a variety of different regions on a base of a device precursor. The regions include a component region and the regions are selected so as to achieve a particular chemical composition for the electro-absorption medium included in the component region. An optical component is formed on the device precursor such that the optical component includes at least a portion of the electro-absorption medium from the component region. Light signals are guided through the electro-absorption medium from the component region during operation of the component.

Controlling the composition of electro-absorption media in optical devices

The optical device includes a waveguide positioned on a base and a modulator positioned on the base. The modulator includes a ridge of an electro-absorption medium having a top side and a lateral side. The lateral side is between the top side and the base and the top side has a width. The waveguide is configured to guide a light signal through the modulator such that the light signal is guided through the ridge of electro-absorption medium. A heater is positioned over the lateral side of the electro-absorption medium without being positioned over the entire width of the ridge.

Temperature control of components on an optical device

Fabricating the mode transformer includes forming a cladding trench in a first light-transmitting medium that is included on a wafer. A lateral cladding is formed in the cladding trench such that the lateral cladding becomes an optical cladding on a lateral side of a first tapered portion of a waveguide. A second light-transmitting medium is formed on the wafer such that a portion of the first light-transmitting medium is between a bottom of the trench and the second light-transmitting medium. The second light-transmitting medium is patterned so as to define a second tapered portion of the waveguide over the first tapered portion of the waveguide.

The optical device includes a waveguide positioned on a base and a modulator positioned on the base. The modulator includes an electro-absorption medium. The waveguide is configured to guide a light signal through the modulator such that the light signal is guided through the electro-absorption medium. A heater is positioned on the electro-absorption medium such that the electro-absorption medium is between the base and the heater.

A method of forming an optical device includes forming a waveguide mask on a device precursor. The device precursor includes a waveguide positioned on a base. The method also includes forming a facet mask on the device precursor such that at least a portion of the waveguide mask is between the facet mask and the base. The method also includes removing a portion of the base while the facet mask protects a facet of the waveguide.

A method of forming an attenuator on an optical device includes forming a ridge for a waveguide. The ridge is formed in a light-transmitting medium that is positioned on a base. The ridge extends upwards from slab regions of the light-transmitting medium. The method also includes forming trenches in the slab regions of the light-transmitting medium such that the trenches extend through the light-transmitting medium to the base. The trenches are formed such that the ridge is located between the trenches. The method also includes forming a semiconductor in a bottom of each of the trenches and then doping a region of each of the semiconductors.

Attenuator with improved fabrication consistency

An optical device is formed from a device precursor having a layer of a light-transmitting medium on a base. A first feature is formed on the device precursor. The device precursor is then processed such that a stop layer protects the first feature and a portion of the device precursor is above the top of the stop layer. The first feature is between the base and the stop layer. The device precursor is planarized such that the portion of the device precursor located above the top of the stop layer becomes flush with the top of the portion of the stop layer that is present on the device precursor after the planarization. During the planarization, the stop layer acts as a planarization stop that slows or stops the rate of planarization.

Enhancing planarization uniformity in optical devices

A method of forming an optical device includes using a photomask to form a first mask on a device precursor. The method also includes using the photomask to form a second mask on the device precursor. The second mask is formed after the first mask. In some instances, the optical device includes a waveguide positioned on a base. The waveguide is configured to guide a light signal through a ridge. A heater is positioned on the ridge such that the ridge is between the heater and the base.

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Torrance, CA, United States of America

Wei Qian