Patent · US Expired

Optical guided wave devices employing semiconductor-insulator structures

US4420873A · kind A · utility

40Cited by
4References
5Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 25, 1980
Grant dateDec 20, 1983
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 25, 2000

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S117/918
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A method for fabricating three-dimensional optical waveguides is disclosed. In this method, a single crystal semiconductor layer is grown upon an insulator which has an index of refraction lower than the semiconductor. The semiconductor layer is deposited to a thickness which provides confinement of light propagating in the semiconductor layer in the vertical direction. An effective larger index of refraction over a cross-sectional region of the semiconductor layer is then formed to provide confinement of light in the lateral direction. In the preferred method, the growth of single crystal semiconductor upon the insulator is achieved by a vapor-phase lateral epitaxial overgrowth technique. Devices fabricated according to the method are also disclosed.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.