Apparatus and method for dissipating charge from lithium niobate devices
US5949944A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 2, 1997 |
| Grant date | Sep 7, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 2, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02F2203/21
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Embodiments of the invention include an apparatus and method for stabilizing the operation of lithium niobate devices such as modulators due to charge accumulation caused by, e.g., pyroelectric and piezoelectride effects. The apparatus comprises a substrate having a waveguide formed therein, a buffer layer formed on the substrate, a Si.sub.2 Ti.sub.x N.sub.8/3+x charge dissipation layer (CDL) formed on the buffer layer and a set of electrodes formed on the charge dissipation layer. According to embodiments of the invention, the Si.sub.2 Ti.sub.x N.sub.8/3+x charge dissipation layer has a resistivity of approximately 15-150 k.OMEGA.cm. Alternatively, the apparatus includes a second charge dissipation layer formed on the opposing surface of the substrate. The charge dissipation layer according to embodiments of the invention is advantageous in that it provides a suitable resistivity and is a composition that is easily reproducible using conventional formation techniques such as sputtering.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.