Polycrystalline germanium-based waveguide detector integrated on a thin silicon-on-insulator (SOI) platform
US6897498B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 5, 2004 |
| Grant date | May 24, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 5, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02E10/546
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A photodetector for use with relatively thin (i.e., sub-micron) silicon optical waveguides formed in a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) structure comprises a layer of poly-germanium disposed to couple at least a portion of the optical signal propagating along the silicon optical waveguide. Tight confinement of the optical signal within the waveguide structure allows for efficient evanescent coupling into the poly-germanium detector. The silicon optical waveguide may comprise any desired geometry, with the poly-germanium detector formed to either cover a portion of the waveguide, or be butt-coupled to an end portion of the waveguide. When covering a portion of the waveguide, poly-germanium detector may comprise a “wrap-around” geometry to cover the side and top surfaces of the optical waveguide, with electrical contacts formed at opposing ends of the detector.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.