Apparatus, systems, and methods for waveguide-coupled resonant photon detection
US9939586B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 30, 2017 |
| Grant date | Apr 10, 2018 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 30, 2037 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02E10/50
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A photodetector includes a germanium layer evanescently coupled to a ring resonator. The ring resonator increases the interaction length between light guided by the ring resonator and the germanium layer without increasing the size of the photodetector, thereby keeping the photodetector's dark current at a low level. The germanium layer absorbs the guided light and converts the absorbed light into electrical signals for detection. The increased interaction length in the resonator allows efficient transfer of light from the resonator to the germanium layer via evanescently coupling. In addition, the internal and external quality factors (Q) of the ring resonator can be matched to achieve (nearly) full absorption of light in the germanium with high quantum efficiency.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.