Photonic device with segmented absorption design
View Patent ↗A photonic device designed with an intermittent absorption profile along a waveguide. The absorption profile is divided into low-absorption and high-absorption segments that are distributed axially in order to decrease the maximum local temperature in the device. The distribution of low-absorption segments can be controlled through techniques such as proton implantation or selective-area quantum well intermixing. The lengths of low-absorption and high-absorption segments can be adjusted to optimize heat dissipation along the device length.
1. A photonic device having an intermittent light absorption profile along a waveguide, wherein the light absorption profile is divided into low-absorption and high-absorption segments that are distributed axially along the waveguide in order to decrease a maximum local temperature in the device.
2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the low-absorption segments' lengths vary along the device.
3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the low-absorption segments number from 1 to 10.
4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the high-absorption segments' lengths vary along the device.
5. The device of claim 1 , wherein a low-absorption segment is located at an input of the device and is followed by at least one high-absorption segment.
6. The device of claim 1 , wherein a low-absorption segment is located at an output of the device and is preceded by at least one high-absorption segment.
7. The device of claim 1 , further comprising one or more metal electrodes on a ridge cladding layer on the waveguide, wherein the electrodes cover an entire length of the device.
8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the absorption segments include one or more high-absorption segments and one or more low-absorption segments, and separate ones of the metal electrodes contact the high-absorption and low-absorption segments.
9. The device of claim 8 , wherein voltages applied to the electrodes are adjusted to produce the high-absorption segments and low-absorption segments of the device.
10. The device of claim 9 , wherein separate ones of the electrodes are used as elements of a dual stage electro-absorption modulator.
11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the waveguide is comprised of a bulk material and the Franz-Keldysh effect is used to change the material's absorption coefficient or index of refraction with an applied electrical field.
12. The device of claim 1 , wherein the waveguide contains quantum well material and the Quantum-Confined-Stark effect is used to change the material's absorption coefficient or index of refraction with an applied electrical field.
13. The device of claim 1 , wherein the absorption segments include one or more low-absorption segments that are defined by proton implantation of a ridge cladding layer.
14. The device of claim 13 , wherein the absorption segments include one or more high-absorption segments that are defined by a lack of proton implantation in the ridge cladding layer.
15. The device of claim 1 , wherein the waveguide is a quantum well waveguide, the absorption segments include one or more high-absorption segments and one or more low-absorption segments, and the high-absorption segments and low-absorption segments are defined by selective-area disordering of the quantum well waveguide.
16. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device is an electro-absorption modulator.
17. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device is part of a multi-stage modulator.
18. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device is part of a Mach-Zender interferometer.
19. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device is a photodetector.
20. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device is monolithically integrated with a semiconductor laser diode.
21. The device of claim 20 , wherein the semiconductor laser diode is a wavelength-tunable semiconductor laser diode.
22. The device of claim 20 , wherein the device is monolithically integrated with other optical elements selected from a group comprising semiconductor optical amplifiers, mode size converters, and photodetectors.
23. A method of fabricating a photonic device having an intermittent light absorption profile along a waveguide, wherein the light absorption profile is divided into low-absorption and high-absorption segments that are distributed axially along the waveguide in order to decrease a maximum local temperature in the device, the method comprising:
creating a plurality of different absorption segments that are distributed axially along a waveguide of the device in order to decrease a maximum local temperature in the device, wherein a photo-induced current generates heat in the device, and the absorption segments decrease the heat.
24. The method of claim 23 , wherein the low-absorption segments'lengths vary along the device.
25. The method of claim 23 , wherein the low-absorption segments number from 1 to 10.
26. The method of claim 23 , wherein the high-absorption segments'lengths vary along the device.
27. The method of claim 23 , wherein a low-absorption segment is located at an input of the device and is followed by at least one high-absorption segment.
28. The method of claim 23 , wherein a low-absorption segment is located at an output of the device and is preceded by at least one high-absorption segment.
29. The method of claim 23 , further comprising creating one or more metal electrodes on a ridge cladding layer on the waveguide, wherein the electrodes cover the entire length of the device.
30. The method of claim 29 , wherein the absorption segments include one or more high-absorption segments and one or more low-absorption segments, and separate ones of the metal electrodes contact the high-absorption and low-absorption segments.
31. The method of claim 30 , wherein voltages applied to the electrodes are adjusted to produce the high-absorption segments and low-absorption segments of the device.
32. The method of claim 31 , wherein separate ones of the electrodes are used as elements of a dual stage electro-absorption modulator.
33. The method of claim 23 , wherein the waveguide is comprised of a bulk material and the Franz-Keldysh effect is used to change the material's absorption coefficient or index of refraction with an applied electrical field.
34. The method of claim 23 , wherein the waveguide contains quantum well material and the Quantum-Confined-Stark effect is used to change the material's absorption coefficient or index of refraction with an applied electrical field.
35. The method of claim 23 , wherein the absorption segments include one or more low-absorption segments that are defined by proton implantation of a ridge cladding layer.
36. The method of claim 35 , wherein the absorption segments include one or more high-absorption segments that are defined by a lack of proton implantation in the ridge cladding layer.
37. The method of claim 23 , wherein the waveguide is a quantum well waveguide, the absorption segments include one or more high-absorption segments and one or more low-absorption segments, and the high-absorption segments and low-absorption segments are defined by selective-area disordering of the quantum well waveguide.
38. The method of claim 23 , wherein the device is an electro-absorption modulator.
39. The method of claim 23 , wherein the device is part of a multi-stage modulator.
40. The method of claim 23 , wherein the device is part of a Mach-Zender interferometer.
41. The method of claim 23 , wherein the device is a photodetector.
42. The method of claim 23 , wherein the device is monolithically integrated with a semiconductor laser diode.
43. The method of claim 42 , wherein the semiconductor laser diode is a wavelength-tunable semiconductor laser diode.
44. The method of claim 42 , wherein the device is monolithically integrated with other optical elements selected from a group comprising semiconductor optical amplifiers, mode size converters, and photodetectors.