Hybrid optical modulator

1. A hybrid diode structure comprising:

a substrate comprising single crystal silicon material;

a buried oxide layer directly overlying and coupled to the substrate;

a III-V diode, directly overlying and coupled to the oxide layer, and having an n-type region and a p-type region, wherein the p-type region is of a width and a height sufficient to create substantial mode confinement for an optical mode propagating therethrough;

a first electrical contact electrically coupled to the n-type region;

a second oxide layer directly overlying the III-V diode;

a III-V conductive element passing through the second oxide layer and electrically coupled to the p-type region, wherein the III-V conductive element is reduced in width from the width of the p-type region such that optical losses are reduced by separating the second electrical contact from the optical mode; and

a second electrical contact electrically coupled to the p-type region;

wherein the optical mode propagates through a ridge portion of the p-type region:

from a first silicon waveguide section that comprises a single crystal silicon layer overlying the buried oxide layer and underlying the second oxide layer;

to a second silicon waveguide section that comprises a single crystal silicon layer overlying the buried oxide layer and underlying the second oxide layer; and

the III-V conductive element couples with the p-type region along substantially an entire length of the ridge portion of the p-type region along a direction of light propagation from the first silicon waveguide section to the second silicon waveguide section.

2. The hybrid diode structure of claim 1 wherein the first electrical contact passes through the second oxide layer.

3. The hybrid diode structure of claim 1 wherein the buried oxide layer comprises a central portion having a first thickness and a lateral portion having a second thickness less than the first thickness.

4. The hybrid diode structure of claim 3 wherein the III-V diode material comprises a propagation region adjacent the central portion of the buried oxide layer and a bias region adjacent the lateral portion of the buried oxide layer.

5. The hybrid diode structure of claim 4 further comprising an N+ contact electrically coupled to the bias region of the III-V diode material.

6. The hybrid diode structure of claim 3 , wherein a bonding region coupled with the lateral portion of the oxide layer comprises at least one of Ti, Pt, or In.

7. The hybrid diode structure of claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises one or more silicon waveguide sections that are directly optically coupled to the III-V diode, each of the one or more silicon waveguide sections comprising a single crystal silicon layer overlying the buried oxide layer and underlying the second oxide layer.

8. The hybrid diode structure of claim 1 wherein a bottom contact region of the III-V diode comprises a P+ contact.

9. The hybrid diode structure of claim 1 wherein a cathode of the III-V diode is disposed between the p-type region and the substrate.

10. The hybrid diode structure of claim 1 , wherein a single epitaxial growth provides material of the p-type region and the III-V conductive element, and wherein the width of the p-type region and the reduced width of the III-V conductive element are formed by removing part of the epitaxial growth.

11. An optical modulator comprising:

a single crystal silicon substrate;

a buried oxide layer directly overlying the single crystal silicon substrate;

an input port;

a first waveguide comprising a single crystal silicon layer overlying the buried oxide layer, the first waveguide being directly optically coupled to the input port;

a waveguide splitter that is directly optically coupled to the first waveguide and having a first output and a second output;

a first phase adjustment section that is directly optically coupled to the first output and comprising a first III-V diode overlying the buried oxide layer;

a second phase adjustment section that is directly optically coupled to the second output and comprising a second III-V diode directly overlying the buried oxide layer;

a waveguide coupler that optically couples optical signals from the first phase adjustment section and the second phase adjustment section into a waveguide coupler output;

a second waveguide comprising a single crystal silicon layer overlying the buried oxide layer, the second waveguide being directly optically coupled to the waveguide coupler output; and

an output port that is directly optically coupled to the second waveguide.

12. The optical modulator of claim 11 wherein the first III-V diode and the second III-V diode comprise InGaAsP diodes.

13. The optical modulator of claim 11 wherein the waveguide splitter comprises at least one of a multi-mode interference device, a directional coupler, or a Y-junction coupler.

14. The optical modulator of claim 11 wherein at least one of the waveguide splitter or the waveguide coupler comprises a 3 dB directional coupler.

15. The optical modulator of claim 11 wherein the waveguide coupler comprises at least one of a multi-mode interference device, a directional coupler, or a Y-junction coupler.

16. The optical modulator of claim 11 , wherein:

the first III-V diode includes a first oxide layer and a first III-V propagation region adjacent a central portion of the first oxide layer, the first III-V propagation region having a width and a height sufficient to create substantial mode confinement for an optical mode propagating therethrough, the first III-V propagation region being directly optically coupled to the first output; and

the second III-V diode includes a second oxide layer and a second III-V propagation region adjacent a central portion of the second oxide layer, the second III-V propagation region having a width and a height sufficient to create substantial mode confinement for an optical mode propagating therethrough, the second III-V propagation region being directly optically coupled to the second output.