III-V photonic crystal microlaser bonded on silicon-on-insulator
Novel methods and systems for miniaturized lasers are described. A photonic crystal is bonded to a silicon-on-insulator wafer. The photonic crystal includes air-holes and can include a waveguide which couples the laser output to a silicon waveguide.
1. A photonic crystal microlaser structure, the structure comprising:
a crystalline silicon substrate;
a first electrode;
a silicon layer, physically contacting the first electrode;
a silicon dioxide layer, physically contacting the silicon layer and the crystalline silicon substrate;
a silicon photonic crystal region, physically contacting the silicon dioxide layer;
a III-V semiconductor photonic crystal region, physically contacting the silicon photonic crystal region; and
a second electrode, physically contacting the III-V semiconductor photonic crystal region;
wherein the III-V semiconductor photonic crystal region comprises:
an n-type layer, physically contacting the silicon photonic crystal region;
a quantum well layer between the n-type layer and a p-type layer;
the p-type layer, physically contacting the quantum well layer; and
a III-V semiconductor substrate, physically contacting the p-type layer,
wherein the n-type layer is an n-InGaAsP layer, the quantum well layer is a InGaAsP layer, the p-type layer is a p-InGaAsP layer, and the III-V semiconductor substrate is a InP substrate, and
wherein a portion of the III-V semiconductor photonic crystal region and a portion of the silicon photonic crystal region are shaped in a mesa structure.
2. The photonic crystal microlaser structure of claim 1 , wherein the III-V semiconductor photonic crystal region further comprises barrier layers between the n-type layer and the quantum well layer, and between the quantum well layer and the p-type layer.
3. The photonic crystal microlaser structure of claim 1 , wherein the mesa structure is hexagonal.
4. The photonic crystal microlaser structure of claim 3 , further comprising:
a photonic crystal resonator in a center of the mesa structure;
a photonic crystal waveguide between one lateral edge and the center of the mesa structure, thereby coupling a laser output from the photonic crystal resonator to the photonic crystal waveguide; and
a silicon ridge waveguide, coupled to the photonic crystal waveguide.
5. The photonic crystal microlaser structure of claim 4 , wherein the mesa structure comprises:
the III-V semiconductor substrate;
the p-type layer; and
the quantum well layer,
wherein
the second electrode physically contacts the III-V semiconductor substrate, and
the first electrode physically contacts the n-type layer.
6. The photonic crystal microlaser structure of claim 5 , wherein the mesa structure further comprises the second electrode.