Monocrystalline Diamond Optical Layer for Low Attenuation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Polycrystalline diamond-based integrated optical components suffer from high attenuation due to crystal defects, and alternative materials like SiO2, ZnSe, or Ge have lower refractive indices and lose transparency at high temperatures, limiting their efficiency and applicability.
Innovation Solution
A semi-finished product with a substrate and a monocrystalline diamond layer deposited homoepitaxially on an auxiliary diamond substrate, reducing crystal defects and maintaining high refractive index and transparency at high temperatures, allowing for improved optical signal propagation and component efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If polycrystalline diamond layer is used in integrated optical components, then high refractive index and high-temperature stability are achieved, but strong attenuation of optical signals occurs due to large number of crystal defects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the crystalline structure parameter from polycrystalline to monocrystalline diamond, fundamentally altering the material's defect density and optical properties to achieve low attenuation while maintaining high refractive index and thermal stability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a monocrystalline diamond auxiliary substrate as a template to grow the monocrystalline diamond layer, copying the high-quality crystalline structure to ensure low defect density and excellent optical transmission properties
2Object-affected harmful factors
If alternative materials like SiO2, ZnSe or Ge are used instead of diamond, then crystal defects are reduced, but refractive index is considerably lower and transparency is lost at high temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material composition parameter to monocrystalline diamond, which fundamentally alters the optical and thermal properties to maintain high refractive index and transparency at high temperatures while minimizing crystal defects
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a composite structure combining monocrystalline diamond layer with auxiliary substrate and carrier, leveraging the superior properties of monocrystalline diamond to achieve both low defect density and high-temperature stability
3Reliability
If monocrystalline diamond layer is deposited homoepitaxially on auxiliary diamond substrate, then crystal defects are reduced and optical transmission is improved, but additional manufacturing steps are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the manufacturing process into distinct segments: deposition of monocrystalline diamond layer on auxiliary substrate, separation of the layer from the auxiliary substrate, and transfer to the carrier, which simplifies each individual step while achieving the overall goal of low-defect diamond production
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an auxiliary diamond substrate as an intermediary tool to grow the monocrystalline diamond layer with high quality, then removes it after transfer to the carrier, using the auxiliary substrate temporarily to enable production of defect-free diamond
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution results in lower attenuation of optical signals, wider spectral use, and enhanced efficiency of integrated optical components, suitable for high-temperature applications with improved refractive index and transparency.
Implementation Method 1
at least one diamond layer (20) is arranged on the first side (11) of the substrate (10)... deposit a polycrystalline diamond layer heteroepitaxially from the gas phase
Implementation Method 2
deposit a polycrystalline diamond layer heteroepitaxially from the gas phase
Implementation Method 3
the refractive index is considerably lower than in the case of diamond... reduced light scattering, improved transparency
Implementation Method 4
the band gaps of these materials are considerably smaller, such that light of shorter wavelengths is strongly absorbed on account of the generation of electron-hole pairs
Implementation Method 5
the heating also leads to the generation of free charge carriers, as a result of which the known materials also lose their transparency to infrared light at high temperatures
Data Source
AI summary
A semi-finished product having a substrate with a first side and an opposite second side is provided, wherein at least one diamond layer is arranged on the first side, wherein the diamond layer comprises monocrystalline diamond and the substrate comprises a material different from the diamond layer. A method for producing such a semi-finished product is provided and an integrated optical component may be produced from the semi-finished product.