Optical Component Doped Region Design for Etch Depth Tolerance
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Solution Overview
Problem
The performance of optical devices with active components like light sensors and modulators is inconsistent due to sensitivity to the thickness of slab regions, leading to inefficiencies and waste in the fabrication process.
Innovation Solution
The optical device incorporates doped regions that extend into both the ridge and slab regions of the active medium, with multiple doped zones formed at different times to reduce sensitivity to slab region thickness, allowing for consistent performance regardless of etching variations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If slab regions are formed by etching, then the fabrication process can be completed, but the thickness of slab regions becomes difficult to control leading to inconsistent performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the electrical parameter distribution by extending doped regions deeper into slab regions. This parameter change compensates for thickness variations, allowing the device to maintain consistent performance despite variations in slab region thickness caused by etching process tolerances.
Solution Approach 2:
The doped regions are formed to extend into the slab regions in advance, before the etching process completes. This preliminary action ensures that even if the etch depth varies, the electrical field distribution is already optimized to compensate for potential thickness variations, thereby maintaining performance consistency.
2Reliability
If doped regions extend deeper into slab regions, then performance consistency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The doped regions are segmented into multiple zones with different doping concentrations and depths. By dividing the doped region into segments, the patent achieves complex electrical field distribution patterns that compensate for thickness variations, thereby improving performance consistency without requiring a complete redesign of the entire device structure.
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
This approach reduces the dependence on precise slab region thickness, minimizing fabrication waste and ensuring consistent performance of optical devices by effectively managing the electrical field and light signal interaction.
Implementation Method 1
an electrical energy is applied to these doped regions so as to form an electrical field between the doped regions
Data Source
AI summary
An optical device includes an active component on a base. The active component is a light sensor and/or a light modulator. The active component is configured to guide a light signal through a ridge of an active medium extending upwards from slab regions of the active medium. The slab regions are on opposing sides of the ridge. The active medium includes a doped region that extends into a lateral side of the ridge and also into one of the slab regions. The depth that the doped region extends into the slab region is further than the depth that the doped region extends into the ridge.