Semiconductor Optical Device with Air-Buried Laser and Organic Insulator Modulator
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current semiconductor optical devices with buried heterostructure (BH) integrated lasers experience unstable oscillation wavelengths due to parasitic capacitance issues, making them unsuitable for high-speed DWDM optical transmission, while resin-buried ridge waveguide structures exhibit large wavelength fluctuations, compromising reliability.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a semiconductor optical device with a ridge waveguide structure for the laser portion and a planarized ridge waveguide structure with an organic insulator for the modulator portion, where the modulator side has an organic insulator buried and the laser side does not, to stabilize oscillation wavelengths and reduce capacitance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a buried heterostructure (BH) with semi-insulative semiconductor is used to stabilize oscillation wavelength, then wavelength stability is improved, but parasitic capacitance increases causing instability at high transmission rates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different burial structures to different regions: the laser portion uses air burial (no semiconductor burial) to minimize parasitic capacitance and maintain wavelength stability, while the modulator portion uses Fe-InP semiconductor burial to provide electrical isolation and reduce capacitance. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by optimizing each region for its specific function.
Solution Approach 2:
The device is segmented into two distinct portions with different burial characteristics: the laser portion (first region) and the modulator portion (second region). The laser portion is buried only with air gaps while the modulator portion is buried with Fe-InP semiconductor. This segmentation allows each portion to have optimized electrical characteristics for its specific operation, resolving the capacitance-stability contradiction.
2Ease of manufacture
If a resin-buried ridge waveguide structure is used to reduce manufacturing complexity, then ease of manufacture is improved, but oscillation wavelength fluctuation increases compromising reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies air burial specifically to the laser portion while maintaining Fe-InP burial for the modulator portion. This local quality differentiation ensures that the laser portion achieves wavelength stability through minimal parasitic capacitance, while the modulator portion benefits from electrical isolation, resolving the reliability issue without requiring complex resin burial processes.
3Speed
If the modulator portion uses Fe-InP buried ridge waveguide structure, then parasitic capacitance is reduced for high-speed operation, but wavelength stability of the integrated laser must be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into two portions with different burial structures: the laser portion with air burial to ensure wavelength stability, and the modulator portion with Fe-InP burial to reduce parasitic capacitance for high-speed operation. This segmentation allows both requirements to be satisfied simultaneously in their respective regions.
Solution Approach 2:
Different burial qualities are applied to different regions: air burial for the laser portion to maintain wavelength stability and Fe-InP burial for the modulator portion to achieve low capacitance and high-speed operation. This local optimization resolves the contradiction between speed and stability.
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor optical device has a semiconductor laser portion and a modulator portion which have different mesa structures. The mesa structure of the semiconductor laser portion is a ridge waveguide structure which has air around the mesa. The mesa structure of the modulator portion is a planarized ridge waveguide structure which has an organic insulator buried around the mesa.