Substrateless Optical Device Thermal Tuning Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Optical components, such as ring modulators and ring-filtering devices, face challenges due to process variability and manufacturing tolerances, leading to discrepancies in operating wavelengths, which can be costly to correct through thermal tuning that consumes significant power.
Innovation Solution
A hybrid integrated module with a semiconductor die mechanically coupled to an integrated device from which the substrate has been removed, allowing for enhanced thermal tuning efficiency and improved optical coupling, enabling efficient alignment of operating wavelengths without the power consumption issues associated with traditional thermal tuning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If thermal tuning is used to correct wavelength discrepancies in optical devices, then operating wavelength alignment is improved, but power consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the silicon substrate from beneath the optical device, extracting the heat conduction path that causes excessive power consumption. By taking out the substrate that conducts heat away from the ring resonator, the thermal tuning efficiency is dramatically improved while reducing the power required for wavelength alignment
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the device structure by separating the optical device from its substrate support. The optical device is suspended or supported only at its edges, creating a thermal isolation structure that prevents heat conduction to the substrate while maintaining mechanical support, thereby improving thermal tuning efficiency
2Use of energy by moving object
If substrate is removed completely to improve thermal tuning efficiency, then power consumption decreases, but mechanical support and structural stability are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate is segmented by removing only the central portion beneath the optical device while maintaining edge support structures. This segmentation provides thermal isolation for improved tuning efficiency while preserving mechanical support through the remaining substrate edges or support beams
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediary support structures such as suspension beams or edge supports that provide mechanical stability without conducting significant heat. These intermediary elements mediate between the need for thermal isolation and mechanical support, allowing substrate removal while maintaining structural integrity
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 achieves thermal tuning efficiency over 100× relative to optical devices with an intact substrate and 5× relative to those with only partial substrate removal, minimizing power consumption while maintaining high performance and yield.
Implementation Method 1
the semiconductor layer having a top surface and a bottom surface, where the top surface of the semiconductor layer is mechanically coupled to the adhesive... thermal tuning efficiency over 100× relative to optical devices with an intact substrate
Data Source
AI summary
In a hybrid integrated module, a semiconductor die is mechanically coupled face-to-face to an integrated device in which the substrate has been removed. For example, the integrated circuit may include an optical device fabricated on a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafer in which the backside silicon handler has been completely removed, thereby facilitating improved device performance and highly efficient thermal tuning of the operating wavelength of the optical device. Moreover, the semiconductor die may be a VLSI chip that provides power, and serves as a mechanical handler and/or an electrical driver. The thermal tuning efficiency of the substrateless optical device may be enhanced by over 100× relative to an optical device with an intact substrate, and by 5× relative to an optical device in which the substrate has only been removed in proximity to the optical device.