Selective-area growth of iii-v materials for integration with silicon photonics

Abstract

Embodiments provide for selective-area growth of III-V materials for integration with silicon photonics. The resulting platform includes a substrate; an insulator, extending a first distance from the substrate, including a passive optical component at a second distance from the substrate less than the first distance, and defining a pit extending to the substrate; and a III-V component, extending from the substrate within in the pit defined in the insulator, the III-V component including a gain medium included at the second distance from the substrate and optically coupled with the passive optical component. The pit may define an Optical Coupling Interface between the III-V component and the passive optical component, or a slit defined between the III-V component and the passive optical component may define the Optical Coupling Interface.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A Silicon Photonic Platform, comprising:
 a silicon substrate;   a dielectric, extending a first distance from the silicon substrate, including a passive optical component at a second distance from the silicon substrate less than the first distance, and defining a pit extending to the silicon substrate; and   a III-V component, extending from the silicon substrate within in the pit defined in the dielectric, the III-V component including an active gain medium included at the second distance from the silicon substrate and optically coupled with the passive optical component.   
     
     
         2 . The Silicon Photonic Platform of  claim 1 , wherein an Optical Coupling Interface (OCI) between the passive optical component and the active gain medium includes an optical coating. 
     
     
         3 . The Silicon Photonic Platform of  claim 1 , wherein the dielectric and the III-V component define a slot defining an airgap Optical Coupling Interface (OCI) between the passive optical component and the active gain medium. 
     
     
         4 . The Silicon Photonic Platform of  claim 1 , wherein the active gain medium defines one of a plurality of quantum dots or a plurality of quantum wells that when exposed to a current generates coherent light. 
     
     
         5 . The Silicon Photonic Platform of  claim 1 , the III-V component includes a first cladding layer formed on the silicon substrate, and a second cladding layer formed on the active gain medium. 
     
     
         6 . The Silicon Photonic Platform of  claim 1 , wherein the passive optical component includes a silicon waveguide and at least one of:
 a silicon nano-taper coupler; and   a nitride prong coupler.   
     
     
         7 . The Silicon Photonic Platform of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a contact pad formed on the III-V component.   
     
     
         8 . The Silicon Photonic Platform of  claim 1 , wherein the dielectric and the III-V component extend to a second height from the silicon substrate. 
     
     
         9 . The Silicon Photonic Platform of  claim 1 , wherein the silicon substrate is an off-cut Silicon material, cut between 1° and 10° from a material matrix axis of the silicon substrate. 
     
     
         10 . The Silicon Photonic Platform of  claim 1 , further comprising a carrier, including:
 a carrier substrate;   a carrier dielectric extending from the carrier substrate for a third distance to a first surface and including a carrier waveguide at a fourth distance from the first surface and defining a pocket;   wherein the silicon substrate is connected to the first surface; and   wherein the dielectric and the III-V component are located in the pocket to align the passive optical component with the carrier waveguide such that the second distance and the fourth distance are equal.   
     
     
         11 . A device, comprising:
 a substrate;   a first dielectric layer formed on the substrate;   a passive photonic layer formed on the first dielectric layer, defining a silicon waveguide;   a second dielectric layer formed on the passive photonic layer;   wherein the first dielectric layer, the passive photonic layer, and the second dielectric layer define a pit that defines an Optical Coupling Interface (OCI) with the silicon waveguide; and   wherein the OCI includes an optical coating affecting a reflectivity of an interface between the silicon waveguide and an active III-V component formed on the substrate within the pit.   
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer are disposed on opposing sides of the passive photonic layer. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 11 , the substrate is an off-cut Silicon material, cut between 1° and 10° from a material matrix axis of the substrate. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the passive photonic layer further includes one of:
 a silicon nano-taper coupler; or   a nitride prong coupler.   
     
     
         15 . A photonic element, comprising:
 a passive photonic element including a waveguide within a dielectric; and   an active III-V component formed in a pit defined in the passive photonic element, wherein the active III-V component includes a III-V gain medium that is aligned to butt couple with the waveguide.   
     
     
         16 . The photonic element of  claim 15 , wherein the III-V gain medium is separated from the waveguide by a slot defined between the active III-V component and the passive photonic element that defines an optical coupling interface (OCI) between the passive photonic element and the active III-V component. 
     
     
         17 . The photonic element of  claim 16 , wherein the slot includes an optical coating configured to affect a reflectivity of the OCI. 
     
     
         18 . The photonic element of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the passive photonic element includes a second waveguide within the dielectric on an opposite side relative to the pit of the waveguide; and   wherein the III-V gain medium is aligned to butt couple with the second waveguide.   
     
     
         19 . The photonic element of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a substrate on which the passive photonic element is formed at a first time and on which the active III-V component is formed at a second time, different from the first time.   
     
     
         20 . The photonic element of  claim 15 , wherein the III-V gain medium includes a plurality of quantum dots.