Tunable silicon grating couplers

摘要

A photonic integrated circuit (PIC) is described. This PIC includes a grating coupler for surface-normal coupling that has an alternating pattern of grating teeth and grating trenches, where the grating trenches are filled with an electro-optical material. By applying an electric potential to the grating teeth, the index of refraction of the electro-optical material can be modified.

主权项

1. An integrated circuit, comprising:
a substrate; a buried-oxide layer disposed on the substrate; a semiconductor layer, disposed on the buried-oxide layer, having a top surface; and a grating coupler, disposed in the semiconductor layer, having an alternating pattern of grating trenches and grating teeth adjacent to the grating trenches, wherein the grating coupler is a portion of the semiconductor layer, and wherein the grating trenches extend all the way through the semiconductor layer from the top surface to the buried-oxide layer; wherein the grating trenches are filled with an electro-optical material; and wherein the grating teeth are configured as electrodes to apply an electric potential across the electro-optical material to modify an index of refraction of the electro-optical material.