WAVEGUIDE MODE EXPANDER USING AMORPHOUS SILICON

摘要

A waveguide mode expander couples a smaller optical mode in a semiconductor waveguide to a larger optical mode in an optical fiber. The waveguide mode expander comprises a shoulder made of crystalline silicon and a ridge made of non-crystalline silicon (e.g., amorphous silicon). In some embodiments, the ridge of the waveguide mode expander has a plurality of stages, the plurality of stages have different widths and/or thicknesses at a given cross section.

主权项

1. A waveguide mode expander comprising:
a substrate; a shoulder, wherein:
the shoulder is disposed on the substrate; andthe shoulder comprises crystalline silicon; and a ridge, wherein:
the ridge comprises non-crystalline silicon;the ridge is disposed on the shoulder such that the shoulder is between the ridge and the substrate;the ridge has a narrower width than the shoulder, wherein the ridge and the shoulder are configured to guide and expand an optical beam propagating through the shoulder and the ridge.