Self-aligned optical waveguide to laser structure and method for making the same.

摘要

Disclosed is a method for efficient and self-aligned laser to waveguide coupling being an important step towards higher integration of opto-electronic circuits. For automatic alignment of an optical waveguide (67 - 69) to a ridge waveguide laser (50 - 52), the ridge structure (54) of the laser is transferred into the substrate (50) by etching the mirror groove. The transferred ridge structure (55) serves as base for the deposition of the waveguide layers (67 -69), their thickness being controlled during the deposition such that the waveguide core (69) is laterally and vertically aligned to the lasing active layer (51) of the laser structure (50 - 52). <IMAGE>