SEMICONDUCTOR HETEROINTERFACE OPTICAL WAVEGUIDE

摘要

Low loss semiconductor waveguides for supporting propagation of optical signals over a wide range of wavelengths are achieved by growing at least two epitaxial layers of dopant material contiguous along a major surface of each layer to form a heterointerface therebetween. At least one of the epitaxial layers includes a sufficient concentration of semiconductor material to cause strain via lattice mismatch substantially at and near the heterointerface. The strain induces a change in refractive index such that the heterointerface exhibits a substantially higher refractive index than a portion of each epitaxial layer proximate to the heterointerface. The resulting waveguide is capable of supporting propagation of optical signals substantially along the heterointerface. In one example, contiguous epitaxial layers of InP and InGaP form a waveguide for optical signals at wavelengths greater than 0.93 .mu.m. The concentration of Ga in the InGaP epitaxial layer is varied from 1018 to 1020cm-3 to increase the refractive index difference between the heterointerfaceand the immediate surrounding layers.