Optical modulator
US-2018210242-A1 · Jul 26, 2018 · US
Silicon-based modulator with different transition zone thicknesses
US12117678B2 · US · B2
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Publication number | US-12117678-B2 |
| Application number | US-202318323309-A |
| Country | US |
| Kind code | B2 |
| Filing date | May 24, 2023 |
| Priority date | Jan 26, 2018 |
| Publication date | Oct 15, 2024 |
| Grant date | Oct 15, 2024 |
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- Title
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Abstract
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An optical modulator includes a waveguide core; a first transition zone located between a first side of the waveguide core and a first electrical contact region; and a second transition zone located between a second side of the waveguide core and a second electrical contact region, wherein one or more of the first transition zone and second transition zone has a variable thickness. The variable thickness is confined to the one or more of the first transition zone and second transition zone. The variable thickness removes a portion of the highly doped first transition zone and the highly doped second transition zone thereby reducing contact resistance.
First claim
Opening claim text (preview).
What is claimed is: 1. An optical modulator comprising: a waveguide core; a first transition zone located between a first side of the waveguide core and a first electrical contact region; and a second transition zone located between a second side of the waveguide core and a second electrical contact region, wherein one or more of the first transition zone and second transition zone has a variable thickness, and wherein the variable thickness includes an increasing thickness at or near one or more of the first electrical contact region and the second electrical contact region. 2. The optical modulator of claim 1 , wherein the variable thickness is confined to the one or more of the first transition zone and second transition zone. 3. The optical modulator of claim 1 , wherein the waveguide core has a uniform thickness. 4. The optical modulator of claim 1 , wherein the one or more of the first transition zone and second transition zone has the variable thickness in a lateral direction that is perpendicular to an optical propagation direction. 5. The optical modulator of claim 1 , wherein the one or more of the first transition zone and second transition zone has the variable thickness in a longitudinal direction that is an optical propagation direction. 6. The optical modulator of claim 1 , wherein the one or more of the first transition zone and second transition zone has the variable thickness in both a lateral direction that is perpendicular to an optical propagation direction and a longitudinal direction that is the optical propagation direction. 7. The optical modulator of claim 1 , wherein the variable thickness includes discrete levels of thickness. 8. The optical modulator of claim 1 , wherein the variable thickness includes a curved shaped. 9. The optical modulator of claim 1 , wherein the variable thickness includes a straight line slope. 10. The optical modulator of claim 1 , wherein the increasing thickness include two levels of thickness. 11. The optical modulator of claim 1 , wherein the increasing thickness include three levels of thickness. 12. The optical modulator of claim 1 , wherein the first transition zone and second transition zone are highly doped relative to the waveguide core. 13. The optical modulator of claim 12 , wherein the variable thickness removes a portion of the highly doped first transition zone and the highly doped second transition zone. 14. The optical modulator of claim 1 , wherein the variable thickness confines an optical mode in the waveguide core. 15. An optical modulator comprising: a waveguide core; a first transition zone located between a first side of the waveguide core and a first electrical contact region; and a second transition zone located between a second side of the waveguide core and a second electrical contact region, wherein one or more of the first transition zone and second transition zone has a variable thickness, wherein the first transition zone and second transition zone have a same thickness as the waveguide core where they meet in a longitudinal direction that is an optical propagation direction, and wherein the first transition zone and second transition zone have a same thickness as the first electrical contact region and the second electrical contact region, respectively, where they meet in the longitudinal direction. 16. The optical modulator of claim 15 , wherein the variable thickness is confined to the one or more of the first transition zone and second transition zone. 17. The optical modulator of claim 15 , wherein the waveguide core has a uniform thickness. 18. The optical modulator of claim 15 , wherein the one or more of the first transition zone and second transition zone has the variable thickness in a lateral direction that is perpendicular to an optical propagation direction. 19. The optical modulator of claim 15 , wherein the one or more of the first transition zone and second transition zone has the variable thickness in a longitudinal direction that is an optical propagation direction. 20. The optical modulator of claim 15 , wherein the one or more of the first transition zone and second transition zone has the variable thickness in both a lateral direction that is perpendicular to an optical propagation direction and a longitudinal direction that is the optical propagation direction.
Assignees
Inventors
Classifications
using free carrier absorption · CPC title
single crystal Si · CPC title
dopant · CPC title
- G02F1/025Primary
in an optical waveguide structure (G02F1/017, {G02F1/2257} take precedence) · CPC title
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Frequently asked questions
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- What does patent US12117678B2 cover?
- An optical modulator includes a waveguide core; a first transition zone located between a first side of the waveguide core and a first electrical contact region; and a second transition zone located between a second side of the waveguide core and a second electrical contact region, wherein one or more of the first transition zone and second transition zone has a variable thickness. The variable…
- Who is the assignee on this patent?
- Ciena Corp
- What technology area does this patent fall under?
- Primary CPC classification G02F1/025. Mapped technology areas include Physics.
- When was this patent published?
- Publication date Tue Oct 15 2024 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) (B2). Legal status and post-grant events are not shown on this page.
- What related patents are in patentsdb?
- We list 6 related publications on this page (citations in our corpus or others sharing the same primary CPC).