Semiconductor optical device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12386116-B2
Application number	US-202318125428-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 23, 2023
Priority date	Jun 21, 2022
Publication date	Aug 12, 2025
Grant date	Aug 12, 2025

Abstract

A semiconductor optical device includes a substrate a spot-size converter, an optical detector, a core layer and a first III-V compound semiconductor layer, the core layer is disposed between the substrate and the first III-V compound semiconductor layer, the optical detector includes a light absorbing layer, a second III-V compound semiconductor layer, and an insulating film,
the light absorbing layer is disposed between the substrate and the second III-V compound semiconductor layer, the second III-V compound semiconductor layer is disposed between the light absorbing layer and the insulating film, the light absorbing layer is optically coupled to the core layer, the spot-size converter has a first end face connected to the optical detector and a second end face opposite to the first end face, and the first III-V compound semiconductor layer is connected to the second III-V compound semiconductor layer and the insulating film at the first end face.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A semiconductor optical device comprising:
a substrate having a main surface including a first region and a second region adjacent to the first region;
a spot-size converter disposed in the first region; and
an optical detector disposed in the second region,
wherein the spot-size converter includes a core layer and a first III-V compound semiconductor layer,
wherein the core layer is disposed between the substrate and the first III-V compound semiconductor layer,
wherein the optical detector includes a light absorbing layer, a second III-V compound semiconductor layer, and an insulating film,
wherein the light absorbing layer is disposed between the substrate and the second III-V compound semiconductor layer,
wherein the second III-V compound semiconductor layer is disposed between the light absorbing layer and the insulating film,
wherein the light absorbing layer is optically coupled to the core layer,
wherein the spot-size converter has a first end face connected to the optical detector and a second end face opposite to the first end face,
wherein the first III-V compound semiconductor layer is connected to the second III-V compound semiconductor layer and the insulating film at the first end face,
wherein the first III-V compound semiconductor layer has a top surface and a side surface,
wherein the core layer has a top surface and a side surface,
wherein the first III-V compound semiconductor layer covers the top surface and the side surface of the core layer, and
wherein 0.9≤XD/YD≤1.1 is satisfied, where YD represents a distance between the top surface of the core layer and the top surface of the first III-V compound semiconductor layer in a first direction orthogonal to the main surface, and XD represents a distance between the side surface of the core layer and the side surface of the first III-V compound semiconductor layer in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction.

2. The semiconductor optical device according to claim 1 ,
wherein 0.9≤XC/YC≤1.1 is satisfied, where XC represents a length of the top surface of the core layer and YC represents a length of the side surface of the core layer.

3. The semiconductor optical device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the optical detector has a third end face connected to the first end face, and
wherein a distance from the main surface to a top surface of the insulating film at the third end face is larger than or equal to a distance from the main surface to the top surface of the first III-V compound semiconductor layer at the first end face.

4. The semiconductor optical device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an electrode,
wherein the insulating film has an opening, and
wherein the electrode is connected to the second III-V compound semiconductor layer through the opening.

5. The semiconductor optical device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the insulating film contains titanium oxide.

6. A semiconductor optical device comprising:
a substrate having a main surface including a first region and a second region adjacent to the first region;
a spot-size converter disposed in the first region; and
an optical detector disposed in the second region,
wherein the spot-size converter includes a core layer and a first III-V compound semiconductor layer,
wherein the core layer is disposed between the substrate and the first III-V compound semiconductor layer,
wherein the optical detector includes a light absorbing layer, a second III-V compound semiconductor layer, and an insulating film,
wherein the light absorbing layer is disposed between the substrate and the second III-V compound semiconductor layer,
wherein the second III-V compound semiconductor layer is disposed between the light absorbing layer and the insulating film,
wherein the light absorbing layer is optically coupled to the core layer,
wherein the spot-size converter has a first end face connected to the optical detector and a second end face opposite to the first end face,
wherein the first III-V compound semiconductor layer is connected to the second III-V compound semiconductor layer and the insulating film at the first end face,
wherein the core layer has a top surface and a side surface, and
wherein 0.9≤XC/YC≤1.1 is satisfied, where XC represents a length of the top surface of the core layer and YC represents a length of the side surface of the core layer.

7. The semiconductor optical device according to claim 6 ,
wherein the first III-V compound semiconductor layer has a top surface and a side surface,
wherein the first III-V compound semiconductor layer covers the top surface and the side surface of the core layer, and
wherein 0.9≤XD/YD≤1.1 is satisfied, where YD represents a distance between the top surface of the core layer and the top surface of the first III-V compound semiconductor layer in a first direction orthogonal to the main surface, and XD represents a distance between the side surface of the core layer and the side surface of the first III-V compound semiconductor layer in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction.

8. The semiconductor optical device according to claim 6 ,
wherein the optical detector has a third end face connected to the first end face, and
wherein a distance from the main surface to a top surface of the insulating film at the third end face is larger than or equal to a distance from the main surface to a top surface of the first III-V compound semiconductor layer at the first end face.

9. The semiconductor optical device according to claim 6 , further comprising:
an electrode,
wherein the insulating film has an opening, and
wherein the electrode is connected to the second III-V compound semiconductor layer through the opening.

10. The semiconductor optical device according to claim 6 ,
wherein the insulating film contains titanium oxide.

Assignees

• Sumitomo Electric Industries

Inventors

• Okimoto Takuya
• Yoneda Yoshihiro

Classifications

• H10F77/1248

  having three or more elements, e.g. GaAlAs, InGaAs or InGaAsP · CPC title

• H10F77/413

  directly associated or integrated with the devices, e.g. back reflectors (directly associated or integrated with photovoltaic cells H10F77/42) · CPC title

• H10F77/306

  for devices having potential barriers · CPC title

• H10F77/206

  for devices having potential barriers · CPC title

• H10F30/225

  the potential barrier working in avalanche mode, e.g. avalanche photodiodes · CPC title