Semiconductor device and method for fabricating the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9239424-B2
Application number	US-201414166085-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 28, 2014
Priority date	Jan 28, 2014
Publication date	Jan 19, 2016
Grant date	Jan 19, 2016

Abstract

A semiconductor device for use in an optical application and a method for fabricating the device. The device includes: an optically passive aspect that is operable in a substantially optically passive mode; and an optically active material having a material that is operable in a substantially optically active mode, wherein the optically passive aspect is patterned to include a photonic structure with a predefined structure, and the optically active material is formed in the predefined structure so as to be substantially self-aligned in a lateral plane with the optically passive aspect.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A semiconductor device for use in an optical application comprising:
an optically passive aspect that is operable in a substantially optically passive mode;
an optically active material having a material that is operable in a substantially optically active mode;
wherein the optically passive aspect is patterned to include a photonic structure with a predefined structure;
wherein the optically active material is formed in the predefined structure so as to be substantially self-aligned in a lateral plane with the optically passive aspect
wherein the optically active material is formed relative to the optically passive aspect so as to exceed an area of the predefined structure; and
wherein excess optically active material is removed so that the optically active material is provided in the predefined structure.

2. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the optically active material is substantially selectively formed in the predefined structure.

3. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the excess optically active material is removed by wet-chemical etching or chemical mechanical polishing.

4. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a structural characteristic of the predefined structure is chosen to facilitate the optically active material to be substantially self-aligned with respect to the optically passive aspect.

5. semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the predefined structure is a trench, a hole, or a combination thereof.

6. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the predefined structure is provided in a given location of the optically passive aspect.

7. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the optically active material is operable to perform light generation, amplification, detection, modulation, or a combination thereof.

8. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the optically active material comprises at least one of: a III-V material system, a II-VI material system, a silicon nanoparticle, a silicon quantum dot, germanium and heterostructures thereof comprising at least one of: gallium arsenide, gallium antimonide, gallium nitride, indium phosphide, indium aluminium arsenide, indium arsenic phosphide, indium gallium phosphide, gallium phosphide, indium gallium arsenide, indium gallium arsenic phosphide, and an organic material system.

9. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the optically active material comprises a crystalline, polycrystalline, or amorphous material.

10. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the optically passive aspect comprises a multilayer structure provided on a seed layer.

11. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the optically passive aspect comprises at least one of: silicon, a III-V compound semiconductor, germanium, gallium arsenide, gallium antimonide, gallium nitride, indium phosphide, indium aluminium arsenide, indium arsenic phosphide, indium gallium phosphide, gallium phosphide, indium gallium arsenide, indium gallium arsenic phosphide, aluminium oxide, tantalum pent-oxide, hafnium dioxide, titanium dioxide, silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, and silicon oxi-nitride.

12. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a cross-section of the optically passive aspect in a longitudinal plane is substantially of the same size as the corresponding cross-section of the predefined structure.

13. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the optically passive aspect comprises a wire waveguide.

14. A semiconductor device for use in an optical application comprising:
an optically passive aspect that is operable in a substantially optically passive mode; and
an optically active material having a material that is operable in a substantially optically active mode;
wherein the optically passive aspect is patterned to include a photonic structure with a predefined structure;
wherein the optically active material is formed in the predefined structure so as to be substantially self-aligned in a lateral plane with the optically passive aspect; and
wherein the optically passive aspect comprises an optical waveguide and an optical cavity.

15. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the optically active material is operable to perform light generation, amplification, detection, modulation, or a combination thereof.

16. A semiconductor device for use in an optical application comprising:
an optically passive aspect that is operable in a substantially optically passive mode;
an optically active material having a material that is operable in a substantially optically active mode; and
a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser implemented by way of alternating layers of the optically active material;
wherein the optically passive aspect is patterned to include a photonic structure with a predefined structure; and
wherein the optically active material is formed in the predefined structure so as to be substantially self-aligned in a lateral plane with the optically passive aspect.

17. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 16 , wherein an emission region of the vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser is positioned relative to the optically passive aspect such that light generated by the vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser is coupled substantially in at least one of: a vertical plane relative to a surface of the optically passive aspect and laterally in an in-plane direction of the optically passive aspect.

18. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 17 , further comprising a two-dimensional photonic crystal cavity in which periodic holes are formed in two in-plane directions of the photonic structure.

19. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 18 , further comprising a photonic crystal waveguide configured to couple the light generated by the optically active material to a desired location.

20. A semiconductor device for use in an optical application comprising:
an optically passive aspect that is operable in a substantially optically passive mode;
an optically active material having a material that is operable in a substantially optically active mode;
wherein the optically passive aspect is patterned to include a photonic structure with a predefined structure;
wherein the optically active material is formed in the predefined structure so as to be substantially self-aligned in a lateral plane with the optically passive aspect; and
wherein a cross-section of the optically passive aspect in a longitudinal plane is smaller than a corresponding cross-section of the predefined structure, thereby facilitating light generated by the optically active material to be substantially coupled to the optically passive aspect.

21. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 20 , wherein the optically passive aspect comprises a tapered region between the smaller cross-section and the predefined structure.

22. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 21 , further comprising a one-dimensional photonic crystal cavity in which periodic holes are formed in an in-plane direction of the photonic structure and in a region thereof where light generated by the optically active material is substantially coupled to the optically passive aspect.

23. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 22 , wherein the periodic holes are substantially of the same-size.

24. The semicond

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Czornomaz Lukas
• Hofrichter Jens
• Richter Mirja
• Riel Heike E

Classifications

• H10H20/01

  Manufacture or treatment · CPC title

• H10F71/00

  Manufacture or treatment of devices covered by this subclass (patterning processes to connect thin photovoltaic cells in integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, having photovoltaic cells H10F19/33; manufacture or treatment of encapsulations or containers for integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, having photovoltaic cells H10F19/80; manufacture or treatment of integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one element in which radiation controls the flow of current H10F39/00) · CPC title

• H01S5/00

  Semiconductor lasers (superluminescent diodes H10H20/00) · CPC title

• G02B6/12004 Primary

  Combinations of two or more optical elements · CPC title

• G02B6/1225 Primary

  comprising photonic band-gap structures or photonic lattices · CPC title