Integrated Optical Link on Si Substrate Using Membrane Distributed-Feedback Laser and p-i-n Photodiode

Abstract

On-chip optical interconnection is a promising technology for wiring future large-scale integrated circuits, as a means to mitigate the considerable power dissipation of traditional wiring layers. Here, we fabricate an integrated optical link using a membrane distributed-feedback (DFB) laser and a p-i-n photodiode (PD) in a butt-jointed built-in coupling geometry. The optical link is formed on a Si substrate by benzocyclobutene bonding. The integrated DFB laser shows a low-threshold current of 0.48 mA. Light transmission between the DFB laser and the p-i-n PD is confirmed with static measurements of the optical link. The optical link has a 3-dB bandwidth of 11.3 GHz at a 2.73 mA DFB laser bias current and a -3 V p-i-n PD bias voltage. A data transmission experiment of the optical link is performed, using a nonreturn to zero, pseudorandom-bit-sequence with a word length of 2 31 -1 signals. With a DFB laser bias current of 2.5 mA, 10 Gbit/s data transmission with a bit-error-rate of 6 × 10 -7 is successfully achieved.

Low-power-consumption optical interconnect on silicon by transfer-printing for used in opto-isolators

“…This indicates that the losses including electronic-to-optic conversion loss, butt-coupling loss and optic-to-electronic conversion loss are larger than 99%. Although the calculated SU-8 waveguide loss coefficient is larger than those in the typical laser-to-PD interconnects [14][15][16], it is not the main factor for the current transfer loss in our interconnects. The large waveguide loss is attributed to the light escape associated with the broad-angle emission of the LED into the limited numerical aperture waveguide, the waveguide scattering and inefficient collection of the light by the PD rather than the absorption since the extinction coefficient of the SU-8 at infrared wavelengths is very low [33].…”

Photonic integration technologies for indoor optical wireless communications

“…Another approach with similarly high optical confinement is the InP membranes [23][24][25]. An example of a twin-guide integration scheme is depicted in Figure 1(c) [23].…”

“…The resulted refractive index contrast is therefore very similar to that of the silicon-on-insulator (SOI) waveguides. An advantage of the InP membranes is the flexibility of innovation in the active layerstack, to reduce the active/passive coupling length [23] and enhance fill factor in quantum wells (QWs) [24]. Another advantage is the possibility of realizing functional structures on both sides of the membrane [26].…”

Towards a fully integrated indium-phosphide membrane on silicon photonics platform

“…This enables novel devices like a high-gain optical amplifier (SOA) [2], a high-speed uni-traveling-carrier photodetector (UTC-PD) [3], and an electro-optic polymer phase modulator (EOPPM) [4]. Other InP-based membrane integration schemes focus on on-chip and chip-to-chip optical interconnects and have demonstrated high efficiency lasers with low thresholds [5,6]. With the platform proposed here we aim for generic integration of building blocks, so that it can be used in a wider range of applications.…”