Component production and characterization/SCOOP (Semiconductor COmponents for Optical signal Processing)

  • Hvam, Jørn Marcher (Project Manager)
  • Romstad, Francis (Project Participant)
  • Skovgaard, Peter M. W. (Project Participant)
  • Yvind, Kresten (Project Participant)

    Project Details

    Description

    Within the SCOOP project, a number of different optoelectronic devices will be designed, processed and experimentally evaluated. These devices can be divided into 3 groups:
    Electroabsorbers (EAs): Modulation of the reverse bias of the active region in a semiconductor waveguide will modulate the optical absorption. This can be exploited to use the EAs as de-multiplexers where a high bit-rate signal can be reduces to a lower frequency signal that can be easily detected by electronics.
    Interferometric devices: In a non-linear media like semiconductors, the refractive index depends on the carrier density. This can be utilised to change the phase in one optical arm in an interferometer to alter between constructive and destructive interference. By using a low frequency optical pulse to create the phase change these devices can be used as de-multiplexers. The first generation devices will consist of interferometric structures of Michelson or Mach-Zender type.
    Lasers: A range of lasers for mode-locked operation are being processed. The devices comprise of a ~350 mm long gain section and a shorter (~30 mm) absorber section. By inserting the laser into an external cavity and modulating the driving current for either the gain or the absorption regions, the mode-locked regime can be reached where the laser output consists of short optical pulses.
    All the devices are being processed using in the facilities of GIGA. The material is Indium Phosphide based wafers with operating wavelengths of about 1.5 mm. The waveguides are ridge waveguide structures where a slab of semiconductor (high index) material on top of the active region will increase the effective refractive index around the active region. The slab is created by masking 2-3 mm wide stripes and dry etch ~2 mm of the material away around the stripe. After defining the electrical contacts, the wafer is cleaved into single devices and an anti-reflection coating can be deposited on the facet.
    StatusFinished
    Effective start/end date01/10/199831/12/2005

    Collaborative partners

    Funding

    • Unknown

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