Iii-v chip preparation and integration in silicon photonics

Abstract

A composite semiconductor laser is made by securing a III-V wafer to a transfer wafer. A substrate of the III-V wafer is removed, and the III-V wafer is etched into a plurality of chips while the III-V wafer is secured to the transfer wafer. The transfer wafer is singulated. A portion of the transfer wafer is used as a handle for bonding the chip in a recess of a silicon device. The chip is used as a gain medium for the semiconductor laser.

1 . A semiconductor laser comprising:
 a platform, the platform comprising:
 a substrate, the substrate forming a floor, 
 a device layer, wherein:
 the device layer forms walls, 
 a recess in the platform is defined by the floor and the walls, and 
 an optical waveguide is formed in the device layer; and 
 
   a chip bonded in the recess to the floor of the substrate, wherein:
 the chip comprises a facet, 
 the facet is an etched facet, 
 the chip comprises an active region, and 
 the active region of the chip is optically aligned with the optical waveguide in the device layer so that the semiconductor laser is configured to guide an optical beam from the active region of the chip, through the facet of the chip, through a wall of the device layer, and into the optical waveguide. 
   
     
     
         2 . The semiconductor laser of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the chip comprises a waveguide ridge to couple light out the facet, and   the facet is not orthogonal to the waveguide ridge.   
     
     
         3 . The semiconductor laser of  claim 1 , wherein the chip has a non-parallelogram shape. 
     
     
         4 . The semiconductor laser of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the chip has a length equal to or greater than 0.1 μm and equal to or less than 15 μm, and/or   the chip has a width equal to or greater than 0.1 μm and equal to or less than 15 μm.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the chip is garnet. 
     
     
         6 . The semiconductor laser of  claim 1 , wherein the etched facet is curved. 
     
     
         7 . An apparatus comprising:
 a platform, the platform comprising:
 a device layer, wherein walls of the device layer form an opening in the device layer; and 
 a waveguide formed in the device layer; and 
   a chip bonded to the platform, wherein
 the chip is within the opening of the device layer; 
 the chip comprises a facet; 
 the facet is an etched facet; and 
 the chip is optically aligned with the waveguide in the device layer so that an optical beam is guided through the facet of the chip and into the waveguide. 
   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the platform comprises a substrate forming a floor;   the device layer forms walls;   a recess in the platform is defined by the floor and the walls;   the chip comprises an active region;   the active region is a gain region for a laser; and   the active region of the chip is optically aligned with the waveguide so that the apparatus is configured to guide the optical beam from the active region of the chip, through the facet of the chip, through a wall of the device layer, and into the waveguide.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the chip is a gain chip for a laser. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the chip comprises a waveguide ridge to couple light out the facet, and   the facet is not orthogonal to the waveguide ridge.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the chip comprises a waveguide ridge to couple light out the facet, and   the facet is not orthogonal to the waveguide ridge.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the etched facet is curved. 
     
     
         13 . An apparatus comprising:
 a platform comprising a waveguide; and   a chip comprising an etched facet, wherein light is configured to pass through the etched facet and into the waveguide.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the waveguide is a semiconductor waveguide. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the platform comprises:
 a substrate forming a floor; 
 a device layer, wherein:
 the device layer forms walls; 
 a recess in the platform is defined by the floor and the walls; and 
 the waveguide is formed in the device layer; and 
 
   the chip comprises an active region; and
 the active region of the chip is optically aligned with the waveguide so that apparatus is configured to guide an optical beam from the active region of the chip, through the etched facet of the chip, through a wall of the device layer, and into the waveguide. 
   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the platform is made of silicon. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the chip comprises a waveguide ridge to couple light out the etched facet, and   the etched facet is not orthogonal to the waveguide ridge.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the chip has a length equal to or greater than 0.1 μm and equal to or less than 15 μm, and/or   the chip has a width equal to or greater than 0.1 μm and equal to or less than 15 μm.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the chip is garnet. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the chip has a non-parallelogram shape.