Abstract: A layer of amorphous Ge is formed on a substrate using electron-beam evaporation. The evaporation is performed at room temperature. The layer of amorphous Ge has a thickness of at least 50 nm and a purity of at least 90% Ge. The substrate is complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) compatible and is transparent at Long-Wave Infrared (LWIR) wavelengths. The layer of amorphous Ge can be used as a waveguide in chemical sensing and data communication applications. The amorphous Ge waveguide has a transmission loss in the LWIR of 11 dB/cm or less at 8 ?m.

Abstract: A layer of amorphous Ge is formed on a substrate using electron-beam evaporation. The evaporation is performed at room temperature. The layer of amorphous Ge has a thickness of at least 50 nm and a purity of at least 90% Ge. The substrate is complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) compatible and is transparent at Long-Wave Infrared (LWIR) wavelengths. The layer of amorphous Ge can be used as a waveguide in chemical sensing and data communication applications. The amorphous Ge waveguide has a transmission loss in the LWIR of 11 dB/cm or less at 8 ?m.

Abstract: A layer of amorphous Ge is formed on a substrate using electron-beam evaporation. The evaporation is performed at room temperature. The layer of amorphous Ge has a thickness of at least 50 nm and a purity of at least 90% Ge. The substrate is complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) compatible and is transparent at Long-Wave Infrared (LWIR) wavelengths. The layer of amorphous Ge can be used as a waveguide in chemical sensing and data communication applications. The amorphous Ge waveguide has a transmission loss in the LWIR of 11 dB/cm or less at 8 ?m.

Abstract: Optical interconnects can offer higher bandwidth, lower power, lower cost, and higher latency than electrical interconnects alone. The optical interconnect system enables both optical and electrical interconnection, leverages existing fabrication processes to facilitate package-level integration, and delivers high alignment tolerance and low coupling losses. The optical interconnect system provides connections between a photonics integrated chip (PIC) and a chip carrier and between the chip carrier and external circuitry. The system provides a single flip chip interconnection between external circuitry and a chip carrier using a ball grid array (BGA) infrastructure. The system uses graded index (GRIN) lenses and cross-taper waveguide couplers to optically couple components, delivers coupling losses of less than 0.5 dB with an alignment tolerance of ±1 ?m, and accommodates a 2.5× higher bandwidth density.

Abstract: Optical interconnects can offer higher bandwidth, lower power, lower cost, and higher latency than electrical interconnects alone. The optical interconnect system enables both optical and electrical interconnection, leverages existing fabrication processes to facilitate package-level integration, and delivers high alignment tolerance and low coupling losses. The optical interconnect system provides connections between a photonics integrated chip (PIC) and a chip carrier and between the chip carrier and external circuitry. The system provides a single flip chip interconnection between external circuitry and a chip carrier using a ball grid array (BGA) infrastructure. The system uses graded index (GRIN) lenses and cross-taper waveguide couplers to optically couple components, delivers coupling losses of less than 0.5 dB with an alignment tolerance of ±1 ?m, and accommodates a 2.5× higher bandwidth density.

Abstract: A layer of amorphous Ge is formed on a substrate using electron-beam evaporation. The evaporation is performed at room temperature. The layer of amorphous Ge has a thickness of at least 50 nm and a purity of at least 90% Ge. The substrate is complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) compatible and is transparent at Long-Wave Infrared (LWIR) wavelengths. The layer of amorphous Ge can be used as a waveguide in chemical sensing and data communication applications. The amorphous Ge waveguide has a transmission loss in the LWIR of 11 dB/cm or less at 8 ?m.

Abstract: There is provided a substrate with a lower growth confinement layer disposed thereon. An upper growth confinement layer is disposed above and vertically separated from the lower growth confinement layer. A planar lateral growth channel is provided between the upper and lower growth confinement layers with a vertical separation between the layers along the lateral growth channel. A germanium material growth seed of amorphous silicon is disposed at a site adjacent to the lateral growth channel. The upper growth confinement layer and the lower growth confinement layer each prohibits crystalline germanium material nucleation on the upper and lower growth confinement layers during exposure to GeH4 gas, for crystalline germanium material growth initiation in the lateral growth channel only at the growth seed site. Crystalline germanium material fills the lateral growth channel. A growth channel outlet provides formed crystalline germanium material from the lateral growth channel.

Abstract: In a photonic waveguide, there is provided an undercladding layer and a waveguide core, having a cross-sectional height and width, that is disposed on the undercladding layer. The waveguide core comprises a waveguide core material having a thermo-optic coefficient. A refractive index tuning cladding layer is disposed on top of the waveguide core. The refractive index tuning cladding layer comprises a refractive index tuning cladding material having an adjustable refractive index and an absorption length at a refractive index tuning radiation wavelength. A thermo-optic coefficient compensation cladding layer is disposed on top of the refractive index tuning cladding layer. The thermo-optic coefficient compensation cladding layer comprises a thermo-optic coefficient compensation material having a thermo-optic coefficient that is of opposite sign to the thermo-optic coefficient of the waveguide core material.

Abstract: A chip-scale, air-clad semiconductor pedestal waveguide can be used as a mid-infrared (mid-IR) sensor capable of in situ monitoring of organic solvents and other analytes. The sensor uses evanescent coupling from a silicon or germanium waveguide, which is highly transparent in the mid-IR portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, to probe the absorption spectrum of fluid surrounding the waveguide. Launching a mid-IR beam into the waveguide exposed to a particular analyte causes attenuation of the evanescent wave's spectral components due to absorption by carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, and/or nitrogen bonds in the surrounding fluid. Detecting these changes at the waveguide's output provides an indication of the type and concentration of one or more compounds in the surrounding fluid. If desired, the sensor may be integrated onto a silicon substrate with a mid-IR light source and a mid-IR detector to form a chip-based spectrometer.

Abstract: A chip-scale, air-clad semiconductor pedestal waveguide can be used as a mid-infrared (mid-IR) sensor capable of in situ monitoring of organic solvents and other analytes. The sensor uses evanescent coupling from a silicon or germanium waveguide, which is highly transparent in the mid-IR portion of the electromagnetic spectrum (e.g., between ?=1.3 ?m and ?=6.5 ?m for silicon and ?=1.3 ?m and ?=12.0 ?m for germanium), to probe the absorption spectrum of the fluid surrounding the waveguide. Launching a mid-IR beam into the waveguide exposed to a particular analyte causes attenuation of the evanescent wave's spectral components due to absorption by carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, and/or nitrogen bonds in the surrounding fluid. Detecting these changes at the waveguide's output provides an indication of the type and concentration of one or more compounds in the surrounding fluid.

Abstract: A patterned nonreciprocal optical resonator structure is provided that includes a resonator structure that receives an optical signal. A top cladding layer is deposited on a selective portion of the resonator structure. The top cladding layer is patterned so as to expose the core of the resonator structure defined by the selective portion. A magneto-optically active layer includes a magneto-optical medium being deposited on the exposed core of the resonator structure so as to generate optical non-reciprocity.

Abstract: An optical amplifier on a silicon platform includes a first doped device layer and a second doped device layer. A gain medium is positioned between the first and second doped device layers. The gain medium comprises extrinsic gain materials so as to substantially confine in the gain medium a light signal and allow the optical amplifier to be electrically or optically pumped.

Abstract: In a photonic waveguide, there is provided an undercladding layer and a waveguide core, having a cross-sectional height and width, that is disposed on the undercladding layer. The waveguide core comprises a waveguide core material having a thermo-optic coefficient. A refractive index tuning cladding layer is disposed on top of the waveguide core. The refractive index tuning cladding layer comprises a refractive index tuning cladding material having an adjustable refractive index and an absorption length at a refractive index tuning radiation wavelength. A thermo-optic coefficient compensation cladding layer is disposed on top of the refractive index tuning cladding layer. The thermo-optic coefficient compensation cladding layer comprises a thermo-optic coefficient compensation material having a thermo-optic coefficient that is of opposite sign to the thermo-optic coefficient of the waveguide core material.

Abstract: A patterned nonreciprocal optical resonator structure is provided that includes a resonator structure that receives an optical signal. A top cladding layer is deposited on a selective portion of the resonator structure. The top cladding layer is patterned so as to expose the core of the resonator structure defined by the selective portion. A magneto-optically active layer includes a magneto-optical medium being deposited on the exposed core of the resonator structure so as to generate optical non-reciprocity.

Abstract: A light emitting device is provided that includes at least one first semiconductor material layers and at least one second semiconductor material layers. At least one near-direct band gap material layers are positioned between the at least one first semiconductor layers and the at least one second semiconductor material layers. The at least one first semiconductor layers and the at least one second material layers have a larger band gap than the at least one near-direct band gap material layers. The at least one near-direct band gap material layers have an energy difference between the direct and indirect band gaps of less than 0.5 eV.

Abstract: A multispectral pixel structure is provided that includes a plurality of stacked cavity arrangements for emitting or detecting a plurality of specified wavelengths, wherein each stacked cavity arrangement having a photoactive layer for spectral emission or detection of one of the specified wavelengths. The photoactive layer is positioned within a resonant cavity stack and the resonant cavity stack being positioned between two adjacent mirror stacks. A plurality of coupling-matching layers are positioned between one or more of the stack mirror arrangements for controlling optical phase and coupling strength between emitted or incident light and resonant modes in each of the stacked cavity arrangements.

Abstract: An optoelectronic device includes an input waveguide structure that receives an input optical signal. A GeSi/Si waveguide structure receives from the input waveguide the input optical signal and performs selective optoelectronic operations on the input optical signal. The GeSi/Si waveguide structure outputs an optical or electrical output signal associated with the selective optoelectronic operations performed on the input optical signal. An output waveguide structure receives the output optical signal from the GeSi/Si waveguide structure and provides the optical output signal for further processing.

Abstract: An infrared photodiode structure is provided. The infrared photodiode structure includes a doped semiconductor layer having ions of certain conductivity. An active photodetecting region is positioned on the doped semiconductor layer for detecting an infrared light signal. The active photodetecting region includes one or more amorphous semiconductor materials so as to allow for high signal-to-noise ratio being achieved by invoking carrier hopping and band conduction, under dark and illuminated conditions.

Abstract: In a structure for crystalline material growth, there is provided a lower growth confinement layer and an upper growth confinement layer that is disposed above and vertically separated from the lower growth confinement layer. A lateral growth channel is provided between the upper and lower growth confinement layers, and is characterized by a height that is defined by the vertical separation between the upper and lower growth confinement layers. A growth seed is disposed at a site in the lateral growth channel for initiating crystalline material growth in the channel. A growth channel outlet is included for providing formed crystalline material from the growth channel. With this growth confinement structure, crystalline material can be grown from the growth seed to the lateral growth channel outlet.

Abstract: A light emitting device is provided that includes at least one first semiconductor material layers and at least one second semiconductor material layers. At least one near-direct band gap material layers are positioned between the at least one first semiconductor layers and the at least one second semiconductor material layers. The at least one first semiconductor layers and the at least one second material layers have a larger band gap than the at least one near-direct band gap material layers. The at least one near-direct band gap material layers have an energy difference between the direct and indirect band gaps of less than 0.5 eV.