Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a module including a primary substrate defining a base of the module, wherein the primary substrate is provided with a plurality of vias for electrical connection to a photodetector located within an interior portion of the module; a side wall member joined to the primary substrate to form side walls of the module and to define the interior portion of the module; a secondary substrate positioned within the interior portion of the module, the photodetector being mounted on the secondary substrate; an optical fiber guide extending into the interior portion of the module from outside the module, the optical fiber being arranged to receive an optical fiber and to position the optical fiber so that light emerging from the optical fiber impinges upon the photodetector; and a lid joined to the side wall member to enclose the interior portion of the module.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving gain volume in semiconductor optical amplifiers is provided. A multi-mode interference coupler is used for expanding incoming optical signal. Thereafter, another multi-mode interference coupler combines the expanded optical signal.

Abstract: A method and system for photodetector packaging system is provided with a insulating substrate having a shoulder section and a wire bond is used for coupling the photodetector to the insulating substrate at the shoulder section. The system includes an optical fiber that directs incident light directly to the photodetector. Also provided is a method and system for packaging photodetectors with a insulating substrate using conducting vias and a wire bond to couple the photodetector to the insulating substrate. The system includes conducting tabs that are coupled to the conducting vias. The metal tabs are coupled with a transimpedance amplifier by wire bonds and the transimpedance amplifier is coupled to a limiting amplifier by wire bonds.

Abstract: A method for depositing ohmic contact material in a semiconductor, ridge type waveguide device is provided. Ohmic contact material is deposited on a semiconductor wafer and a ridge is fabricated with the deposited material and a first layer of photoresist material. A dielectric material layer is deposited on the ridge and a second photoresist material layer is deposited on the dielectric material layer. The second photoresist material layer is opened to expose the ohmic contact layer and any extra metal overhang is removed to expose the self-aligned ohmic contact layer on the ridge.

Abstract: A system and apparatus for packaging a laser diode is provided according to the present invention. It includes a solid structure having a first cavity, wherein the first cavity receives a fiber pipe with optical fiber, which is aligned to the laser diode. The solid structure also includes a recess that receives the fiber pipe; and a step for receiving a sealing ring. The solid structure is multi-layered and may be manufactured from ceramic material, beryllium oxide or aluminum nitride. The solid structure includes a second cavity that accommodates a fiber alignment mechanism; a sub-mount on which the laser diode is placed; and/or heat sink used for conducting heat from the laser diode.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for aligning a photodetector, such that the photodetector is placed at an inclined angle on an inclined mounting device and incident light enters the photodetector absorption layer at an angle.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing power saturation in a photodetector is provided. The photodetector includes a plurality of parallel absorption channels that receive and split incident light into plural segments. The parallel absorption channels operate as multi mode interference couplers.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a module including a primary substrate defining a base of the module, wherein the primary substrate is provided with a plurality of vias for electrical connection to a photodetector located within an interior portion of the module; a side wall member joined to the primary substrate to form side walls of the module and to define the interior portion of the module; a secondary substrate positioned within the interior portion of the module, the photodetector being mounted on the secondary substrate; an optical fiber guide extending into the interior portion of the module from outside the module, the optical fiber being arranged to receive an optical fiber and to position the optical fiber so that light emerging from the optical fiber impinges upon the photodetector; and a lid joined to the side wall member to enclose the interior portion of the module.

Abstract: An optical modulator device comprised of a semiconductor laser acoustically coupled to a thin film resonator is disclosed herein. The thin film resonator includes a piezoelectric crystal layer having first and second opposing surfaces, with the first opposing surface being in contact with a metallic electrode. The semiconductor laser is interposed between an acoustically reflective surface and the second surface of the thin film resonator. In a preferred implementation the acoustically reflective surface is defined by a submount underlying a substrate upon which is mounted the semiconductor laser.A frequency modulator exhibiting an improved modulation index may be achieved by integrating a superlattice structure within the active region of the semiconductor laser.

Abstract: HgCdTe semiconductor material having an n-type epitaxial layer is grown on a substrate. A graded p-type epitaxial layer is grown on the n-type layer. The p-type layer is graded such that the large bandgap region is adjacent the heterojunction with the narrow bandgap region at the surface of this layer. The periphery of the p-type layer is then etched to expose the large bandgap material. A HgCdTe passivation layer may then be formed on the p-type layer. A resultant structure is then mesa etched. A metal, such as indium, is formed along the walls of the mesa structure. Indium is selected to form a good ohmic contact with the n-type layer and a Schottky barrier with the large bandgap exposed edge of the p-type layer. In this way, the PN junction is passivated at the large bandgap material. The remaining narrow bandgap material in the p-type will form a good ohmic contact to a metal contact formed on this layer.

Abstract: A w-shaped diffused stripe GaAs/AlGaAs laser and a method for making the e. A double heterostructure layered structure includes a p-type GaAs active layer in contact with a p-type AlGaAs current blocking layer. These layers are sandwiched between two N-type AlGaAs confinement layers. A p-type zinc diffused stripe region having a w-shaped diffusion front extends longitudinally between two reflective surfaces located on respective ends of the device and extends vertically from the surface of the upper confinement layer through a portion of the lower confinement layer and through portions of the various intervening layers. In a method of forming the device, the various layers are formed by epitaxial growth or by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. The stripe region is formed by diffusing zinc into the device from a source through a pair of parallel slots in a diffusion mask. The zinc diffused into the device is further driven-in by heating the device in the absence of the zinc source.

Abstract: A zinc-diffused narrow stripe AlGaAs/GaAs double heterostructure laser device and a method of making the same. A double heterostructure layered structure including a p-type GaAs active layer sandwiched between two n-type AlGaAs confinement layers is formed on a substrate. A p-type zinc diffused stripe region having a U-shaped diffusion front extends longitudinally between two reflective surfaces located on respective ends of the device and extends vertically from the surface of the upper confinement layer down to at least the surface of intersection between the active layer and the lower confinement layer. In a method of forming the device, the various layers are formed by epitaxial growth or by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. The stripe region is formed by diffusing zinc from a source through a slot in a diffusion mask. The zinc diffused into the device is driven in by heating the device in the absence of the zinc source.

Abstract: An imaging charge coupled device (CCD) is provided which has a support on the non-illuminated, circuit side of a CCD channel layer. The other side of the CCD channel layer (the semiconductor side) is epitaxially joined to an absorber layer of semiconductor which is epitaxially joined to a window layer. This structure is fabricated by growing the epitaxial semiconductor layers (window, absorber, and channel) on a semiconductor substrate, fabricating a CCD circuit on the channel layer, mounting the channel layer to a support, and finally etching off the substrate.

Abstract: A small-area light-emitting diode of the surface-emitting type has a double heterojunction semiconductor structure grown on a substrate. A semiconductor blocking layer having a hole formed therein is disposed between the substrate and the layers of the double heterojunction semiconductor structure to confine the transverse current flow for greater efficiency. A metallic contact layer is formed on the surface of the double heterojunction semiconductor structure on the side opposite the substrate and has a registering hole formed therein having a size approximately equal to the size of the hole formed in the semiconductor blocking layer and disposed in registration therewith along an axis perpendicular to the layers. The cap layer of the double heterojunction semiconductor structure may include a hole etched therethrough and in registration with the previously mentioned holes for better light emission.

Abstract: A small-area light-emitting diode of the surface-emitting type has a double heterojunction semiconductor structure grown on a substrate. A semiconductor blocking layer having a hole formed therein is disposed between the substrate and the layers of the double heterojunction semiconductor structure to confine the transverse current flow for greater efficiency. A metallic contact layer is formed on the surface of the double heterojunction semiconductor structure on the side opposite the substrate and has a registering hole formed therein having a size approximately equal to the size of the hole formed in the semiconductor blocking layer and disposed in registration therewith along an axis perpendicular to the layers. The cap layer of the double heterojunction semiconductor structure may include a hole etched therethrough and in registration with the previously mentioned holes for better light emission.

Abstract: A double heterostructure light emitting device has a graded index optical waveguide formed integrally therein. The integrally formed waveguide collects light from the heterojunction and directs the light in a distinct light pattern on one surface of the device. The rate of variation of the index gradient within the waveguide region determines the geometry of the light pattern. The light output pattern can be conveniently tailored to match the geometry of a wide variety of optical fiber dimensions.

Abstract: The resistivity of particular layers of a gallium arsenide-gallium aluminum arsenide light emitting diode is altered to provide current confinement in the central regions around the well hole. This is accomplished by proton bombardment to increase resistivity of layers around the lower metal contact area while leaving a low resistivity path over the contact, by diffusion of a low resistivity region into an added high resistivity layer adjacent the light emitting well hole, or by diffusion into a reverse conductivity barrier layer over the lower metal contact area.

Abstract: A method and structure are provided for the simplified batch fabrication of Gallium Arsenide-Aluminum Gallium Arsenide lightemitting diodes. A high aluminum content AlGaAs layer is formed on the GaAs substrate layer to provide an etch resistant mask, and an etchant is employed which preferentially etches the GaAs. This permits simultaneous etching of the substrate to form a plurality of like devices on a common semiconductor wafer in a repeatable low-cost batch process.