Abstract: Techniques and configurations are provided for packaging optoelectronic devices. In particular, a lid component of an optoelectronic device is provided, and the lid component is configured to cover active components of the optoelectronic device. An optically transparent wall is also provided. The optically transparent wall is coated with an anti-reflective material and configured to interface with a section of the lid component. The optically transparent wall is joined with the section of the lid component such that the optically transparent wall and the lid provide a seal for the active components of the optoelectronic device. Additionally, the lid component has a top surface and a plurality of side surfaces that are coupled to the top surface. An optically transparent wall coated with an anti-reflective material adhesively joins to the top surface and one or more side surfaces.

Abstract: Techniques and configurations are provided for packaging optoelectronic devices. In particular, a lid component of an optoelectronic device is provided, and the lid component is configured to cover active components of the optoelectronic device. An optically transparent wall is also provided. The optically transparent wall is coated with an anti-reflective material and configured to interface with a section of the lid component. The optically transparent wall is joined with the section of the lid component such that the optically transparent wall and the lid provide a seal for the active components of the optoelectronic device. Additionally, the lid component has a top surface and a plurality of side surfaces that are coupled to the top surface. An optically transparent wall coated with an anti-reflective material adhesively joins to the top surface and one or more side surfaces.

Abstract: A semiconductor optical device structure includes passivated facets formed by first removing the native oxide contaminant with a “non-reactive” molecular gas etchant, such as XeF2. As the oxide is removed, a passivation flux is introduced into the vacuum chamber so as to begin the process of forming a passivation layer to cover the exposed facet surface. The gas etchant is slowly turned off and the flux is increased so as to form a passivation layer of the desired thickness on the “cleaned” facet surface. A protective film is then be evaporated to cover the passivation layer.

Abstract: The invention is a semiconductor device and method of fabricating the device. The device includes a semiconductor substrate with an active region, and a low dielectric constant insulating layer formed over the substrate. An additional insulating layer is formed over the low dielectric constant layer by a low temperature deposition, such as ion beam assistance deposition. A metal layer can then be formed over the additional layer using lift-off techniques. The metal layer can be patterned to form a bond pad which may be displaced from the area over the active region. Wire bonds can be made on the bond pad using ultrasonic energy.

Abstract: An e-beam deposition method and apparatus uses a metallic target and localized oxygen ambient to produce an oxide film for deposition. A metallic target is first heated, then exposed to a stream of oxide, resulting in the formation of a relatively thin layer of oxide on the metallic target surface. Since the oxide has a higher vapor pressure than the underlying metal, when the target is impinged by an electron-beam current, the oxide will preferentially vaporize and be deflected toward the surface to coated.

Abstract: The invention is an optical waveguide device and method of fabrication, where the device includes a pyroelectric substrate such as lithium niobate, a waveguide formed in the substrate, a buffer layer formed over the substrate, and at least one electrode formed over the buffer layer. The device further includes a dielectric diffusion barrier layer formed between the substrate and the buffer layer. The dielectric material is preferably a fluorine-doped nitride or a deuterated nitride.

Abstract: A mesa stripe buried heterostructure semiconductor laser with no intediffusion of atoms between doped regions and a method of its formation are disclosed. A double dielectric mask is used to form the mesa stripe. The first mask is then partially etched and a Si-doped InP layer is selectively grown. The first and second mask are subsequently etched away and an InP(Zn) clad layer, along with a Zn-doped InGaAs contact layer, are formed. This way, the resulting structure has no contact between the InP(Zn) clad layer and the InP(Fe) layer, and the dopant atoms interdiffusion is suppressed.

Abstract: The invention is a semiconductor device and method of fabricating the device. The device includes a semiconductor substrate with an active region, and a low dielectric constant insulating layer formed over the substrate. An additional insulating layer is formed over the low dielectric constant layer by a low temperature deposition, such as ion beam assistance deposition. A metal layer can then be formed over the additional layer using lift-off techniques. The metal layer can be patterned to form a bond pad which may be displaced from the area over the active region. Wire bonds can be made on the bond pad using ultrasonic energy.

Abstract: A non-hermetic APD for operation in a moisture-containing ambient comprises an InP/InGaAsP-containing Group III-V compound semiconductor body and a p-n junction formed in the body. Typically the junction intersects a top surface of the body. A patterned dielectric layer is formed on the surface so as to cover at least those regions of the surface that are intersected by the junction. An electrode is formed in an opening in the dielectric layer so as to make electrical contact with one side of the junction. Importantly, the thickness of the dielectric layer is sufficient to reduce the leakage current through it to less than about 1 nA when the operating voltage is in the range of about 20-100 V. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the thickness of the dielectric layer is greater than about 2 &mgr;m when the applied voltage is in excess of about 20 V. Moreover, the composition of dielectric layer may be either inorganic (e.g., a silicon nitride) or a combination of inorganic and organic materials.

Abstract: The invention is a semiconductor device and method of fabricating the device. The device includes a semiconductor substrate with an active region, and a low dielectric constant insulating layer formed over the substrate. An additional insulating layer is formed over the low dielectric constant layer by a low temperature deposition, such as ion beam assistance deposition. A metal layer can then be formed over the additional layer using lift-off techniques. The metal layer can be patterned to form a bond pad which may be displaced from the area over the active region. Wire bonds can be made on the bond pad using ultrasonic energy.

Abstract: A non-hermetic APD for operation in a moisture-containing ambient comprises an InP/InGaAsP-containing Group III-V compound semiconductor body and a p-n junction formed in the body. Typically the junction intersects a top surface of the body. A patterned dielectric layer is formed on the surface so as to cover at least those regions of the surface that are intersected by the junction. An electrode is formed in an opening in the dielectric layer so as to make electrical contact with one side of the junction. Importantly, the thickness of the dielectric layer is sufficient to reduce the leakage current through it to less than about 1 nA when the operating voltage is in the range of about 20-100 V. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the thickness of the dielectric layer is greater than about 2 &mgr;m when the applied voltage is in excess of about 20 V. Moreover, the composition of dielectric layer may be either inorganic (e.g., a silicon nitride) or a combination of inorganic and organic materials.

Abstract: A laser processing fixture is formed to allow for facet processing of cleaved laser bars, either individually, or allowing for multiple bars to be processed simultaneously. The fixture holds the bars at a precisely-controlled distance with respect to a predefined reference plane, and holds the bars rigidly enough so as to minimize the possibility of vibration, but not so forcefully as to cause damage. The fixture comprises a fixed jaw and a movable jaw, with a pair of spaced-apart support members extending between the jaws. One or more laser bars may then be positioned between the jaws such that the front and rear facets will be exposed above and below the jaws. Therefore, each facet may be processed without unloading and re-loading the bars in the fixture. The support members, which may comprise a pair of wires, are spaced a sufficient distance so as to be disposed beyond the location of any active device region.

Abstract: The invention is an optical device and method of fabrication which mitigates the problem of Zn migration in the cladding and waveguide regions. The contact region includes carbon, which acts as a p-type dopant in ternary semiconductor material.

Abstract: The invention is an optical device and method of fabrication which mitigates the problem of Zn migration in the cladding and waveguide regions. The contact region includes carbon, which acts as a p-type dopant in ternary semiconductor material. The contact layer is made of InGaAs or InGaAsP, and the invention is most advantageously used in an electroabsorption modulated laser or capped mesa buried heterostructure laser.

Abstract: An improved anvil tool for use in laser bar or wafer cleaving comprises a relatively small cross section such that the anvil does not overhang the device edges in any direction. In one embodiment, the surface of the tool contacting the laser wafer or bar is compliant and contains a laterally disposed slit that aligns with the scribe mark on the top surface of the material to be cleaved. The anvil may be formed as a columnar tool or as a film deposited on a substrate. The compliant surface may be removable and in a preferred embodiment may comprise a continuous feed membrane tape so that a “clean” surface is used for each subsequent cleave operation.

Abstract: Fabrication of an optoelectronic device is enhanced by using a focused ion beam to prepare one or more of the device's facet surfaces. In particular, a facet may be oriented at a nearly arbitrary angled with respect to the waveguide within the device by controlling the orientation between the focused ion beam source and the device waveguide. Such facets are useful as antireflection and refractive beamsteering surfaces.

Abstract: An incrementally continuous cleaving system allows for sequential flow of "material-to-be-cleaved" through a cleaving apparatus. In particular, a continuous feed tape membrane is used to support sequentially loaded optical bars (or, perhaps, wafers) that are then transported into a cleaving apparatus. The tape is advanced in small increments so that individual cleaving operations are performed at each scribe mark location on the top surface of the optical material. A vacuum pen (assisted by a detach pin) is then used to remove the cleaved section from the cleaving system. A conventional pick-and-place device may be used in the first instance to continuously load the bars (or wafers) onto the tape membrane.

Abstract: A cleaving apparatus for separating a wafer (or bar) bar of optical devices into separate bars (or individual optical devices) comprises a relatively thin wire, preferably tungsten. The wire is forced against the underside of the bar directly underneath the location of a top side scribe mark. The wire, having a highly uniform, well-controlled radius of curvature, induces a known, reproducible stress through the body of the bar and nucleates a cleavage crack under the scribe mark. A force applied to the top surface of the bar will allow the cleaving crack to propagate cleanly along a single crystal surface through the depth of the bar to the location of the wire.

Abstract: A method and fixture for laser bar facet coating are disclosed. A holder for securing devices having surfaces for coating includes first and second channels. A plurality of web slats are received in the channels. The web slats have first and second ends and first and second device engaging surfaces. The ends of the web slats are received in respective channels. The ends of the web slats cooperate with the ends of adjacent web slats. The web slats are secured at one end of the channels and otherwise are movable along the channels between an open position to receive devices therebetween for coating and a closed position in which edges of the web slats engage the devices received therebetween for coating. A bias member may be used to retain the web slats in the closed position gripping the devices for coating. In another embodiment, the invention provides a method for coating surfaces of substantially parallelepiped devices.

Abstract: A plurality of different wavelength semiconductor lasers are fabricated on a single semiconductor substrate by establishing a thermal gradient across the substrate during epitaxial growth. The result is a variation in composition which produces a corresponding variation of laser wavelength across the substrate. The thermal gradient is preferably achieved by disposing a patterned layer of material (heat reflecting or heat absorbing) on the back side of the substrate, radiatively heating the backside and growing the active layers on the front side. The backside layer is removed when the substrate is lapped to final thickness.