KR-20260067966-A - Optical modulators, methods of manufacturing the same and apparatus including optical modulator

KR20260067966AKR 20260067966 AKR20260067966 AKR 20260067966AKR-20260067966-A

Abstract

An optical modulator, a method for manufacturing the same, and an electronic device including the optical modulator are disclosed. An optical modulator according to one embodiment comprises a first semiconductor layer, a second semiconductor layer provided in the form of a microdisk on the first semiconductor layer and including a high-doping region with a relatively high doping concentration and a low-doping region with a relatively low doping concentration, a first optical waveguide disposed adjacent to the second semiconductor layer, and first and second electrode layers provided spaced apart from each other on the high-doping region, wherein the second semiconductor layer includes at least one recess, and the second semiconductor layer has at least one step difference due to the recess, and the high-doping region, the low-doping region, and the recess may be concentric circles.

Inventors

이두현
남궁각
박재철

Assignees

삼성전자주식회사

Dates

Publication Date: 20260513
Application Date: 20250626
Priority Date: 20241105

Claims (20)

First semiconductor layer; A second semiconductor layer provided in the form of a microdisk on the first semiconductor layer and comprising a high-doping region with a relatively high doping concentration and a low-doping region with a relatively low doping concentration; A first optical waveguide disposed adjacent to the second semiconductor layer; and It includes first and second electrode layers spaced apart from each other on the high-doping region; The second semiconductor layer comprises at least one recess; and The second semiconductor layer has at least one step difference due to the recess, The above high-doping region, the above low-doping region, and the above recess are concentric circles of the optical modulator.
In Article 1, The above second semiconductor layer includes a first recess, and The bottom surface of the first recess includes the upper surface of the high-doping region and the upper surface of the low-doping region, and the side surface of the first recess includes the inner surface of the low-doping region. An optical modulator having a first step in the low-doping region due to the first recess.
In Article 2, The above high-doping region includes an N-doping region injected with an N-type dopant and a P-doping region injected with a P-type dopant, and The above low-doping region includes an N-doping region injected with an N-type dopant and a P-doping region injected with a P-type dopant, and The bottom surface of the first recess includes the upper surface of the N-doping region of the high-doping region, the upper surface of the P-doping region, and the first upper surface of the P-doping region of the low-doping region. The side of the first recess includes the inner surface of the P-doping region of the low-doping region, and The above first step is an optical modulator corresponding to the height difference between the first upper surface of the P-doping region of the low-doping region and the second upper surface located higher than the first upper surface.
In Article 2, The above high-doping region includes an N-doping region injected with an N-type dopant and a P-doping region injected with a P-type dopant, and The above low-doping region includes an N-doping region injected with an N-type dopant and a P-doping region injected with a P-type dopant, and The bottom surface of the first recess includes the upper surface of the N-doping region of the high-doping region, the upper surface of the P-doping region, and the first upper surface of the P-doping region of the low-doping region. The side of the first recess includes the inner surface of the P-doping region of the low-doping region and the inner surface of the N-doping region of the low-doping region, The first step difference corresponds to the height difference between the first upper surface of the P-doping region of the low-doping region and the upper surface of the N-doping region of the low-doping region, and An optical modulator in which the N-doping region of the low-doping region is located between the P-doping region and the first semiconductor layer, and completely surrounds the P-doping region of the low-doping region around the first recess, and the outer surface of the N-doping region of the low-doping region is the side of the second semiconductor layer.
In Article 3 or Article 4, The P-doped region and the N-doped region of the above high-doped region are concentric circles, and there is a step difference between the center and the edge of the N-doped region of the above high-doped region, and The thickness of the edge of the N-doped region of the above-mentioned high-doped region is thinner than the thickness of the center, and An optical modulator in which the P-doped region of the high-doped region overlaps with the edge of the N-doped region of the high-doped region, and the upper surface of the P-doped region of the high-doped region and the upper surface of the N-doped region form the same plane.
In Article 2, The second semiconductor layer is provided inside the first recess and includes a second recess that is concentric with the first recess. The side and bottom surfaces of the second recess include the surface of the high-doping region, and Due to the second recess, a second step exists inside the first recess, and The first step and the second step are spaced apart from each other in a horizontal direction parallel to the upper surface of the first semiconductor layer, and the first step and the second step are at different heights of the optical modulator.
In Paragraph 3, The above-mentioned high-doping region includes an N-doping region doped with an N-type dopant and a P-doping region doped with a P-type dopant, and The above N-doping region and the above P-doping region are concentric circles, and The bottom surface of the second recess is the upper surface of the N-doping region, and The side of the second recess includes the side of the P-doping region, and The above second step is an optical modulator corresponding to the height difference between the upper surface of the N-doping region of the above high-doping region and the upper surface of the P-doping region.
In Paragraph 3, The above-mentioned high-doping region includes an N-doping region doped with an N-type dopant and a P-doping region doped with a P-type dopant, and The above N-doping region and the above P-doping region are concentric circles, and The N-doping region and the P-doping region are spaced apart from each other in a direction perpendicular to the upper surface of the first semiconductor layer, and The bottom surface of the second recess is the upper surface of the N-doping region, and The side of the second recess includes the side of the P-doping region, and The above second step corresponds to the height difference between the upper surface of the N-doping region of the above high-doping region and the upper surface of the P-doping region, and A portion of the low-doping region exists between the N-doping region and the P-doping region that are spaced apart from each other, and The side of the second recess is composed of a side of a part of the low-doping region and a side of the P-doping region, and The above low-doping region includes an N-doping region doped with an N-dopant and a P-doping region doped with a P-dopant, and The N-doping region and the P-doping region of the above low-doping region are concentric circles, and The bottom surface of the first recess includes the upper surface of the P-doping region of the low-doping region, and An optical modulator in which the inner surface of the first recess includes the side of the P-doping region of the low-doping region.
In Article 1, The above second semiconductor layer includes a first recess, and The bottom surface of the first recess includes the upper surface of the low-doping region, and the side surface of the first recess includes the inner surface of the low-doping region. An optical modulator having a first step in the low-doping region due to the first recess.
In Article 9, The second semiconductor layer is provided inside the first recess and includes a second recess that is concentric with the first recess. The bottom surface of the second recess includes the surface of the high-doping region, and the side surface of the second recess includes the inner surface of the low-doping region. Due to the second recess, a second step exists inside the first recess, and The first step and the second step are spaced apart from each other in a horizontal direction parallel to the upper surface of the first semiconductor layer, and the first step and the second step are at different heights of the optical modulator.
In Article 10, The above-mentioned high-doping region includes an N-doping region doped with an N-type dopant and a P-doping region doped with a P-type dopant, and The above N-doping region and the above P-doping region are concentric circles, and The N-doping region and the P-doping region are spaced apart from each other in a direction perpendicular to the upper surface of the first semiconductor layer, and The bottom surface of the second recess is the upper surface of the N-doping region, and The above P-doping region is on the bottom surface of the first recess, and the inner surface of the P-doping region and the side surface of the second recess form the same side surface, and The above second step corresponds to the height difference between the upper surface of the N-doping region of the high-doping region and the bottom surface of the first recess, and The above low-doping region includes an N-doping region doped with an N-dopant and a P-doping region doped with a P-dopant, and The N-doping region and the P-doping region of the above low-doping region are concentric circles, and The bottom surface of the first recess includes the upper surface of the P-doping region of the low-doping region, and An optical modulator in which the inner surface of the first recess includes the side of the P-doping region of the low-doping region.
In Article 1 The above second semiconductor layer includes a first recess, and The side and bottom surfaces of the first recess include the surface of the high-doping region, and An optical modulator having a first step in the high-doping region due to the first recess.
In Article 12, The above high-doping region includes an N-doping region injected with an N-type dopant and a P-doping region injected with a P-type dopant, and The bottom surface of the first recess includes the upper surface of the N-doping region, and The side of the first recess includes the side of the P-doping region, and The N-doped region and the P-doped region are provided to overlap each other around the first recess, In a planar plane, the low-puffing region is configured to completely surround the high-puffing region, and The above low-doping region includes an N-doping region injected with an N-type dopant and a P-doping region injected with a P-type dopant, and The N-doping region and the P-doping region of the above low-doping region are sequentially arranged in a direction perpendicular to the upper surface of the first semiconductor layer, forming an optical modulator.
In Article 1 The above second semiconductor layer includes a first recess, and The bottom surface of the first recess includes the upper surface of the first doping region of the high doping region, and The side of the first recess includes the side of the low-doping region and the side of the second doping region of the high-doping region, and The first doping region and the second doping region are spaced apart from each other, The first doping region, the second doping region, and the first recess are concentric circles, and Due to the first recess, there is a step difference between the upper surface of the first doping region and the upper surface of the second doping region, and The first and second doping regions above include dopants of opposite types, and They are spaced apart from each other in a direction perpendicular to the upper surface of the first semiconductor layer, The outer diameter of the first doping region and the inner diameter of the second doping region are the same as each other, An optical modulator configured such that the upper surface of the second doping region and the upper surface of the low doping region form the same surface.
In any one of paragraphs 1 to 4 or any one of paragraphs 6 to 14, It further includes a second optical waveguide spaced apart from the second semiconductor layer, and The second semiconductor layer is an optical modulator disposed between the first optical waveguide and the second optical waveguide.
A step of forming a second semiconductor layer in the form of a micro-disk on a first semiconductor layer; A step of forming a circular first doping region in a portion of the second semiconductor layer; A step of forming a second doping region on the second semiconductor layer around the first doping region such that it is concentric with the first doping region and surrounds the first doping region in a planar shape; A step of forming a first step in one of the first and second doping regions; and A method for manufacturing an optical modulator comprising the step of forming an electrode layer on the first doping region having a doping concentration higher than that of the second doping region.
In Article 16, A method for manufacturing an optical modulator in which the first step is formed in the first doping region.
In Article 17, A method for manufacturing an optical modulator, further comprising the step of forming a second step in the second doping region.
In Article 18, The step of forming the second doping region above is, Step of forming a first doping layer; A step of forming a second doping layer on the first doping layer to include the second step; and The method further comprises the step of forming a third doping layer that covers the outer portion of the second step of the second doping layer and contacts the first doping layer. A method for manufacturing an optical modulator in which the first doping layer and the third doping layer include the same type of dopant.
Light source; An optical waveguide through which light emitted from the above light source is transmitted; A semiconductor layer disposed adjacent to the optical waveguide, provided in the form of a microdisk, and comprising a plurality of doping regions; and Includes an amplifier provided to amplify light transmitted through the above optical waveguide; The semiconductor layer includes first and second doping regions included in the plurality of doping regions at the center, and In the plurality of doping regions, the remaining doping regions, excluding the first and second doping regions, are arranged around the first and second doping regions, and The first and second doping regions are regions doped with dopants of opposite types, and The doping concentration of the first and second doping regions is higher than that of the remaining doping regions, and The above semiconductor layer is an electronic device comprising at least one step.

Description

Optical modulator, methods of manufacturing the same, and apparatus including optical modulator The present disclosure relates to optical elements, and more specifically, to an optical modulator of a photonic integrated circuit (PIC), a method for manufacturing the same, and an apparatus including such an optical modulator. In silicon (Si)-based photonic integrated circuits (PICs), Mach-Zehnder interferometers (MZI) and micro-ring modulators (MRM) are primarily used as optical modulators. For broadband information transmission, approaches have been taken to increase the modulation speed of these optical modulators, and at the same time, wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) technology is being applied to transmit signals of multiple wavelengths simultaneously through a single waveguide for parallel processing. In particular, MRM is widely used because it modulates only light with a wavelength that matches the resonant wavelength of the micro-ring, allowing for a relatively simple configuration of WDM optical circuits and enabling high-speed modulation. To expand WDM bandwidth, the diameter of the micro-ring must be progressively reduced; however, this process can lead to increased optical loss due to the increased curvature of the micro-ring. As an alternative, a method of configuring the resonator in the form of a micro-disk has been introduced, but it includes factors that limit the optical modulation speed. FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a first optical modulator according to an exemplary embodiment. Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of Figure 1 cut in the 2-2' direction. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of Figure 1 cut in the 3-3' direction. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a second optical modulator according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a third optical modulator according to an exemplary embodiment. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of Figure 5 cut in the 6-6' direction. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of Figure 5 cut in the 7-7' direction. FIGS. 8 and FIGS. 9 are cross-sectional views showing variations of the third optical modulator exemplified in FIG. 5. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a fourth optical modulator according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a fifth optical modulator according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 11 cut in the 12-12' direction. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 11 cut in the 13-13' direction. FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view showing a sixth optical modulator according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view showing a seventh optical modulator according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view showing an eighth optical modulator according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 17 is a plan view exemplarily showing a case in which the optical modulator exemplified in FIG. 1 to FIG. 16 includes a plurality of optical waveguides. FIGS. 18 to 26 are cross-sectional views showing, in steps, a method for manufacturing a third optical modulator according to an exemplary embodiment. FIGS. 27 to 37 are cross-sectional views showing, in steps, a method for manufacturing a fifth optical modulator according to an exemplary embodiment. FIGS. 38 to 52 are cross-sectional views showing, in steps, a method for manufacturing an eighth optical modulator according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 53 is a cross-sectional view showing one step of the manufacturing process of a seventh optical modulator according to an exemplary embodiment. FIGS. 54 to 64 are cross-sectional views showing, in steps, a method for manufacturing a first optical modulator according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 65 is a cross-sectional view showing the first and second models used in a simulation to verify the difference (effect) between the high-doping regions of the optical modulator when there is a step difference and when there is no step difference. FIG. 66 is a block diagram schematically illustrating an electronic device according to an exemplary embodiment. Hereinafter, an optical modulator according to an exemplary embodiment, a method for manufacturing the same, and an apparatus including the optical modulator will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. In this process, the thicknesses of the layers or regions depicted in the drawings may be somewhat exaggerated for the clarity of the specification. The embodiments described below are merely illustrative, and various modifications are possible from these embodiments. Additionally, in the layer structures described below, expressions such as "upper" or "upper" may include not only those directly above in contact but also those above non-contact. In the description below, the same reference numeral in each drawing indicates the same component. A singular expression includes a plural expression unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, when a part is sai