Thermally robust semiconductor optical amplifiers and laser diodes

Patent · Mon Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 2001

OSTI ID:874237

Dijaili, Sol P ^[1]; Patterson, Frank G ^[2]; Walker, Jeffrey D ^[3]; Deri, Robert J ^[4]; Petersen, Holly ^[5]; Goward, William ^[6]

---

1. Moraga, CA
2. Danville, CA
3. El Cerrito, CA
4. Pleasanton, CA
5. Manteca, CA
6. Antioch, CA

A highly heat conductive layer is combined with or placed in the vicinity of the optical waveguide region of active semiconductor components. The thermally conductive layer enhances the conduction of heat away from the active region, which is where the heat is generated in active semiconductor components. This layer is placed so close to the optical region that it must also function as a waveguide and causes the active region to be nearly the same temperature as the ambient or heat sink. However, the semiconductor material itself should be as temperature insensitive as possible and therefore the invention combines a highly thermally conductive dielectric layer with improved semiconductor materials to achieve an overall package that offers improved thermal performance. The highly thermally conductive layer serves two basic functions. First, it provides a lower index material than the semiconductor device so that certain kinds of optical waveguides may be formed, e.g., a ridge waveguide. The second and most important function, as it relates to this invention, is that it provides a significantly higher thermal conductivity than the semiconductor material, which is the principal material in the fabrication of various optoelectronic devices.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• Assignee: The Regents of the University of California (Oakland, CA)
• Patent Number(s): US 6347106
• OSTI ID: 874237
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/372/
achieve
active
ambient
amplifiers
basic
causes
close
combined
combines
components
conduction
conductive
conductivity
device
devices
dielectric
diodes
enhances
fabrication
formed
function
functions
generated
heat
heat conductive
heat sink
highly
improved
index
insensitive
kinds
laser
laser diode
layer
material
materials
nearly
offers
optical
optical amplifier
optical waveguide
optoelectronic
overall
package
performance
placed
principal
provides
region
relates
ridge
robust
semiconductor
semiconductor device
semiconductor material
semiconductor optical
serves
significantly
sink
temperature
thermal
thermal conductivity
thermally
vicinity
waveguide
waveguides