A semiconductor laser has a mirror formed in a gain chip. The mirror can be placed in the gain chip to provide a broadband reflector to support multiple lasers using the gain chip. The mirror can also be placed in the gain chip to have the semiconductor laser be more efficient or more powerful by changing an optical path length of the gain of the semiconductor laser.

A waveguide having a bi-directional optical transmission structure comprises: a main waveguide which is formed in a preset direction; a branch waveguide which is connected to at least one of both ends of the main waveguide; and a reflector which is placed at an intersection where the branch waveguide and the at least one of both ends of the main waveguide are connected, and which has a different refraction index from the refraction index of the main waveguide and the refraction index of the branch waveguide, wherein the reflector refracts or reflects in different forms the bidirectional light signals for transmission and reception, and thereby directs the light signal for transmission to the main waveguide, and separates the light signal for reception to the branch waveguide.

An integrated circuit optical backplane die and associated semiconductor fabrication process are described for forming optical backplane mirror structures for perpendicularly deflecting optical signals out of the plane of the optical backplane die by selectively etching an optical waveguide semiconductor layer (103) on an optical backplane die wafer using an orientation-dependent anisotropic wet etch process to form a first recess opening (107) with angled semiconductor sidewall surfaces (106) on the optical waveguide semiconductor layer, where the angled semiconductor sidewall surfaces (106) are processed to form an optical backplane mirror (116) for perpendicularly deflecting optical signals to and from a lateral plane of the optical waveguide semiconductor layer.

To provide a surface emitting type optical device capable of appropriate on-wafer measurement without affecting element characteristics, low-cost manufacturing, and high-density packaging. This surface emitting type light source includes, in an optical waveguide having a semiconductor laser region formed on a top surface being one main surface of a semiconductor substrate and a spot size converter region leading thereto, a reflective mirror that reflects light emitted from the laser into free space via the converter to the top surface side of the substrate. A p-type drive electrode in the laser region and an insulating layer in the converter region are provided on the top surface of the substrate, and an n-type drive electrode in the laser region is provided on a bottom surface of the other main surface of the substrate. In the laser, current injection into an active layer using various electrodes generates an optical gain in the active layer.

An optical device includes a first waveguide extending in a first direction and a second waveguide connected to the first waveguide. The second waveguide includes a first mirror, a second mirror, and an optical waveguide layer. At least either the first waveguide or the second waveguide has one or more gratings in a part of a connection region in which the first mirror, the second mirror, and the first waveguide overlap one another when seen from an angle parallel with a direction perpendicular to a first reflecting surface of the first mirror. The one or more gratings is at a distance that is longer than at least either a thickness of the first mirror or a thickness of the second mirror in the first direction from an end of the first mirror or the second mirror that is in the connection region.

A semiconductor structure including a semiconductor substrate, a first patterned dielectric layer, a grating coupler and a waveguide is provided. The semiconductor substrate includes an optical reflective layer. The first patterned dielectric layer is disposed on the semiconductor substrate and covers a portion of the optical reflective layer. The grating coupler and the waveguide are disposed on the first patterned dielectric layer, wherein the grating coupler and the waveguide are located over the optical reflective layer.

Embodiments described herein may be related to apparatuses, processes, and techniques related to a bidirectional optical grating coupler that may be used for testing. A photonic apparatus includes a first layer with electro-optical circuitry that is optically coupled with a bidirectional optical grating coupler. A second layer is physically coupled with a first side of the first layer and includes a first light path to optically coupled with the bidirectional optical grating coupler. A third layer is physically coupled with a second side of the first layer opposite the first side of the first layer, and includes a second light path that optically couples with the bidirectional grating coupler. Operational testing of the electro-optical circuitry is based in part on light received or transmitted through the second light path. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.

A semiconductor photodetector comprising a closed loop configured to receive light from an external source adapted to trap light within said closed loop until absorption by the semiconductor.

A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) device includes a waveguide, cladding, and a scattering array. The waveguide is configured to route an infrared optical field. The cladding is disposed around the waveguide. The scattering array is formed in the cladding. The scattering array is configured to perturb the infrared optical field routed by the waveguide to direct the infrared optical field into an infrared beam propagating toward a surface of the cladding.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a semiconductor package comprising optically coupled integrated circuit (IC) chips. A first IC chip and a second IC chip overlie a substrate at a center of the substrate. A photonic chip overlies the first and second IC chips and is electrically coupled to the second IC chip. A laser device chip overlies the substrate, adjacent to the photonic chip and the second IC chip, at a periphery of the substrate. The photonic chip is configured to modulate a laser beam from the laser device chip in accordance with an electrical signal from the second IC chip and to provide the modulated laser beam to the first IC chip. This facilitates optical communication between the first IC chip to the second IC chip. Various embodiments of the present disclosure are further directed towards simultaneously aligning and bonding constituents of the semiconductor package.