An optical device includes an active layer that includes at least two outer barriers and at least one coupled quantum well that is inserted between the at least two outer barriers. Each coupled quantum well includes at least three quantum well layers and at least two coupling barriers that are respectively provided between the at least three quantum well layers. Thicknesses of two quantum well layers disposed at opposite end portions of the at least three quantum well layers are less than a thickness of the other quantum well layer disposed between the two quantum well layers disposed at the opposite end portions. A bandgap of the two quantum well layers disposed at the opposite end portions may be higher than a bandgap of the other quantum well layer disposed between the two quantum well layers.

An electroabsorption modulator incorporates waveguiding regions along the length of the modulator that include quantum wells where at least two of the regions have quantum wells with different bandgaps. In one embodiment of the invention, the regions are arranged such that the quantum wells have bandgaps with decreasing bandgap energy along the length of the modulator from the modulator's input to its output. The bandgap energy of the quantum wells may be decreased in discrete steps or continuously. Advantageously, such an arrangement better distributes the optical absorption as well as the carrier density along the length of the modulator. Further advantageously, the modulator may handle increased optical power as compared with prior art modulators of similar dimensions, which allows for improved link gain when the optical modulator is used in an analog optical communication link.

A method for making a semiconductor device may include forming a plurality of waveguides on a substrate, and forming a superlattice overlying the substrate and waveguides. The superlattice may include a plurality of stacked groups of layers, with each group of layers comprising a plurality of stacked base semiconductor monolayers defining a base semiconductor portion, and at least one non-semiconductor monolayer constrained within a crystal lattice of adjacent base semiconductor portions. The method may further include forming an active device layer on the superlattice comprising at least one active semiconductor device.

Provided is an optical device including a radio frequency (RF) signal source configured to electrically provide an RF signal, a first diode configured to operate as a laser diode (LD) or an electro-absorption modulator (EAM) in response to the RF signal, a second diode configured to share an N region of the first diode, be serially connected to the first diode, and have a P region connected to a ground to operate as a capacitor for series push-pull operation with the first diode, and a resistor connected between the N region and the ground.

An optical integrated element includes: a substrate; a first waveguide region in which a lower cladding layer, a first core layer, and an upper cladding layer are sequentially laminated in this order on the substrate; and an active region in which the lower cladding layer, a second core layer, a quantum well layer that amplifies light when a current is injected, and the upper cladding layer are sequentially laminated on the substrate. Further, the second core layer and the quantum well layer are close to each other within a range of a mode field of light guided in the second core layer, and the first core layer is butt-jointed to the second core layer and the quantum well layer.

A technique is described to deterministically tune the emission frequency of individual semiconductor photon sources, for example quantum dots. A focused laser is directed at a film of material that changes form when heated (for example, a phase change material that undergoes change between crystal and amorphous forms) overlaid on a photonic membrane that includes the photon sources. The laser causes a localized change in form in the film, resulting in a change in emission frequency of a photon source.

A silicon based electro-optically active device and method of production thereof. The device comprising: a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) layer; an electro-optically active stack, disposed on top of the SOI layer: a first epitaxially grown structure comprising a first passive waveguide and a second epitaxially grown structure comprising a second passive waveguide, the first and second passive waveguides being disposed adjacent to respective sides of the electro-optically active stack, wherein the first and second passive waveguides are configured to edge couple light from the first passive waveguide into the electro-optically active stack and from the electro-optically active stack into the second passive waveguide; and an evanescent coupling structure, for evanescently coupling light between the SOI layer and the first and second passive waveguides.

A semiconductor device may include a substrate having waveguides thereon, and a superlattice overlying the substrate and waveguides. The superlattice may include stacked groups of layers, with each group of layers comprising a stacked base semiconductor monolayers defining a base semiconductor portion, and at least one non-semiconductor monolayer constrained within a crystal lattice of adjacent base semiconductor portions. The semiconductor device may further include an active device layer on the superlattice including at least one active semiconductor device.

An optical integrated element includes: a substrate; a first waveguide region in which a lower cladding layer, a first core layer, and an upper cladding layer are sequentially laminated in this order on the substrate; and an active region in which the lower cladding layer, a second core layer, a quantum well layer that amplifies light when a current is injected, and the upper cladding layer are sequentially laminated on the substrate. Further, the second core layer and the quantum well layer are close to each other within a range of a mode field of light guided in the second core layer, and the first core layer is butt-jointed to the second core layer and the quantum well layer.

A silicon based electro-optically active device and method of producing the same, the device comprising: a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) waveguide; an electro-optically active stack within a cavity of the SOI waveguide; and a channel between the electro-optically active stack and the SOI waveguide; wherein the channel is filled with a filling material with a refractive index greater than that of a material forming a sidewall of the cavity to form a bridge-waveguide in the channel between the SOI waveguide and the electro-optically active stack.