Hybrid integrated InGaAsP-Si laser using selective area metal bonding method for optical interconnection

An evanescently-coupled, hybrid InGaAsP-Si laser operating at 1.55 ??m is presented by selective area metal bonding (SAMB). The III-V laser, fabricated on a p-InP substrate with a semi-insulating InP:Fe buried heterostructure (BH), serves to provide optical gain. On the SOI wafer, a 3-??m wide and 500-nm high Si waveguide is formed and the bonding metal (AuSn alloy) is selectively deposited in the regions 6 I?m away from the Si waveguide on each side. The InGaAsP gain structure is flip-chip bonded onto the patterned SOI wafer using SAMB method which separates laterally the optical coupling area and the metal bonding area to avoid strong light absorption by the bonding metal. The hybrid laser runs with a maximum single-sided output power of 9 mw at room temperature. The slope efficiency of the hybrid laser is about 0.04 W/A, 4 times that of the laser before bonding which indicates that the light confinement is improved after the bonding. The hybrid laser has achieved 10 ??C contimuous wave (CW) lasing. A near-field image of the hybrid laser is studied. As the inject current increases, the light spot markedly shifts down to the Si waveguide and covers the Si waveguide region, which demonstrates that the light generated in the III-V active region is coupled into the Si waveguide. This method allows for different III-V devices to be bonded onto any desired places on a SOI substrate. The simplicity and flexibility of the fabrication process and high yield make the hybrid laser a promising light source. ? 2014 SPIE.EI