A Hybrid Integrated Light Source on a Silicon Platform Using a Trident Spot-Size Converter

Abstract

This paper reports a hybrid integrated light source fabricated on a Si platform using a spot-size converter (SSC) with a trident Si waveguide. Low-loss coupling for 1.55 μm and 1.3 μm wavelengths was achieved with merely the simple planar form of a Si waveguide with no use of complicated structures such as vertical tapers or an extra dielectric core overlaid on the waveguide. The coupling loss tolerance up to a 1 dB loss increase was larger than the accuracy of our passive alignment technology. The coupling efficiency was quite robust against manufacturing variations in the waveguide width compared with that of a conventional SSC with an inverse taper waveguide. A multi-channel light source with highly uniform output power and a high-temperature light source were fabricated with a 1.55 μm quantum well laser and a 1.3 μm quantum dot laser, respectively. The integration scheme we report can be used to fabricate light sources for high-density, multi-channel Si optical interposers.