Patent ID: 9431791
Filing Date: 2016-08-30
CPC Classification: H01S,H04B,H04J

Claim Text:
1. A semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) comprising: a silicon layer comprising silicon semiconductor material and including a silicon waveguide; a non-silicon layer comprising non-silicon semiconductor gain material and disposed on the silicon layer and including a non-silicon waveguide; a first mode transition region comprising tapers in at least one of the silicon waveguide and/or the non-silicon waveguide to couple light from the silicon waveguide to the non-silicon waveguide; a second mode transition region comprising tapers in at least one of the silicon waveguide and/or the non-silicon waveguide to couple light from the non-silicon waveguide to the silicon waveguide; a plurality of regions disposed between the first and second mode transition regions comprising different cross-sectional areas of the silicon waveguide or the non-silicon waveguide such that confinement factor for the non-silicon waveguide in at least one of the plurality of regions differ; and at least one set of electrical contacts to inject current into the non-silicon waveguide material.