Patent ID: 9638942
Date: 2017-05-02
CPC Classifications: G02F

Claim:
1. An optical modulator semiconductor device comprising: a substrate; an optical waveguide disposed upon the substrate; a p-type region of semiconductor material disposed within said optical waveguide, said p-type region having a p-type contact terminal; an n-type region of semiconductor material disposed within said optical waveguide, said n-type region having an n-type contact terminal; wherein said n-type region and said p-type region share a non-planar junction interface as viewed in a cross section taken perpendicular to a light propagation direction in said optical waveguide; and wherein said non-planar junction interface is configured to form at least two p/n junctions disposed one over the other in a direction normal to the substrate, so as to enhance an overlap between an optical mode in said optical waveguide and said non-planar junction interface when said optical modulator semiconductor device is operational.