Hybrid Integrated Chip-Scale Laser Systems Based on Automated Assembly

In the development of sophisticated chip-scale laser systems, a variety of material platforms are employed. This diversity arises because no single material offers the best combination of optical, electrical, mechanical, and thermal characteristics for all applications. Consequently, it is advantageous to select and combine those materials that are best matched to the specific requirements of an application, aiming to construct the entire system through hybrid integration. However, this approach of hybrid integration often depends on manual alignment techniques, which are not only time-consuming but also lack the scalability and manufacturability necessary for broad application.In this paper, we use the ficonTEC A300 active alignment machine to develop and demonstrate an automated assembly methodology to hybrid integrate passive integrated circuits (PICs) with active semiconductor chips for various on-chip laser applications. Focus is given to the hybrid integration of passive silicon nitride (Si3N4) PICs and gallium arsenide (GaAs) active chips, with lasing wavelength of 97x nm, via direct chip-to-chip edge coupling. We successfully demonstrated a robustly bonded hybrid integrated laser chip, achieving on-chip laser output exceeding 3mW. In comparison to hybrid lasers implemented on bulky and costly optomechanical stages, our laser exhibits greater resilience to external vibrations, making it more robust and portable.