Amorphous Silicon as an Active Material in Optical Resonators

MRS Proceedings ◽

10.1557/proc-0910-a17-01 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 910 ◽

Author(s):

Dennis Hohlfeld ◽

Hans Zappe

Keyword(s):

Amorphous Silicon ◽

Communication Networks ◽

Gas Sensing ◽

Active Material ◽

Data Communication ◽

Optical Filters ◽

Interference Filter ◽

Optical Data ◽

Silicon Based ◽

Optically Active Material

AbstractThe application of amorphous silicon as a thermo-optically active material in MEMS-based, tunable optical filters is presented. The thin film interference filter employs a solid-state silicon cavity and silicon-based distributed Bragg reflectors (DBR). Tuning is achieved by varying the the resonator's refractive index and thus its optical thickness through thermal modulation. The filter is configured as a membrane and operates up to a temperature of 450 °C. Such a filter is essential for monitoring and reconfiguration of optical data communication networks and is also applicable for chemical and gas sensing.

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Nanostructure-Enabled High-Performance Silicon-Based Photodiodes for Future Data-Communication Networks

Nanoscale Networking and Communications Handbook ◽

10.1201/9780429163043-16 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 349-378

Author(s):

Hilal Cansizoglu ◽

Cesar Bartolo Perez ◽

Jun Gou ◽

M. Saif Islam

Keyword(s):

Communication Networks ◽

High Performance ◽

Data Communication ◽

Future Data ◽

Silicon Based

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Active material, optical mode and cavity impact on nanoscale electro-optic modulation performance

Nanophotonics ◽

10.1515/nanoph-2017-0072 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

pp. 455-472 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

Rubab Amin ◽

Can Suer ◽

Zhizhen Ma ◽

Ibrahim Sarpkaya ◽

Jacob B. Khurgin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High Performance ◽

Slow Light ◽

Active Material ◽

Data Communication ◽

Optical Data ◽

Design Rule ◽

Optical Mode ◽

Electro Optic ◽

Comprehensive Picture ◽

On Chip

AbstractElectro-optic modulation is a key function in optical data communication and possible future optical compute engines. The performance of modulators intricately depends on the interaction between the actively modulated material and the propagating waveguide mode. While a variety of high-performance modulators have been demonstrated, no comprehensive picture of what factors are most responsible for high performance has emerged so far. Here we report the first systematic and comprehensive analytical and computational investigation for high-performance compact on-chip electro-optic modulators by considering emerging active materials, model considerations and cavity feedback at the nanoscale. We discover that the delicate interplay between the material characteristics and the optical mode properties plays a key role in defining the modulator performance. Based on physical tradeoffs between index modulation, loss, optical confinement factors and slow-light effects, we find that there exist combinations of bias, material and optical mode that yield efficient phase or amplitude modulation with acceptable insertion loss. Furthermore, we show how material properties in the epsilon near zero regime enable reduction of length by as much as by 15 times. Lastly, we introduce and apply a cavity-based electro-optic modulator figure of merit, Δλ/Δα, relating obtainable resonance tuning via phase shifting relative to the incurred losses due to the fundamental Kramers-Kronig relations suggesting optimized device operating regions with optimized modulation-to-loss tradeoffs. This work paves the way for a holistic design rule of electro-optic modulators for high-density on-chip integration.

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Advanced time and wavelength division multiplexing for metropolitan area optical data communication networks

10.1117/12.628303 ◽

2005 ◽

Author(s):

M. Watford ◽

C. DeCusatis

Keyword(s):

Communication Networks ◽

Wavelength Division Multiplexing ◽

Metropolitan Area ◽

Data Communication ◽

Optical Data ◽

Wavelength Division

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Use of Transparent Conductive Oxide Materials with Low Indices of Refraction in Amorphous Silicon-Based Solar Cell Technology

MRS Proceedings ◽

10.1557/proc-862-a21.1 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 862 ◽

Author(s):

Scott J. Jones ◽

Joachim Doehler ◽

Tongyu Liu ◽

David Tsu ◽

Jeff Steele ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Solar Cell ◽

Amorphous Silicon ◽

Transparent Conductive Oxide ◽

Open Circuit ◽

Long Term Stability ◽

Back Reflectors ◽

Stability Issues ◽

Silicon Based ◽

Solar Cell Technology

AbstractNew types of transparent conductive oxides with low indices of refraction have been developed for use in optical stacks for the amorphous silicon (a-Si) solar cell and other thin film applications. The alloys are ZnO based with Si and MgF added to reduce the index of the materials through the creation of SiO2 or MgF2, with n=1.3-1.4, or the addition of voids in the materials. Alloys with 12-14% Si or Mg have indices of refraction at λ=800nm between 1.6 and 1.7. These materials are presently being used in optical stacks to enhance light scattering by Al/multi-layer/ZnO back reflectors in a-Si based solar cells to increase light absorption in the semiconductor layers and increase open circuit currents and boost device efficiencies. In contrast to Ag/ZnO back reflectors which have long term stability issues due to electromigration of Ag, these Al based back reflectors should be stable and usable in manufactured PV products. In this manuscript, structural properties for the materials will be reported as well as the performance of solar cell devices made using these new types of materials.

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