III-V-on-Silicon Photonic Devices for Optical Communication and Sensing

AbstractPlasmonics offers a unique opportunity to break the diffraction limit of light and bring photonic devices to the nanoscale. As the most prominent example, an integrated nanolaser is a key to truly nanoscale photonic circuits required for optical communication, sensing applications and high-density data storage. Here, we develop a concept of an electrically driven subwavelength surface-plasmon-polariton nanolaser, which is based on a novel amplification scheme, with all linear dimensions smaller than the operational free-space wavelength λ and a mode volume of under λ3/30. The proposed pumping approach is based on a double-heterostructure tunneling Schottky barrier diode and gives the possibility to reduce the physical size of the device and ensure in-plane emission so that the nanolaser output can be naturally coupled to a plasmonic or nanophotonic waveguide circuitry. With the high energy efficiency (8% at 300 K and 37% at 150 K), the output power of up to 100 μW and the ability to operate at room temperature, the proposed surface plasmon polariton nanolaser opens up new avenues in diverse application areas, ranging from ultrawideband optical communication on a chip to low-power nonlinear photonics, coherent nanospectroscopy, and single-molecule biosensing.

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Toward Nonvolatile Switching in Silicon Photonic Devices

Laser & Photonics Review ◽

10.1002/lpor.202000501 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 2000501

Author(s):

Jorge Parra ◽

Irene Olivares ◽

Antoine Brimont ◽

Pablo Sanchis

Keyword(s):

Photonic Devices ◽

Silicon Photonic

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Silicon photonic devices for mid-infrared applications

Nanophotonics ◽

10.1515/nanoph-2013-0027 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 3 (4-5) ◽

pp. 329-341 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Raji Shankar ◽

Marko Lončar

Keyword(s):

Gas Sensing ◽

Wavelength Region ◽

Photonic Devices ◽

Ring Resonators ◽

Space Communications ◽

Mid Infrared ◽

Silicon Photonic ◽

Processing Techniques ◽

Silicon Based

AbstractThe mid-infrared (IR) wavelength region (2–20 µm) is of great interest for a number of applications, including trace gas sensing, thermal imaging, and free-space communications. Recently, there has been significant progress in developing a mid-IR photonics platform in Si, which is highly transparent in the mid-IR, due to the ease of fabrication and CMOS compatibility provided by the Si platform. Here, we discuss our group’s recent contributions to the field of silicon-based mid-IR photonics, including photonic crystal cavities in a Si membrane platform and grating-coupled high-quality factor ring resonators in a silicon-on-sapphire (SOS) platform. Since experimental characterization of microphotonic devices is especially challenging at the mid-IR, we also review our mid-IR characterization techniques in some detail. Additionally, pre- and post-processing techniques for improving device performance, such as resist reflow, Piranha clean/HF dip cycling, and annealing are discussed.

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