III-V Semiconductor Platforms and Devices for Nonlinear Integrated Photonics

用于非线性集成光子学的 III-V 半导体平台和器件

• 批准号: RGPIN-2020-03989
• 负责人: Dolgaleva, Ksenia
• 金额: $ 2.04万
• 依托单位: University of Ottawa
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2021-01-01 至 2022-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=739607
• 关键词: III; Semiconductor; Platforms; Devices; Nonlinear

We propose to explore a family of III-V semiconductor material platforms for photonic integrated circuits (PICs) serving a variety of applications. Photonic integrated circuits are tiny chips, typically made of semiconductor materials, which can control the flow of light and the way it interacts with matter. One can contrast this with electronic microchips which control the flow of electricity. PICs are populated with tiny devices that operate on light. These include: light emitting devices called integrated semiconductor lasers; light stirring devices called integrated optical waveguides, serving the role of mirrors and lenses on-a-chip; modulators, imprinting information on light streams, and detectors that absorb light and detect the amount of the optical power it carries. All these devices require sophisticated designs, the development of novel fabrication processes, and testing to ensure their optimal operation. Our specific research goal is to develop integrated optical platforms and devices suitable for nonlinear optical interactions, whereby the frequency (or colour) of light can be modified by the nature of these light-matter interactions. Nonlinear optical interactions significantly enhance the existing applications of PICs and open a whole range of new applications. One such example is optical communication networks where existing technology has reached its peak performance. The introduction of emerging technologies such as autonomous vehicles, 5G networks, and Smart Cities will strain these networks even more. This research program is a key component in bringing all-optical signal processing into modern optical communication networks to address such challenges. This goal will be achieved in part by developing integrated nonlinear photonic devices based on the group of III-V semiconductors. Once developed, this technology will revolutionize the industry of optical communications by breaking into the new levels of capacity of information transfer and storage. Further, photonic integration has countless other applications, whose impact we are currently unable to predict. Medical imaging and sample analysis, tamper-proof communications, and the development of new scientific equipment are only some areas that will be greatly advanced by photonic integration.

我们建议探索一系列用于光子集成电路（PIC）的 III-V 族半导体材料平台，服务于各种应用。光子集成电路是微型芯片，通常由半导体材料制成，可以控制光的流动及其与物质相互作用的方式。人们可以将其与控制电流的电子微芯片进行对比。 PIC 中装有依靠光工作的微型设备。其中包括：称为集成半导体激光器的发光器件；称为集成光波导的光搅拌装置，起到片上镜子和透镜的作用；调制器，在光流上印记信息，以及吸收光并检测其携带的光功率的检测器。所有这些设备都需要复杂的设计、新颖的制造工艺的开发以及测试以确保其最佳运行。 我们的具体研究目标是开发适用于非线性光学相互作用的集成光学平台和设备，从而可以通过这些光与物质相互作用的性质来改变光的频率（或颜色）。非线性光学相互作用显着增强了 PIC 的现有应用并开辟了一系列新应用。其中一个例子是光通信网络，其中现有技术已达到其峰值性能。自动驾驶汽车、5G 网络和智能城市等新兴技术的引入将给这些网络带来更大的压力。该研究计划是将全光信号处理引入现代光通信网络以应对此类挑战的关键组成部分。这一目标将通过开发基于 III-V 族半导体的集成非线性光子器件来部分实现。一旦开发出来，该技术将通过突破信息传输和存储能力的新水平，彻底改变光通信行业。 此外，光子集成还有无数其他应用，但我们目前无法预测其影响。医学成像和样本分析、防篡改通信以及新科学设备的开发只是光子集成将大大推进的一些领域。