EAGER Collaborative: > 100 GHz Optical Clocking using Self-Modulation of Co-Tunneling Light Emitters

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The goal of this project is to explore a new class of ultra-fast optical emitters. Those optical emitters will provide (i) for the significant advancement of direct modulation optical emitters, and (ii) creation of a wholly new optical emission pathway which is expected to exceed previous designs, while mitigating efficiency losses. Applications of such devices include fast clocks, and systems such as optical communication and LIDAR. Through a collaboration between the Ohio State University and the Wright State University, a significant exposure to research, particularly under-represented groups, will help to advance the field of RTD-based emitters while providing for a haven of educational nurturing. The team will also focus appropriate results of this the research output towards strategic commercialization. The collaborative team will explore this new class of resonant-tunneling-diode (RTD)-based emitters as a source of ultra-fast direct modulation emitters. It is believed that, since the slow holes are generated without highly resistive p-type doping and are created by Zener tunneling exactly at the point of carrier recombination and optical emission, these optical emitters will bypass many of the slow mechanisms that have prohibited fast direct optical emitters in the past. A key focus of this project is working on cavity design, balancing of hole and electron currents using the PIs own hybrid combined analytical-numerical physics models, design and modeling of thermal management and heat extraction, fabrication and testing of ultra-fast direct modulation light emitters. The aim is to achieve the first demonstration of ultra-fast direct modulation using quantum co-tunneling. The expected impact of the research includes: 1) Low-cost, ultra-fast optical sources, and (2) self-clocking optical emitters for compact clock signal generation.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.