I-Corps Teams: Opto-plasmonic Photodetectors for Low-Cost Tele/Data Communications Beyond 5G

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The broader impact/commercial potentials of this I-Corps project include realization of ultra-fast optical receivers for applications in tele and data communication networks and centers both as in backbone infrastructure, and in end-user usage. This project provides unique technological advancements that circumvent traditional limits in speed of operation and in energy usage by taming the collective response of clouds of electrons in response to excitation - known as opto-plasmonic devices (OPD) - resulting in much more sensitive, high speed, and low power-consumption devices which convert optical signals to electrical ones, performing a crucial step in information transport. This reduces the energy cost-per-bit of information, helping Photonics Integrated Circuit (PIC) technology to become mainstream for general public use in applications such as in affordable ultra-high-speed Internet, high-capacity Internet-of-Things (IoT), and energy-saving cloud data storage and processing. Notably, this project contributes to the technological leadership of the US in the multi-billion dollar global communications markets, by generating advanced technical know-how and intellectual property, holding the key in manufacturing of new OPDs. Successful completion of this project results in a business opportunity for several sustainable jobs for electrical and optical engineers with potential for exponential growth in line with increasing demand for data communication. This I-Corps project produces market-ready high-speed photodetector technology based on Indium Phosphide material system that are i) capable of operation in tele/data communication rates of more than 200 Gbits/sec, which is six times faster than state-of-the-art, and ii) compatible with Silicon Photonics technology through a heterogeneous integration with silicon. Specifically, this product solves a bottleneck in high-speed operation of Silicon Photonics Integrated Circuits that rely on Germanium-based photodetectors as their optical receiver. For this product to be commercially ready, research and development plan includes major milestones of a) producing a stand-alone side-illuminated InP-based high speed photodetector compatible with optical communication wavelengths, and b) integration of the developed InP-based optical receiver into a Si-Photonics integrated circuit. Prototyping work will be done using NSF-supporting fabrication facilities, but volume production feasibility will be demonstrated by utilizing a fab-less model and using existing silicon foundry services across the United States.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.