EAGER: Exploring silicon nitride for high speed electro-optic modulation

EAGER：探索用于高速电光调制的氮化硅

• 批准号: 1941213
• 负责人: Jaime Cardenas
• 金额: $ 14.99万
• 依托单位: University of Rochester
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2019-09-01 至 2022-05-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1941213&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: EAGER; Exploring; silicon; nitride; speed

This project will explore whether we can develop a electro-optic silicon nitride that is compatible withcomplementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) fabrication. The ideal material for integratedphotonics is compatible with CMOS electronics, has a high refractive index, is deposited, electroopticallyactive, and low loss; however, current photonic platforms fall short of meeting thesecharacteristics. While silicon has revolutionized photonics over the last two decades because of its highrefractive index and relative compatibility with CMOS electronics, the silicon photonic platform, whichuses the plasma dispersion effect for refractive index modulation, is fundamentally limited by carrier loss.This fundamental loss limits the impact of silicon photonics in quantum information science, ultra-lowpower communications, and chip-based LIDAR. Silicon nitride is a CMOS compatible material with highrefractive index and low loss; however, it is passive. Electro-optic silicon nitride (EO-SiN) has thepotential to completely change the field of integrated photonics. If successful, one can envision an EOSiNplatform for modulation, low loss guiding, switching, and nonlinear functionalities all integrated on asingle chip.The proposed project will create a unique experience for one high school student from the Kearns CenterUpward Bound Program. The experience consists of a six-week internship during the summer. Thestudent will be immersed in the research group working on a project alongside other undergraduate,master's and PhD students. The goal of this effort is to expose one first-generation, low-income highschool student to STEM fields to motivate them to follow a career in math, science, and engineering. Thestudents will receive an integrated mentorship from McNair fellows (undergraduate students), master'sstudents, PhD students, and the PI as they reinforce and discover the excitement of working in cuttingedge research.Technical descriptionThe PI proposes to explore whether we can engineer an electro-optic effect in silicon nitride usingelectrical poling. As a proof-of-concept of the potential of electro-optic silicon nitride, we willdemonstrate a silicon nitride, on-chip, high-speed modulator. Understanding how to engineer an electroopticeffect in silicon nitride will bring forward a high refractive index, low loss, deposited material withCMOS compatibility and the ability to modulate the refractive index without inducing loss. It will clarifythe origin of previously observed second harmonic generation in silicon nitride, which is hypothesized tocome from either surface effects or the bulk properties of silicon nitride.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.

本计画将探讨我们是否可以发展出一种与互补金属氧化物半导体（CMOS）制程相容的电光氮化硅。集成光子学的理想材料与CMOS电子器件兼容，具有高折射率，沉积，电光活性和低损耗;然而，目前的光子平台无法满足这些特性。尽管硅由于其高折射率和与CMOS电子器件的相对兼容性在过去二十年中彻底改变了光子学，但利用等离子体色散效应进行折射率调制的硅光子平台从根本上受到载流子损耗的限制。这种基本损耗限制了硅光子学在量子信息科学、超低功耗通信和基于芯片的激光雷达中的影响。氮化硅是一种高折射率、低损耗的CMOS兼容材料，但它是无源的。电光氮化硅（EO-SiN）具有彻底改变集成光子学领域的潜力。如果成功的话，人们可以设想一个EOSiN平台，用于调制，低损耗引导，开关和非线性功能，所有这些都集成在一个芯片上。该项目将为卡恩斯中心向上绑定计划的一名高中生创造独特的体验。该体验包括夏季为期六周的实习。学生将与其他本科生、硕士生和博士生一起沉浸在研究小组的项目中。这项工作的目标是让第一代低收入高中生接触STEM领域，激励他们从事数学、科学和工程方面的职业。学生们将获得来自McNair研究员（本科生）、硕士生、博士生和PI的综合指导，因为他们加强并发现了从事前沿研究的兴奋之处。技术说明PI提议探索我们是否可以利用电极化在氮化硅中设计电光效应。作为电光氮化硅潜力的概念验证，我们将演示一个氮化硅片上高速调制器。了解如何在氮化硅中设计电光效应将带来高折射率，低损耗，具有CMOS兼容性的沉积材料以及在不引起损耗的情况下调制折射率的能力。它将澄清以前观察到的氮化硅中二次谐波产生的起源，这是假设来自表面效应或氮化硅的体属性。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估的支持。