SBIR Phase I: High-performance Opto-plasmonic Technology for Next Generation Optoelectronic Manufacturing

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The broader impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to streamline a low-cost, scalable, high performance manufacturing technology for use in the Photonics Integrated Circuits market. In particular it finds applications in optical communications beyond 5G, as well as in light detection and ranging used in autonomous drones. This project addresses needs for low latency, high bandwidth, long range, low power receiver modules used by data centers and cloud service providers, as well as autonomous drone operators. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project produces optical detectors, based on opto-plasmonic technology, with significantly higher bandwidth and substantially lower noise current compared to existing photodiodes. Specifically, OPDs replace legacy avalanche photodiodes that need to be fabricated on expensive substrates, with opto-plasmonic devices (OPDs) achieving superior performance. Importantly, these devices can exclusively leverage the dilute Gallium Arsenide Nitride material system for attaining operation in C-band and eye-safe optical wavelengths using the mature Gallium Arsenide manufacturing supply-chain. These opto-plasmonic devices (OPDs) circumvent fundamental limitations imposed by conventional electronic charge transport by utilizing charge density waves. This project will demonstrate photodetectors that meet or exceed the performance of current avalanche photodiodes.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.