Perovskite Photonics

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Semiconductor photonics is currently driving a revolution in modern wafer-scale optoelectronics by affording enhanced properties such as high optical non-linearities, excellent optical transparency, and dense device integration. The research in this area has been predominantly based on silicon and 'silicon photonics' is a technology that is reaching maturity with the likes of Intel, Siemens, and Luxtera investing heavily in its development. While, undoubtedly transformative, silicon photonics has a number of unaddressed limitations that are all associated with silicon's crystal structure. For example, the material does not have a second order non-linearity which is commonly used for electro-optic signal modulation and the material has an indirect electronic bandgap which makes it a poor light emitter. Furthermore, the high processing temperature of silicon makes integration with electronics and multilayer photonics architectures extremely challenging. In recent years, silicon's dominance as a photovoltaic material has been challenged by the emergence of perovskites materials class and the rapid development of these materials has presented the opportunity to investigate them for photonics applications. Unlike silicon, perovskites have a highly tunable crystal structure which makes them very interesting for photonics. Materials can be direct bandgap, can contain a second order non-linearity and can possess extraordinary non-linear optical properties with a third order optical non-linearity more than 6 orders of magnitude greater than silicon. Moreover, perovskites are solution processable and can even be printed providing a platform for a new generation of photonics devices.In this programme we propose to develop a low cost and high performance perovskite photonics platform that will rival and in many instances out perform their silicon counterparts. The work will leverage much of the nanofabrication and materials development work that EPSRC has recently championed and provide a new platform for integrated photonics devices. The main objective will be to develop the methodologies and procedures to support the development of devices that can exploit the superlative properties of perovskite materials. A number of materials will be investigated and developed, including 2D/3D hybrid structures and lead-free perovskites. The project will optimise the materials for linear and non-linear photonics applications, demonstrate the principles of waveguide faibrication, and produce the first demonstrations of a technology that will have the potential to impact on many fields, for example, sensing, quantum optics, and optical communications.