A monolithically integrated infrared quantum dot laser for silicon photonics

云计算将彻底改变数据共享、人与人互动、社会形成和经济财富产生的方式。数据中心形式的大规模计算设施对云的运行至关重要。数据中心对云应用的爆炸性能源需求目前达到每年220太瓦时。为了在环境和经济上保持这种能量，必须将每比特的功耗从当前的皮焦耳范围大幅降低到毫微焦耳。如今低效的数据传输架构在数据中心产生了大量的废热。因此，数据中心消耗的很大一部分电力用于冷却，导致数据中心的能源使用效率极低。我们提出了一个项目，该项目将能够将用于节能光通信的光源集成到硅集成电路上，从而促进数据中心的功耗显著降低。理想情况下，电数据到光信号的转换发生在硅光子芯片上，并且包括处理信号并通过光互连将其传输到芯片外的元件。这种芯片上的关键部件之一是相干光源(即激光器)。目前用于此目的的激光器是通过直接键合的方式连接到芯片上的，这种技术对于数据传输来说并不理想，因为它可能会导致显著的功率损失。我们建议开发一种全新类型的激光器，它可以从溶液中处理并直接沉积到硅光子芯片上，从而产生迄今开发的最节能的数据传输体系结构。我们将与世界电信行业领先者华为加拿大公司密切合作，设计利用我们的激光实现超过10 GB/S数据传输速率的芯片。新的高素质人员将直接与华为的研究人员合作，深入了解一家全球应用型技术公司的先进研发。

Cloud computing will revolutionize how data are shared, people interact, societies are formed and economic wealth is generated. Essential to the operation of the cloud are large scale computing facilities in the form of datacenters. The exploding energy demands of datacenters for cloud applications currently reach 220 TWh per year. To sustain such energies environmentally and economically, the power consumption per bit must be drastically reduced from the current picojoule range into the femtojoules. Today's inefficient data transfer architectures generate a vast quantity of waste heat in datacenters. As a consequence, a large portion of the power consumed by datacenters is used for cooling, making the datacenters highly inefficient in energy usage. We propose a project that will enable the integration of light sources for energy-efficient optical communication onto silicon integrated circuits, thereby facilitating a dramatic reduction in power consumption by data centers. Conversion of electrical data into optical signals ideally occurs on a silicon photonic chip and includes elements to process signals and convey them off-chip through optical interconnects. One of the key components on such a chip is a coherent light source (i.e. a laser). The lasers currently used for this purpose are attached to the chip by means of direct bonding - a technique that is not ideal for data transmission as it can result in significant power loss. We propose to develop an entirely new type of laser that can be processed from solution and deposited directly onto a silicon photonic chip, resulting in the most energy-efficient data transfer architectures yet developed. We will work closely with Huawei Canada, a world leader in the telecommunications industry, to design chips that will utilize our laser to realize data transfer rates in excess of 10 Gb/s. New highly qualified personnel will work directly with researchers at Huawei to gain a thorough understanding of advanced research and development in a global application-oriented technology company.