Visible light integrated photonics on silicon for mixed reality 3D displays

用于混合现实 3D 显示的可见光硅集成光子学

• 批准号: RGPIN-2018-06491
• 负责人: Poon, Joyce
• 金额: $ 4.01万
• 依托单位: University of Toronto
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2018
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2018-01-01 至 2019-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=662447
• 关键词: Visible; light; integrated; photonics; silicon

The past decade has witnessed the dramatic maturation of silicon (Si) photonics – a technology which forms photonic micro/nano-scale devices and photonic integrated circuits on Si substrates using the manufacturing infrastructure of complementary metal oxide semiconductor electronics. The large Si substrates (typically 8” or 12” in diameter) and wafer-scale microelectronic packaging lead to high production volumes that potentially reduce the cost of electro-optical modules. At present, Si photonic technologies, including the integrated waveguide platforms, microfabrication flows, integrated devices, and microsystems, have been developed for the short-wave infrared wavelength range (near 1.3 or 1.5 um) for fiber-optic communications. ******The proposed research program will redefine foundry Si integrated photonics beyond its conventional form to address new applications in the visible wavelength range (around 450-650 nm). In particular, we will investigate visible light photonic integrated circuits (VISPICs) for miniaturized three-dimensional (3D) head-mounted displays (HMDs) for mixed reality (MR) headsets. MR HMDs are an emerging form of wearable computers that seek to create immersive and intuitive human-computer interfaces. However, today's MR HMDs are bulky and non-ergonomic, preventing their widespread adoption. The performance of and experience that can be provided by MR HMDs are largely limited by today's display technology. A radically different approach to HMDs that can be significantly more compact, lightweight, and bright, with a wide angle and large depth of focus is needed.******To address this challenge, we will develop a multi-layer visible light photonic platform on Si to implement novel optical phased array beam scanners for near-eye scanned pixel displays. The photonic platform will contain several moderate refractive index contrast waveguide layers in silicon nitride (SiN) and silicon oxynitride (SiON) with silica cladding layers atop Si. It will be realized on 8” Si substrates in collaboration with a foundry partner. A new 3D architecture for tunable optical phased arrays will be investigated to decrease the array element pitch to suppress radiation side lobes. This research will build upon the remarkable success our group has had in infrared light multi-layer SiN-on-Si photonic platforms, as well as our ongoing research in integrated neurophotonics.******The research program will be transformative for the field of photonics and computing. It will take Si photonics into an application domain with widespread commercial potential that has not traditionally used integrated photonics. It will enable a new type of computer that augments human cognition in a much more integrative way than today's mobile devices. The research program will benefit Canada by stimulating innovation and by training graduate students in technical and transferable skills.

过去十年见证了硅（Si）光子学的显著成熟-一种使用互补金属氧化物半导体电子器件的制造基础设施在Si衬底上形成光子微/纳米尺度器件和光子集成电路的技术。 大的Si衬底（通常直径为8”或12”）和晶圆级微电子封装导致高产量，这可能降低电光模块的成本。 目前，硅光子技术，包括集成波导平台，微细加工流程，集成器件和微系统，已开发的短波红外波长范围（近1.3或1.5 μ m）的光纤通信。 ** 拟议的研究计划将重新定义铸造硅集成光子学，超越其传统形式，以解决可见光波长范围（约450-650 nm）的新应用。 特别是，我们将研究用于混合现实（MR）耳机的小型化三维（3D）头戴式显示器（HMD）的可见光光子集成电路（VISPIC）。 MR HMD是一种新兴的可穿戴计算机形式，旨在创建沉浸式和直观的人机界面。 然而，今天的MR HMD体积庞大且不符合人体工程学，阻碍了它们的广泛采用。MR HMD可以提供的性能和体验在很大程度上受到当今显示技术的限制。需要一种完全不同的HMD方法，可以更紧凑，更轻，更明亮，具有广角和大焦深。为了应对这一挑战，我们将在硅上开发一个多层可见光光子平台，以实现用于近眼扫描像素显示器的新型光学相控阵光束扫描器。光子平台将包含氮化硅（SiN）和氮氧化硅（锡永）中的几个中等折射率对比波导层，在Si顶上具有二氧化硅包覆层。它将与代工伙伴合作在8”Si衬底上实现。 一种新的三维结构的可调谐光学相控阵将被研究，以减少阵列元素的间距，以抑制辐射旁瓣。 这项研究将建立在我们小组在红外光多层SiN-on-Si光子平台方面取得的巨大成功，以及我们正在进行的集成神经光子学研究的基础上。该研究计划将为光子学和计算领域带来变革。 它将把硅光子学带入一个具有广泛商业潜力的应用领域，而传统上没有使用集成光子学。它将使一种新型的计算机能够以一种比今天的移动的设备更综合的方式增强人类的认知能力。 该研究项目将通过刺激创新和培训研究生的技术和可转移技能而使加拿大受益。