Integrated Rare Earth Lasers for Silicon Photonics

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Lasers and photonic devices have influenced our lives in many critical ways, including enabling the high speed lightwave signals that fuel the internet. Now, after decades of research, so-called “silicon photonics” is poised to significantly advance internet and data communication through decreased cost and increased performance and scalability. Silicon photonics (SiP) leverages the existing multi-billion-dollar microelectronics fabrication infrastructure to provide highly compact, inexpensive, and energy-efficient integrated optoelectronic microsystems. As a result of its growing application in high-speed optoelectronic data networks, the SiP market is expected to increase to several $B in the next decade. Further, SiP promises to be ubiquitous in sensing, imaging, ranging, medical, and advanced military and space applications.*** Nevertheless, one of the key missing elements in SiP systems remains a monolithic laser. Silicon and SiP-compatible materials (i.e. those which can be monolithically integrated on silicon chips such as silicon nitride and germanium) provide many of the required functions in optoelectronic circuits, including signal transmission, switching, modulation, filtering, multiplexing, and detection. However, it has long been recognized that silicon is an inefficient light emitter. Currently SiP microsystems rely on off-chip lasers or bonding costly materials to silicon to deliver light. An efficient on-chip, monolithic, and scalable light source will have an enormous impact on future applications of SiP.*** In this research project we will develop new light-emitting rare-earth-doped photonic materials and the first fully-integrated rare earth lasers for silicon photonics. Advantages of SiP rare earth lasers, in addition to their low cost and monolithic fabrication, include their high powers, compact size, temperature insensitivity, high stability, and wide range of emission wavelengths and wavelength tunability in important communications and sensing windows. By integrating lasers based on these low-cost materials into wafer-scale silicon processes we will increase their scalability and open entirely new functions of SiP microsystems that are currently performed using more expensive or bulky optical platforms. This research will lead to specialized training of highly qualified people (HQP), have a significant impact on the growing SiP industry and information technology, and enhance overall high-tech expertise in Canada. By developing the lasers in Canada, we will continue Canada's leadership in advanced communications and photonics technologies. We will implement the methods and devices in advanced SiP microsystems for communications, sensing, and emerging applications to meet the growing information and technology needs of society.