SBIR Phase II: Liquid Phase Epitaxy of Potassium Tantalum Niobate on Low Dielectric Constant Substrates

该SBIR第二阶段项目提出在立方钙钛矿衬底上开发钽酸钾（KTN）的液相外延（LPE）。以这种方式，膜/基底复合材料的两种组分都可以针对器件性能进行优化。KTN的电光系数几乎比目前的锂酸盐波导高两个数量级，这将允许更短的路径长度、更低的偏置电压或两者的某种组合。在第一阶段开发的新型低介电常数基板材料将使有效微波介电常数与薄膜材料的光学介电常数更好地匹配，并实现更低的偏置场。在第二阶段，研究人员将开发新的基板材料，以商业质量和尺寸。KTN的LPE将从一个新的创新助焊剂系统开发，该系统可以很好地控制生长和上级薄膜特性。薄膜和基材将作为复合材料进行充分表征和优化。该工艺和产品将扩大到完全商业规模。IPI将与战略合作伙伴设备制造商进行互动，以优化材料并实现设备应用。电光器件用于任何光子学应用中，其中电信号可以用于改变光束的状态。虽然电光器件最知名的应用是在电信领域，但客户可以在任何使用光来传输信息的地方找到，包括光学计算，模拟和数字信号处理，信息处理和传感。器件包括相位和幅度调制器、Q开关、多路复用器、开关阵列、耦合器、偏振控制器、偏转器、整流器、传感器、电压互感器和光学参量振荡器。潜在客户主要集中在电力行业和军事领域。传感器的初步应用将通过故障预测对配电的可靠性产生直接影响，并通过监测和控制对电力的预防和保护产生直接影响。拟议的工作将使电光调制器，开关和创新的新的光子器件应用具有更低的成本，更小的足迹和更低的功率预算。所有这一切都有助于改善互联网的基础设施和更快速，更低成本的部署，特别是在本地环路。

This SBIR Phase II project proposes to develop the Liquid Phase Epitaxy (LPE) of potassium tantalum niobate (KTN) on a cubic perovskite substrate. In this manner both components of the film/substrate composite may be optimized for device performance. KTN has almost two orders of magnitude higher electrooptic coefficients than current generation lithium niobate waveguides, which would permit shorter path lengths, lower bias voltages or some combination of the two. The new, low dielectric constant substrate material developed in Phase I will enable better matching of the effective microwave dielectric constant to the optical dielectric constant of the film material and achieve lower bias fields. In Phase II, the researchers will develop the new substrate material to commercial quality and size. LPE of KTN will be developed from a new innovative flux system that allows excellent control of growth and superior film properties. Both film and substrate will be fully characterized and optimized as a composite. The process and product will be scaled up to full commercial size. IPI will interact with strategic partner device manufacturers to optimize the material and realize device applications. Electrooptic devices are used in any photonics application where an electrical signal can be used to change the state of a beam of light. While the best-known applications for electrooptic devices are in telecommunications, customers can be found wherever light is used to move information including optical computing, analog and digital signal processing, information processing and sensing. Devices include phase and amplitude modulators, Q-switches, multiplexers, switch arrays, couplers, polarization controllers, deflectors, correlators, sensors, potential transformers and optical parametric oscillators. Potential customers are noticeably found in both the electric power industry and the military. Initial applications in sensors will have an immediate potential for impact in reliability of electric power distribution through failure anticipation and prevention and conservation of electric power through monitoring and control. The proposed work will enable electrooptic modulators, switches and innovative new photonic device applications with lower costs, smaller footprints and lower power budgets. All this contributes to improvements of the infrastructure of the Internet and more rapid, lower cost deployment, especially in the local loop.