SBIR Phase I: Wavelength-Division-Multiplexed Grating-Outcoupled Surface-Emitting Lasers with Quantum-Dot Active Layers

dmi -0340035这个小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目提出了一个单片波分复用（WDM）光栅外耦合表面发射半导体（GSE）激光器，使用量子点（QD）有源层发射1310 nm。与传统量子阱激光器相比，QD有源层具有较宽的增益带宽、较低的温度灵敏度、较窄的线宽和较低的啁啾。此外，量子点有源层允许使用低成本的砷化镓衬底。交叉光栅配置的两波长WDM GSE激光器从可以有效耦合到单模光纤的公共孔径发射不同波长。从单个孔径发射的独立控制波长的数量可以扩展到四个（阶段II）。开发这些激光器所需的知识需要在材料、光学、光栅、纳米结构、半导体加工、热传导、高速电子、封装、系统和电信方面的专业知识。结合边缘发射激光器（高功率、材料可靠、低电压、使用成熟）和垂直腔面发射激光器（低成本、晶圆级测试、简单封装、高集成能力）的理想特性，提出的先进研究是一种创新的光子学技术，在电信、信息处理、数据通信、光纤到企业和家庭、仪器仪表和计算等领域具有广泛的应用。这项技术也有望以极低的成本最终实现极高的数据速率（5gbps到160gbps），并消除将光纤部署到桌面和（或更接近）家庭的障碍。这也将使商业和娱乐的超高带宽连接成为可能。这个项目是与当地一所大学的科学和工程部门密切合作进行的，希望为从事这项研究的学生提供更好的教育体验。

DMI-0340035This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I Project proposes to demonstrate a monolithic Wavelength Division Multiplexed (WDM) Grating-Outcoupled Suface-Emitting semiconductor (GSE) laser emitting at 1310 nm using quantum-dot (QD) active layers. The QD active layers provide a broad gain bandwidth, reduced temperature sensitivity, narrower linewidths lower chirp compared to conventional quantum well lasers. In addition, QD active layers allow the use of low-cost GaAs substrates. Two-wavelength WDM GSE lasers in a cross-grating configuration emit at different wavelengths from a common aperture that can be efficiently coupled to a single mode fiber. The number of independently controlled wavelengths emitting from a single aperture can be extended to four (Phase II). The knowledge required to develop these lasers requires expertise in materials, optics, gratings, nanostructures, semiconductor processing, thermal transfer, high speed electronics, packaging, systems and telecommunications. Combining the desirable traits of both edge emitting lasers (high power, reliable material, low voltage, use of proven) and vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers (low cost, wafer level testing, simple packaging, high integration ability), the advanced research proposed is an innovative photonics technology that has broad applications in telecommunications, information processing, data communications, fiber to the business and home, instrumentation and computations.This technology would hope too lead to the eventual realization of very high data rates (5 Gbps up to 160 Gbps) at very low cost, and the elimination of barriers to deploying fiber to the desktop and to (or closer to) the home. This should also enable ultra high bandwidth connections for business and entertainment. This proposed project hope to provide an enhanced educational experience for students working on this research since it is performed in close collaboration with science and engineering department of a local university.