Current-Pumped, Amplifying, Slow Light Waveguides in Hybrid Si/III-V Platforms

“该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助的。“该项目提出研究一种新型的放大耦合谐振器光波导（CROW）。的CROW是实现在波导几何形状与光栅“缺陷”形成的个别谐振器。波导将在混合Si/III-V平台上制造，其中传播的慢模式将通过部分模式穿透到放大III-V层中而被放大。该项目的目标是制作一个光栅CROW与100个缺陷谐振腔，从而使超过10位的信号存储在一个紧凑的半导体geometrical.Intellectual MeritHaving最初提出并分析了CROW的慢光波导的目的，作者得出的结论是，最好的方式来实现它们将是光栅缺陷CROW。与微米晶体和二维光子晶体缺陷型慢光波导相比，光栅慢光波导具有谐振腔尺寸小、占用空间小、耦合系数易于控制等优点，而任何慢光器件的主要缺点是固有损耗引起的光衰减，因此放大型慢光波导将补偿结构内部的损耗。电流泵浦硅/Ⅲ-Ⅴ族混合波导的关键技术将是本论文的放大平台。用100个谐振器放大CROW的演示将使新型光学延迟线、缓冲器和存储元件成为可能。更广泛的影响该项目的另一个方面是教育多样化的学生群体从事科学研究，并指导他们了解科学发现的文化。诸如本科论文研究、少数民族和夏季本科生研究奖学金（分别为MURF和SURF）等项目使多元文化的学生群体能够参与科学研究。

"This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5)."The project proposes to investigate a new type of amplifying coupled-resonator optical waveguide (CROW). The CROW is to be realized in a waveguide geometry with individual resonators formed by grating "defects". The waveguide will be fabricated on a hybrid Si/III-V platform in which the propagating slow mode will be amplified through the partial modal penetration into the amplifying III-V layers. The project aims to fabricate a grating CROW with 100 defect resonators thus enabling signal storage of more than 10 bits in a compact semiconductor geometry.Intellectual MeritHaving initially proposed and analyzed CROWs for the purpose of slow-light waveguides the authors have come to the conclusion that the best way to realize them would be grating defect CROWs. Compared to microring CROWs and 2D photonic crystal defect CROWs, grating CROWs over the advantages of small resonator sizes, smaller footprint, and easier control of the coupling coefficients.Since the major weakness of any slow-light device is the optical attenuation due to inherent losses, the amplifying CROW will compensate for the loss inside the structure. The key technology of current-pumped hybrid Si/III-V waveguides will be the amplifying platform of the proposed work. The demonstration of amplifying CROWs with 100 resonators will enable new classes of optical delay lines, buffers, and memory elements.Broader ImpactsAnother aspect of the project is to educate a diverse group of students to pursue scientific research and to mentor them about the culture of scientific discovery. Programs such as undergraduate thesis research, the Minority and Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (MURF and SURF, respectively), enable a multicultural group of students to participate in scientific research.