CAREER: GaSb-based Photonic Integrated Circuits for Short- and Mid-Wave Infrared Applications

光子集成电路（PICs）基于由锑和镓（通常称为“锑化物”）制成的半导体，具有单片集成的有源和无源组件，在扩展的短波和中波红外波长范围内工作，由于广泛的新兴应用，包括化学传感，工业过程控制和非侵入性医疗诊断，目前具有重要的研究兴趣。电磁波谱的这种波长范围很重要，因为它包含许多光谱特征，如强泛音和气相和液相分子的组合分子吸收带，用于传感应用。这种对眼睛安全的光谱也有一个大气传输窗口，这使得它适合激光雷达/遥感应用。该学院早期职业发展（Career）项目将开发第一个基于锑化材料系统的非电信光子IC平台。该研究的科学见解和技术进步也将广泛影响光子学领域，使这一不发达光谱区域的操作成为可能。由于研究课题将跨越科学和工程的不同学科，如光学、材料科学、电气工程、物理和化学，它提供了一系列潜在的、动手学习的活动，将吸引不同背景的学生。除了高影响力的研究进展，该项目将支持纳米科学和纳米技术的跨学科教育活动。教育和推广部分旨在提高人们对科学、技术、工程和数学（STEM）学科的兴趣，并通过让K-12、本科生和研究生接触光学和光子学的进步来宣传教育机会。该项目的总体目标是促进对低带隙锑化材料系统的知识理解，以开发和演示扩展短波和中波红外（S-MWIR）光谱波段的光子集成电路（PICs）技术平台，并扩大与红外材料科学和器件技术相关的教育机会。该项目的主要研究目标是：(1)开发第一个非电信光子集成电路平台，(2)实现新型基于单片机的宽可调谐激光器和其他发射波长范围为2.2-3.4 μm的PIC组件，最后(3)展示高度集成的宽可调谐传感PIC。该集成光子演示将证明未来片上、低成本、紧凑、健壮和节能的光子子系统的可行性，从而实现广泛的实际应用。在这个项目中进行的工作将产生与GaSb材料系统相关的新的基础知识，并在光子元件和集成电路水平上进行创新。为了建立这样一个单片平台，将设计、生长、制造和测试波长范围为2.2-3.4 μ m的宽可调谐半导体激光器、光电探测器、低损耗波导和1 × 2光分路器。分子束外延将用于器件结构的生长。需要多个单独的SG-DBR（采样光栅-分布式布拉格反射器）激光器，其调谐范围为150-250 nm（取决于中心发射波长），以覆盖整个目标范围。因此，高度集成的光学器件和子系统将同时提高性能和效率，并有助于满足下一代S-MWIR光子技术的低尺寸、低重量、低功耗和低成本（SWaP-C）限制。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Photonic integrated circuits (PICs) based on a semiconductor made of antimony and gallium (often referred to as “antimonide”) with monolithically-integrated active and passive components that operate in the extended short- and mid-wave infrared wavelength regime are currently of significant research interest due to a wide range of emerging applications, including chemical sensing, industrial process control, and non-invasive medical diagnostics. This wavelength regime of the electromagnetic spectrum is important because it contains a number of spectral features such as strong overtones and combination molecular absorption bands in gas- and liquid-phase molecules for sensing applications. This eye-safe spectral regime also has an atmospheric transmission window, which makes it suitable for LiDAR/remote sensing applications. This Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) project will develop the first non-telecom photonic IC platform based on the antimonide material system. The scientific insights and technological advances stemming from the research will also broadly impact the field of photonics by enabling operation in this underdeveloped spectral region. Since the research topic will cross different disciplines of science and engineering, such as optics, materials science, electrical engineering, physics, and chemistry, it offers a range of potential, hands-on learning activities that will engage students of varying backgrounds. In addition to high impact research advancement, this project will support interdisciplinary education activities in nanoscience and nanotechnology. The educational and outreach components are aimed at promoting interests in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines and propagating educational opportunities by exposing K-12, undergraduate and graduate students to advancements in optics and photonics.The overarching goals of this project are to advance intellectual understanding of the low-bandgap antimonide material system for the development and demonstration of a photonic integrated circuits (PICs) technology platform in the extended short- and mid-wave infrared (S-MWIR) spectral band and to expand educational opportunities related to infrared materials science and device technology. The primary research goals of the proposed project are to (1) develop the first non-telecom photonic integrated circuits platform, (2) realize novel single-chip–based widely tunable lasers and other PIC components with an emission wavelength range of 2.2-3.4 μm and finally (3) demonstrate highly-integrated widely tunable sensing PICs. This integrated photonic demonstration will prove feasibility for future, on-chip, low-cost, compact, robust, and energy-efficient photonic subsystems that will enable a wide range of practical applications. The work performed within this project will generate new fundamental knowledge related to the GaSb material system and build innovations at the photonic components- as well as -IC levels. To establish such a monolithic platform, widely-tunable semiconductor lasers, photodetectors, low-loss waveguides and 1 × 2 optical splitters in the wavelength range of 2.2-3.4 µm, will be designed, grown, fabricated and tested. Molecular beam epitaxy will be used for the growth of device structures. Multiple, individual SG-DBR (Sampled Grating-Distributed Bragg Reflector) lasers with tuning ranges of 150-250 nm (depending on the center emission wavelength) will be needed to cover the entire targeted range. As a result, the highly-integrated optical devices and subsystems will simultaneously improve performance and efficiency as well as help meet low size, weight, power and cost (SWaP-C) constraints for next-generation S-MWIR photonic technologies.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.