Novel architecture and fabrication processes for single epitaxial growth distributed-feedback lasers for sensing and communication.

具有分布式反馈（DFB）的专用化合物半导体（CS）激光器用于高速数据通信网络和激光雷达（光探测和测距），用于自动驾驶车辆和机器人的导航和避障。应用需要具有高光功率和窄线宽的DFB激光器，可以在各种环境中工作。目前的DFB激光器是由不同地点的专业供应商分多个步骤制造的：CS基材层生长在晶圆级基板上，然后发送给另一个供应商，使用电子束光刻技术定义定制光栅图案，然后发送给CS材料供应商完成结构。这种延长的供应链将制造交货期从几周增加到几个月，额外的材料处理增加了芯片级缺陷，降低了产量并增加了成本。为了适应市场所需的设备数量，该技术需要商品化，以推动成本降低约10倍。需要创新来取代目前的多步骤方法。该项目将专注于开发新的设备架构，相关的材料规模产品，这将提高产量，降低生产前置时间和制造成本。所使用的方法将通过测试激光器的性能和可靠性来验证。

Specialised Compound semiconductor (CS) lasers with Distributed Feedback (DFB) are used for high-speed datacom networks and in LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) for navigation and obstacle avoidance by autonomous vehicles and robots. Applications require DFB lasers which feature high optical powers and narrow linewidths, that operate in a range of environments.Current DFB lasers are manufactured in multiple steps by specialised suppliers at different sites: CS base layer is grown onto wafer-scale substrates, then sent to another supplier for a custom grating pattern to be defined using electron beam lithography, before being sent back to the CS material supplier to complete the structure. This extended supply chain increases manufacturing lead-times from weeks to months, and additional material handling increases chip-scale defects, lowering yield and increasing costs.For the market to accommodate the number of devices required, the technology needs to be commoditised to drive a cost reduction of ~10x. Innovation is needed to replace the current multi-step approach. This project will focus on developing novel device architectures, associated material-scale product which will increase yield, lower production lead-times and costs of manufacture. The methods used will be verified by testing laser performance and reliability.