Silicon based QD light sources and lasers

Lead Research Organisation: University College London
Department Name: Electronic and Electrical Engineering

Abstract

Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
 
Description Current photonics technology is largely based on III-V emitters, while electronics technology is based on Si. The immense commercial value of being able to integrate III-V emitters with Si technology has long been recognized and has been the subject of intense effort without any success. In this grant, we have been successfully demonstrated the III-V quantum-dot emitters monolithically integrated with silicon platform. These research outputs could generate a new research field and form the base for silicon photonics. More than 20 publications and invited talks have been produced in this programme. In addition, the new collaborations with Oclaro, CIP, Cea Leti, and Huawei have been established within this programme.
Exploitation Route The researchers who have been working on the mismatched crystal integration, could benefit from the knowledge obtained from this grant will benefit. And the UK photonics industries could take the novel silicon-based lasers further to produce low-cost and complex silicon Chips for next-generation computers and faster and higher-capacity communication system. We are working with UCL Business on the potential commercialization.
Sectors Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Education,Electronics,Energy
 
Description The knowledge generated from this grant could potentially provide the basis for cheaper and better Si-based optoelectronic integrated circuits, a key enabler for the Digital Economy, and the basis for the potential solutions for impending silicon CMOS interconnect challenges. Three patent have been filed, while one is granted. This project could contribute to improve the quality of life for consumers and to wealth creation, such as low-cost and complex Silicon Chips for next-generation computers and faster and higher-capacity communication system.
First Year Of Impact 2018
Sector Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Electronics
Impact Types Economic
 
Description C-band quantum-dot lasers on monolithically grown Si platform
Amount £729,746 (GBP)
Funding ID EP/V029606/1 
Organisation Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 11/2021 
End 10/2024
 
Description EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Compound Semiconductor Manufacturing
Amount £6,589,026 (GBP)
Funding ID EP/S024441/1 
Organisation Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 06/2019 
End 12/2027
 
Description EPSRC Future Manufacturing Hub
Amount £10,330,423 (GBP)
Funding ID EP/P006973/1 
Organisation Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 10/2016 
End 09/2023
 
Description H2020-ICT-2016-2017 (Information and Communication Technologies Call)
Amount € 4,000,000 (EUR)
Organisation European Commission 
Department Horizon 2020
Sector Public
Country European Union (EU)
Start 01/2018 
End 12/2020
 
Description H2020-MSCA-ITN-2016 Marie Sklodowska-Curie Innovative Training Networks
Amount € 1,000,000 (EUR)
Organisation European Commission 
Department Horizon 2020
Sector Public
Country European Union (EU)
Start 01/2017 
End 12/2020
 
Description Lifetime of silicon-based InAs/GaAs quantum dot laser diodes for silicon photonics
Amount £45,021 (GBP)
Funding ID EP/K503745/1 
Organisation Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 10/2014 
End 09/2015
 
Description National Epitaxy Facility
Amount £12,000,000 (GBP)
Organisation Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 01/2017 
End 12/2021
 
Description QUantum Dot On Silicon systems for communications, information processing and sensing (QUDOS)
Amount £6,123,268 (GBP)
Funding ID EP/T028475/1 
Organisation Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 11/2020 
End 10/2025
 
Title An optoelectronic semiconductor device 
Description A semiconductor device 300 for use in an optoelectronic integrated circuit; the device 300 comprising: a group four substrate 16 e.g. silicon, a waveguide 14, and a group III/V multilayer stack 12; wherein the group III/V multilayer stack comprises a quantum component 10 e.g. dot, dash, or wire for producing light, e.g. laser, for the waveguide 14. The waveguide 14 comprises a material with a deposition temperature below 550 degrees Celsius and a refractive index of any value between 1.3 and 3.8. The waveguide 14 may comprise silicon oxynitride (SiON), silicon nitride, amorphous silicon, glass (Al2O3), polymers or conductive oxides. The waveguide 14 may have a stepped or graded index. Also disclosed is a method of manufacturing the semiconductor device, which may include depositing the waveguide 14 on either side of the quantum component 10. The light produced may be optically coupled to the waveguide by a tapered coupling structure, which may facilitate evanescent coupling. 
IP Reference GB2586444 
Protection Patent application published
Year Protection Granted 2021
Licensed No
Impact This IP is designed for integration of epitaxially grown III-V quantum-dot lasers on silicon platform. This invention will bridge III-V photonics devices with silicon optoelectronics platform.
 
Title SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE AND FABRICATION METHOD 
Description A semiconductor device comprising a nominally or exactly (001) orientation silicon substrate on which is grown directly a < 100 nm thick nucleation layer (NL) of a III-V compound semiconductor, other than GaP, followed by a buffer layer of the same compound, formed directly on the NL, optionally followed by further III-V semiconductor layers, followed by at least one layer containing III-V compound semiconductor quantum dots, optionally followed by further III-V semiconductor layers. The NL reduces the formation and propagation of defects from the interface with the silicon, and the resilience of quantum dot structures to dislocations enables lasers and other semiconductor devices of improved performance to be realised by direct epitaxy on nominally or exactly (001) orientation silicon. 
IP Reference GB1620826.6 
Protection Patent application published
Year Protection Granted 2016
Licensed No
Impact This study indicates that III-V quantum dot laser could be fabricated on CMOS compatible silicon substrates for the first time. This will be very important for incorporating III-V lasers with silicon COMS for silicon photonics.
 
Title SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE AND FABRICATION METHOD 
Description In this application, the operation of post-fabrication of diverse Si-based III-V quantum dot (QD) light sources where the facet reflectivity is controlled in a reproducible and high yield way by means of FIB has been demonstrated. Reasonable room temperature (RT) continuous-wave (c.w.) lasing characteristics have been achieved from InAs/GaAs QD laser grown on SI with FIB-made front facet. Effectively reduced facet reflectivity has been achieved from angled facet devices, by focused Ga+ ion beam milling of the front facet of the edge emitting Si-based InAs/GaAs QD laser, allowing the InAs/GaAs QD superluminescent light-emitting diodes (SLDs) operating under c.w mode to be realized for the first time at room temperature. 
IP Reference GB1701488.7 
Protection Patent application published
Year Protection Granted 2017
Licensed No
Impact This applicant is for fabricating silicon-based light emitting diodes by using FIB, which is important for the fabrication of silicon-based photonics circuits.