Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gxg78 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-30T22:33:01.809Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Silicon Nanocavity Based Light Sources

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 May 2011

Yiyang Gong
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical Engineering, 438 Via Pueblo, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
Satoshi Ishikawa
Affiliation:
Corporate Manufacturing Engineering Center, Toshiba Corporation, Yokohama, 235-0017, Japan
Szu-Lin Cheng
Affiliation:
Department of Material Science and Engineering, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
Yoshio Nishi
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical Engineering, 438 Via Pueblo, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
Selcuk Yerci
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
Rui Li
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
Luca Dal Negro
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA Division of Material Science, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
Jelena Vuckovic
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical Engineering, 438 Via Pueblo, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
Get access

Abstract

We develop Si-based nano-photonic devices for the control of light at the nano-scales. We design high quality (Q) factor photonic crystal nanobeam cavities for a variety of Si compatible materials with low index, such as silicon rich oxide and silicon nitride, all with Q > 9,000 and small mode volumes. We apply these cavity designs to active materials such as Sinanocrystal doped silicon oxide and Er doped silicon nitride. By placing emitters in these cavities, we demonstrate that the cavity enhances emission processes. We show that the free carrier absorption process is greatly enhanced in the nanobeam cavities at both room and cryogenic temperatures. In addition, we demonstrate that nanobeam cavities made of Er-doped amorphous silicon nitride have enhanced absorption and gain characteristics compared to earlier designs that included silicon in the cavity. Because of the reduced losses, we observe linewidth narrowing and material transparency at both room temperature and cryogenic temperatures.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

[1] Vahala, K. J.. Optical microcavities. Nature, 424(6950):839–846, 14 AUG 2003.Google Scholar
[2] Takahashi, Y., Hagino, H., Tanaka, Y., Song, B.-S., Asano, T., and Noda, S.. High-Q nanocavity with a 2-ns photon lifetime. Optics Express, 15(25):17206–17213, 10 DEC 2007.Google Scholar
[3] Kreuzer, C., Riedrich-Moeller, J., Neu, E., and Becher, C.. Design of photonic crystal microcavities in diamond films. Optics Express, 16(3):1632–1644, 4 FEB 2008.Google Scholar
[4] Barth, M., Nuesse, N., Stingl, J., Loechel, B., and Benson, O.. Emission properties of high-Q silicon nitride photonic crystal heterostructure cavities. Applied Physics Letters, 93(2):021112, 14 JUL 2008.Google Scholar
[5] Foresi, J. S., Villeneuve, P. R., Ferrera, J., Thoen, E. R., Steinmeyer, G., Fan, S., Joannopoulos, J. D., Kimerling, L. C., Smith, H. I., and Ippen, E. P.. Photonic-bandgap microcavities in optical waveguides. Nature, 390(6656):143–145, 13 NOV 1997.Google Scholar
[6] Deotare, P. B., McCutcheon, M. W., Frank, I. W., Khan, M., and Loncar, M.. High quality factor photonic crystal nanobeam cavities. Applied Physics Letters, 94(12):121106, 23 MAR 2009.Google Scholar
[7] Eichenfield, M., Camacho, R., Chan, J., Vahala, K. J., and Painter, O.. A picogram- and nanometre-scale photonic-crystal optomechanical cavity. Nature, 459(7246):550–U79, 28 MAY 2009.Google Scholar
[8] Gong, Y. and Vuckovic, J.. Photonic crystal cavities in silicon dioxide. Applied Physics Letters, 96(3):031107, 18 JAN 2010.Google Scholar
[9] Kekatpure, R. D. and Brongersma, M. L.. Fundamental photophysics and optical loss processes in Si-nanocrystal-doped microdisk resonators. Physical Review A, 78(2, Part B):023829, AUG 2008.Google Scholar
[10] Pavesi, L., Dal Negro, L., Mazzoleni, C., Franzo, G., and Priolo, F.. Optical gain in silicon nanocrystals. Nature, 408(6811):440–444, 23 NOV 2000.Google Scholar
[11] Kekatpure, R. D. and Brongersma, M. L.. Quantification of Free-Carrier Absorption in Silicon Nanocrystals with an Optical Microcavity. Nano Letters, 8(11):3787–3793, NOV 2008.Google Scholar
[12] Yerci, S., Li, R., Kucheyev, S. O., van Buuren, T., Basu, S. N., and Dal Negro, L.. Energy transfer and 1.54 mu m emission in amorphous silicon nitride films. Applied Physics Letters, 95(3):031107(3 pp.), 20 JUL 2009.Google Scholar
[13] Li, R., Yerci, S., and Dal Negro, L.. Temperature dependence of the energy transfer from amorphous silicon nitride to Er ions. Applied Physics Letters, 95(4):041111(3 pp.), 27 JUL 2009.Google Scholar
[14] Gong, Y., Makarova, M., Yerci, S., Li, R., Stevens, M. J., Baek, B., Nam, S. W., Hadfleld, R. H., Dorenbos, S. N., Zwiller, V., Vuckovic, J., and Dal Negro, L.. Linewidth narrowing and Purcell enhancement in photonic crystal cavities on an Er-doped silicon nitride platform. Optics Express, 18(3):2601–12, JAN 2010.Google Scholar