Built by researchers at the University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB) and Intel is the engine of the first hybrid silicon laser using silicon electrical standard. This breakthrough addresses one of the major obstacles for the production of low-cost, high-speed silicon devices photons for use in computers and the surrounding areas in the future and data centers.The researchers were able to combine the properties of indium phosphide light with light - the properties of silicon chip in a hybrid. When voltage is applied, light generated in the indium phosphide in the silicon waveguide with a continuous laser beam that will be used, it can be of the optical drive other silicon devices. Based on silicon laser could lead to wider use of photonics in computers because the cost can be reduced by using techniques of high volume silicon manufacturing.
"This could bring low-cost, terabit-level optical data pipes" on computers in the future, and help to make possible a new era of high-performance computing applications, "said Mario Paniccia, director of the Photonics Technology Lab at Intel. While still far from being commercial product, we believe dozens, even hundreds of lasers can be integrated hybrid silicon-silicon optical components with the other on a single chip of silicon.
"Indicates a joint research program with Intel, such as universities, industry and work together to make the state of science and technological progress," said John Bowers, professor of electrical engineering and computer science at the University of California, Santa Barbara. " By combining UCSB's expertise with Indium Phosphide and Intel's expertise in silicon photonics, we have a new structure of the laser method that is used to bond the chip, wafer or die micro-level and can be be a solution to a rule to display a large-scale optical integration platform of silicon. This is the beginning of a silicon chip optical high-integration, which can be produced in large quantities and at low prices. "Technical details
While normally used for mass production and affordable digital electronics today, can be used to detect, modulate and even amplify light, but do not generate effective in the light of the way silicon. In contrast, Indium Phosphide-based lasers are commonly used in telecommunications equipment and wireless. But the need to put together, individually and in point, he made them to remain expensive and in large quantities at low prices, and the computer industry.
For the hybrid silicon laser involves a new design recruitment indium phosphide-based material for light generation and amplification while using the silicon waveguide to contain and control the laser. The key to making this instrument is the use of low temperature, oxygen plasma - electrically charged atom of oxygen - to create a thin oxide layer (roughly 25 atoms thick) on the surfaces of materials.
When exposed to heat and pressure together, the oxide layer acts as a "glass-glue" merger of articles in two single chip. Devices when voltage is applied, light generated in the Indium Phosphide-based passes through the oxide "glass-glue" layer of the waveguide and the silicon chip, where it is contained and controlled, and the establishment of a hybrid silicon laser. Waveguide design is critical in determining the performance and specific wavelength of the hybrid silicon laser.
