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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
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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

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References

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