Compact CMOS-Compatible Optical Transceiver

ABSTRACT: Close integration of photonic devices with silicon complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) electronics can yield significant performance improvements in many applications. The recent development of novel integrated structures in silicon including waveguides, resonators, and photodetectors will enable dramatic reductions in size, weight, and power for components implementing complex functions. Physical Sciences Inc. (PSI) and the research group of Professor Richard Osgood at Columbia University propose to develop a compact optical transceiver for use in Air Force platforms including aircraft and satellites. The device will include an array of optical modulators, wavelength multiplexers, demodulators, and photodetectors. The modulation and demodulation functions will be implemented using a novel resonator structures based on coherent perfect loss, which enables size reduction. In a fully CMOS-compatible fabrication process, silicon ion-implanted structures will be used to make efficient photodetectors in the native silicon substrate. During the Phase I program, PSI and Columbia will design, fabricate, and demonstrate the critical subcomponents including a ring resonator demodulator and photodetector. A complete prototype transceiver will also be designed in Phase I for fabrication and testing in a subsequent Phase II effort. BENEFIT: The proposed transceiver structure will enable significant performance improvement over existing technology by integrating modulators, demodulators, and photodetectors on a silicon substrate using CMOS-compatible fabrication processes. The novel technology platform will be applicable to commercial systems that require communication at high data rates over long distances and within large datacenters.