Precise fabrication of integrated photonic and optoelectronic systems using low-cost nanoimprint process

There are major technical and financial barriers that are preventing Si photonics and optoelectronics to transition from R & D to commercial product domain. The main technical challenge is the nanometric scale precision required for proper functioning of Si photonic devices. High index contrast of Si with its cladding materials allows reducing the size of photonic elements and hence allows packing more and more functionalities in smaller area. However, the same high index contrast results in very high sensitivity of these resonators to nanometer scale variations. Similarly, on the financial side, the cost of fabricating these devices has to be reduced before Si photonics can go into commercial production. Sinoora Inc. plans to overcome these major challenges in this STTR Phase II project by developing a robust and low-cost manufacturing process that can deliver very precise Si photonic and optoelectronic circuits.