A new era of nonlinear optical computing and laser communication: performance advantages of integrating very low power photonic CMOS technology and high-power lasers

Abstract

CMOS-based integrated circuits are in most of the digital and wireless computing devices. Traditionally, CMOS is not considered a light emitting devices. For this reason, ULSI or ASIC circuits are in closed packages, functioning without any lights. Just like laser or LED, photonic CMOS transistors are light emitting devices. A phonic MOSFEST includes a laser or LED fabricated in the drain region, and a photonic sensor or avalanche photo diode (APD) in the well region. The MOSFET, laser, and photon sensor are manufactured as one integral device. When the MOSFET is on, both laser and APD are also on. Light emitted from the laser is absorbed by the APD, which triggers a large breakdown or light current flowing back into the MOSFET drain for much higher speed. When the MOSFET is off, the embedded laser and APD are also turned off. With novel designs of local interconnected nonlinear optical waveguides, and signal processing schemes, multiple-bandwidth optical computing may be realized.