(Invited) Advanced Photonic Circuits Using III-V Semiconductors

Abstract

Advances in photonic integrated circuits (PICs) have enabled increased system performance and new photonic system capabilities. Integration leads to reductions in SWaP (size, weight and power) and packaging costs, while increasing reliability and mechanical robustness when compared to discrete components. The unique characteristics of compound semiconductors enable monolithically integrated PICs with efficient integrated light sources, amplifiers and high performance modulators and detectors. Additionally, specialized discrete devices can be heterogeneously integrated with other photonic circuits to form more complex circuits. Sandia has developed a fundamental capability in InP-based PICs that enables the monolithic integration of a diverse set of lasers, modulators (both phase-based and absorption-based), photodetectors, amplifiers (both high-gain and high-saturation power varieties) and routing waveguides, in addition to electrical passive components such as resistors, capacitors, and transmission lines.The foundation of the capability is quantum-well-intermixing which enables the realization of multiple bandedges to be formed across the wafer with very low optical reflections (<1 dB) at the interfaces [1], coupled with simple blanket MOCVD regrowths This InP-based PIC platform allows for high performance components including >40 Gbps EAMs (electroabsorption modulators) and photodetectors [2], <1 GHz passband optical filters and wavelength-tunable lasers with >40 dB side mode suppression ratio on a single monolithic chip.This variety of devices enables the creation of unique, highly-functional PICs for a variety of applications. In addition, this PIC technology can also be combined with photonic technologies, including Si photonics, using heterogeneous integration to reduce costs and expand the application space. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.