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Al2O3 Post
Al2O3 Post
Proposed lateral injection scheme for a photonic crystal waveguide
Cladding Injected Photonic Crystal Laser
Design & Simulations
Background Information
Methodology
Future Work
References
Jeremy Bregman, Stanford REU Student, jbregman@stanford.edu
Ken Leedle, Seonghyun Paik, Graduate Mentor; James S. Harris Group, Electrical Engineering Department,
Mark Schnitzer Group, Departments of Biological Sciences and of Applied Physics, Stanford University
Introduction
Two Photon Microscopy, a live-tissue imaging
technique, requires pico-scale lasing
properties.
Our goal is to create a miniature laser source
capable of emitting in the 800nm < < 950nm
region by using slow-light photonic crystal
design structures.
Two-photon excitation microscopy of mouse intestine. Red: actin.
Green: cell nuclei. Blue: mucus of goblet cells. Obtained at 780 nm
using a Ti-sapphire laser.
Schnitzer group, Stanford University
Design Goals:
Efficient electrical injection
High Bandwidth
Ultra-low Dispersion
Low loss Waveguides
High gain (ability to increase power)
Photonic Crystals
A photonic crystal is composed of a periodic arrangement of
dielectric material in two or three dimensions.
Specifically chosen periodicity and symmetry yields a photonic band
gap particular frequencies of prohibited light propagation in any
direction in the medium
Lithography and etching techniques to create 2D planar waveguides
Projected band diagram of TE-like (z-even) states for a W1 defect in the hole slab.
Enhances linear electro-optic
tuning and gain
Compresses optical signals
and energy in space
Slowdown performance
scales with refractive index
constant. high-index photonic
crystal structures are optimal
Semiconductor Lasers
Recombination of holes and electrons leads to stimulated
emission of photons, determined by bandgap structure.
Population inversion of electrons in the upper conduction
and lower valence band exists where light is confined
cleaving both sides to create reflecting mirrors (a
resonator) yields a semiconductor laser.
Semiconductor bandgap materials are sandwiched to
achieve optical and electrical confinement within the
waveguide
Sentaurus Device Simulator for electrical,
thermal, and optical characteristics of laser
design
Half period slice of PIN wire structure of
photonic crystal to model injection into
Quantum Dot-in-Well Wetting Layer
Optimize 1-DWELL for equal electron and
hole densities at center of waveguide
Extend simulations and various doping
schemes to 2-DWELL and 3-DWELL
structures
Fabricate and characterize devices in the
Stanford Nanofabrication Lab
Dramatic increase in current injection
High confinement within the DWELL
At center: 75x electron, 2x hole density
with Bias reduced from 1.5 to 1.2V
Characteristic carrier concentration
PIN Heterostructure shape
Near-equal electron and hole
concentrations at center of waveguide
Results
Total Current Density (3D view)
Electron & Hole Density
Center of Waveguide/QW
P-contact
3 = 390
a = 225 nm
Bias = 1.2V
N-contact
Multi-Layer Doping 1-DWELL Structure
Band Diagram
Quantum Dot-in-a-Well (DWELL)
Confines particles to a thin planar region
Formed by sandwiching a semiconductor
between two layers of a material with a
wider band gap
Matches hole and electron densities
Increases efficiency, threshold current
density, and modal gain of QD laser Figure Right:. Fabrication design and performance of electrically driven
photonic crystal cavity devices. (a) Schematic layout of devices. The
doping regions (labeled in green for n-type and red for p-type) are
tapered towards the cavity center to provide efcient electrical injection.
(b) Tilted angle scanning electron microscope (SEM) image of a
fabricated device. The doping regions are partially visible with the SEM
coloration
Conclusions
1. Joannopoulos, J. D., Robert D. Meade, and Joshua N. Winn. Photonic Crystals: Molding the Flow of Light. Princeton, NJ: Princeton UP, 1995. Print.
2. Krauss T F. Slow Light in Photonic Crystal Waveguides. J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 2007, 40, 2666
3. Gary Shambat et al. Electrically driven photonic crystal cavities yield low-power optoelectronic devices. SPIE. DOI: 10.1117/2.1201202.004117
4. Liu, G T et al. The influence of quantum-well composition on the performance of quantum dot lasers using InAs-InGaAs dots-in-a-well (DWELL) structures. IEEE
Quant. Elect, 2000, 36, 1272
5. Amand, T., and X. Marie. "Pulsed Semiconductor Laser." Femtosecond Laser Pulses. By Claude Rullire. 2nd ed. New York: Springer, 2005. 125-75. Print.
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3
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Slow-Light Properties
1
p-GaAs
Al0.3Ga0.7As
n-GaAs
Diagram of front view of a simple quantum well laser diode
5
Bias =1.41 V
Multi-Layer Doping 3-DWELL Structure
Band Diagram
Band Diagram
N-contact
P-contact
3 = 390
a = 225 nm
Bias =1.41 V