Showing posts with label photonics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label photonics. Show all posts

Saturday, January 18, 2025

Revolutionizing Silicon Photonics: First Electrically Pumped Group IV Laser Achieved for Seamless Integration on Silicon Chips

Researchers have achieved a groundbreaking milestone in silicon photonics by developing the first electrically pumped Group IV laser, made from silicon-germanium-tin layers directly grown on silicon wafers. This innovation paves the way for cost-effective, energy-efficient photonic integrated circuits in next-gen silicon chips.


The breakthrough in silicon photonics achieved by an international research team marks a transformative step in the materials and manufacturability of photonic devices. By developing the first electrically pumped continuous-wave laser made entirely of Group IV materials—silicon, germanium, and tin—the researchers overcame a long-standing challenge in integrating efficient light sources directly into silicon-based technologies. This laser is built using ultrathin layers of silicon-germanium-tin and germanium-tin, grown directly on silicon wafers. Its compatibility with conventional CMOS processes promises seamless integration into existing silicon manufacturing workflows, reducing costs and enhancing scalability. Unlike traditional lasers based on III-V materials, which are costly and complex to integrate with silicon, this innovation makes use of widely available Group IV elements, providing an energy-efficient and manufacturable solution for on-chip photonics.

This laser not only operates with a low current of 5 milliamperes at 2 volts but also features a sophisticated multi-quantum well structure and ring geometry to minimize power consumption and heat generation. Though the device currently functions at cryogenic temperatures, its development path mirrors earlier advancements in germanium-tin lasers that achieved room-temperature operation within a few years. The laser’s manufacturability is further underscored by its growth on standard silicon wafers, aligning with industry-standard processes. This achievement is poised to catalyze the adoption of low-cost photonic integrated circuits (PICs) in microchips, meeting the growing demand for energy-efficient hardware in AI and IoT applications while paving the way for advances in optical data transmission and next-generation silicon photonics.

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Silicon Photonics Breakthrough: The “Last Missing Piece” Now a Reality

Wednesday, September 6, 2023

TSMC's Silicon Photonics Investment Boosts AI Chip Efficiency for ChatGPT

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) is heavily investing in silicon photonics, combining silicon chips and optical tech to enhance AI applications like ChatGPT. TSMC, the world's top contract chipmaker, aims to improve AI chip performance through silicon photonics, addressing energy efficiency and computing power issues. This technology integrates optics with silicon-based circuits for high-speed, low-power data transmission. Silicon photonics attracts substantial investment across the semiconductor industry, impacting data centers, supercomputers, networking, and more. TSMC is developing integrated silicon photonics systems with advanced chip packaging technology but has not yet entered mass production. The global silicon photonics market is projected to grow to $7.86 billion by 2030.

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