This technology integrates CMOS standard manufacturing processes and Silicon (Si) substrates with direct epitaxial growth of III-V lasers, to improve manufacturing throughput, reduce costs, and produce high-performance, compact photonic integrated circuits (PICs).
Background: Photonic integrated circuits (PICs) are chips designed to manipulate light (photons) for various functionalities, analogous to electronic integrated circuits. PICs typically consist of laser light sources, optical waveguides, modulators, and detectors. These components work together for applications such as optical data transmission, sensing, and high-performance computing. However, traditional approaches rely on separate fabrication of laser sources and photonic devices, followed by complex packaging and alignment processes. These methods result in significant optical losses, increased costs, and reduced scalability. Silicon photonics platforms are increasingly being adopted due to their compatibility with CMOS processes, but integrating active components such as lasers remains challenging due to material mismatches and alignment complexities.
Technology Overview: This technology uses III-V gain media selectively grown by epitaxial methods. The III-V material is processed after growth using the same CMOS manufacturing techniques used for the passive components. Integrating CMOS standard manufacturing processes and Si substrates with direct epitaxial growth of III-V lasers results in improved manufacturing throughput and reduced cost relative to current commercial PIC production processes. CMOS electronics could also be integrated into the same chip. Direct integration of III-V lasers with Si or Ge passive components on a single chip allows for high-performance, compact PICs.
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Advantages: • Reduced Thermal Budget • Low defect density • Enhanced light coupling • Compact device footprint • Eliminates complex alignment and packaging processes • Reduced tolerances and costs
Applications: The primary application for this technology is the production of photonic integrated circuits (PICs) for optical computing and telecom optical transceivers.
Patent Status: Patents filed in TW, JP, SG, EP, KR, and US: • 11,029,466 • 11,550,099 • 18/151,900
Stage of Development: TRL 6 - Technology demonstrated in relevant environment
Licensing Status: This technology is available for licensing.
Licensing Potential: This technology would be of interest to anyone involved in the design, manufacture, and use of PICs, including:• Semiconductor and Electronics manufacturers • Telecommunications • High Performance Computing • Automotive • Aerospace and Defense • Medical and Healthcare