Periodic Reporting for period 3 - SAW-SBS (Surface Acoustic Waves Stimulated Brillouin Scattering)
Reporting period: 2024-04-01 to 2024-09-30
The issues addressed in the SAW-SBS project are the physics and application of opto-mechanics: the use of light and sound waves together in a single device. More specifically, the devices in question are silicon circuits: the most significant technological platform of our era. Silicon devices support state of the art electronics, and in recent years they also include the use of light waves. However, the additional dimension of sound waves is still missing.
The introduction of sound waves into silicon circuits for the guiding of light would greatly enhance their capabilities in several important respects. First, the use of light and sound together would enable fundamental research into both wave phenomena and the interactions between them. In addition, sound waves on a chip would promote sensing technologies, signal processing, and communications.
The overall objectives are concepts, calculations, fabricated devices, and experimental demonstrations of how light and sound waves may interact in a single, unified silicon circuit.
The introduction of sound waves into silicon circuits for the guiding of light would greatly enhance their capabilities in several important respects. First, the use of light and sound together would enable fundamental research into both wave phenomena and the interactions between them. In addition, sound waves on a chip would promote sensing technologies, signal processing, and communications.
The overall objectives are concepts, calculations, fabricated devices, and experimental demonstrations of how light and sound waves may interact in a single, unified silicon circuit.
The work performed thus far includes the following:
1. Thorough calculations of the propagation of light and sound waves in silicon devices, and of the interactions among them.
2. Fabrication of devices that enhance, control, and employ the combination of light and sound waves.
3. Construction of an experimental setup for the precise characterization of light and sound waves in silicon devices.
4. Stronger excitation of sound waves in a silicon device by external light, with 100-fold improvement upon previous works.
5. Sources of microwave-frequency signal through silicon devices of light and sound, with lower noise levels than those of previous works.
6. Method for the analysis of thin layers of materials deposited as part of silicon devices.
1. Thorough calculations of the propagation of light and sound waves in silicon devices, and of the interactions among them.
2. Fabrication of devices that enhance, control, and employ the combination of light and sound waves.
3. Construction of an experimental setup for the precise characterization of light and sound waves in silicon devices.
4. Stronger excitation of sound waves in a silicon device by external light, with 100-fold improvement upon previous works.
5. Sources of microwave-frequency signal through silicon devices of light and sound, with lower noise levels than those of previous works.
6. Method for the analysis of thin layers of materials deposited as part of silicon devices.
Until the end of the project, we expect to demonstrate for the first time an interaction between optical and acoustic waves that propagate together in a waveguide within a silicon chip. That milestone, if achieved, would represent a conceptual breakthrough and address a long-standing challenge of our community. In addition, we anticipate the demonstration of better signal processing and sensing functionalities on a silicon chip through careful control of optical and acoustic waves combined.