Final Report Summary - SILAMPS (Silicon integrated lasers and optical amplifiers)
A major barrier to the full implementation of silicon photonics is the absence of an efficient optical emitter and optical amplifier in silicon itself. Also largely lacking are a wide enough wavelength range of emitters and photodetectors in the near-, mid- and far-infrared regions for many of the desired applications. The fundamental problem with silicon is its indirect band gap which means that band gap light emission is “forbidden”. However, if competing non light emitting processes can be eliminated then light emission will occur. The SILAMPS approach was based on a novel technology - dislocation engineering - that prevents the competing processes from occurring and so enables light emission. This produced light emitting diodes that operate at room temperature and above but not in itself lasers. The SILAMPS project used this core technology as a starting point but in addition introduced in to the devices optically active centers that can give optical gain and therefore offer routes to silicon based lasers and optical amplifiers. A major breakthrough on the project was the development of a completely new technology - band edge modified rare earth emitters. This gave greatly enhanced emitter efficiencies and also a new route to additional emitters and detectors in the near-, mid- and far-infrared.
Si-Light technologies Ltd, a spin out company from the University of Surrey was formed as a commercialization vehicle for technology generated on the SILAMPS and related projects. The company plans to sell licenses for its technology to manufacturers operating in the relevant sectors.
A follow-up ERC Proof of Concept Grant FILOS enabled us to develop a commercialisation strategy to take the technologies developed under SILAMPS to the market. FILOS established the near term market potential of the unique silicon light emission and mid-infrared silicon detector technologies being developed and a strategy for commercial exploitation. It identified the detectors as a particular near market opportunity. Partners contracted under FILOS to identify and define routes to market recommended that the next step is to produce competitively performing prototypes packaged in industry standard cryogenic dewars and independently validated by an accredited standards laboratory, for demonstration to strategic commercialisation partners. The fabrication, characterisation and validation of these prototypes are the key objectives of a second ERC PoC grant awarded, SMIRP (Silicon mid-infrared photodetectors).