STTR Phase I: High Speed, High Power, Single Mode Photonic Crystal Lasers

Award ID: 2223077

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project is to demonstrate the viability of a semiconductor laser technology based on laterally confined photonic crystal cavities. The proposed laser technology may ensure secure semiconductor and microelectronic supply chains within US for energy-efficient high-capacity data center link capabilities, Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) systems for autonomous driving/aerial vehicles, high performance communication and sensing systems, etc. The novel solution may accelerate technology development, address technical and market gaps, and foster entrepreneurship with important social impacts. The project will help prepare a diversified workforce skilled in semiconductor production, nanotechnology, photonics and optics, and advanced manufacturing. This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project seeks to develop and commercialize high speed photonic crystal surface emitting lasers (PCSELs) with single-mode, high power output. PCSEL offers the combined attributes of conventional lasers with demonstrated high-power, single-mode operations from large apertures. To address the cavity scaling challenges in high speed PCSELs with aperture sizes down to a few micrometers, a novel lateral cavity confinement configuration is proposed. Such a lateral confinement configuration can offer both strong optical confinement and compact lateral charge confinement for increased intrinsic modulation speed and reduced parasitic effects. The trade-offs between the modulation speed and optical power will be investigated. Vertical cavity feedbacks will also be incorporated and optimized for photon lifetime management. The objective of this project is to investigate different optical feedback configurations in the PCSEL cavities to scale the cavity sizes down to a few micrometers with the goal of single-mode, high power, and high-speed operation. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NSF Program Director: Samir Iqbal