Suppression of free carrier absorption in silicon using multislot SiO$_{2}$/nc-Si waveguide

ORAL

Abstract

Nanocrystalline silicon has been proposed as a promising candidate for future silicon CMOS-compatible light emitting device. To achieve Si-based light sources at the standard telecommunication wavelength (1535 nm) Si nanostructures can be doped with rare earth elements. However, free carrier absorption (FCA) has been recognized as a major obstacle towards achieving net optical gain from a material containing Si nanostructures. Thus it is critical to develop approaches that suppress FCA to achieve optical gain in this material system. In this talk, experimental results of pump-induced loss for TE and TM polarization in multislot Er doped SiO$_{2}$/nc-Si waveguides will be presented. Continuous wavelength and ultrafast studies of carriers excited in the nc-Si multilayers reveal strong suppression of transmission loss related to free carrier absorption in Si nanostructures for TM polarized probe light. We demonstrate theoretically and experimentally that free carrier absorption may be reduced under TM polarization as much as 9 times compared to TE polarization. This approach may remove a major obstacle for future Si-based light emission devices, as free carrier absorption may no longer dominate over the optical gain.

Authors

  • Halina Krzyzanowska

    Vanderbilt University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235

  • J.K. Hwang

    Western Kentucky University, University of Pardubice, Francis Marion University, Clemson University Professor, Francis Marion University Professor, Undergraduate Administrator, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, Austin Peay State University, University Strenwarte-Muenchen, Seoul National University, Gatton Academy for Science and Mathematics, Alabama A\&M University, Cygnus, Center for Nanophase Materials Science at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Vanderbilt University, Fisk Univ, 2Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, NOVA Center, Western Kentucky University, Department of Physics, Florida A\&M University, Tallahassee, FL-32307, Correlated Electron Materials Group, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831-6061 USA, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA, The Institute of Optics, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Clark Atlanta University, Deapartment of Physics \& Astronomy, Georgia State University, USA, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2A7, Canada, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, University of South Alabama, Samford University, University of Rochester, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Sandia National Laboratories, New Mexico State University, University of Tennessee Space Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK, Georgia State University, Atlanta GA, University of Alabama at Birmingham, National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Prairie View A\&M University, Brookhaven National Laboratory, University of Southern Indiana, Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, JINR(Dubna), Tsinghua Univ., LBNL, Vanderbilt Univ., Vanderbilt Univ./Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, Vanderbilt Univ./Univ. of Kentucky, GANIL, Vanderbilt Univ./Union Univ., JINR, ORAU, Tsinghua University, LNBL

  • J.K. Hwang

    Western Kentucky University, University of Pardubice, Francis Marion University, Clemson University Professor, Francis Marion University Professor, Undergraduate Administrator, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, Austin Peay State University, University Strenwarte-Muenchen, Seoul National University, Gatton Academy for Science and Mathematics, Alabama A\&M University, Cygnus, Center for Nanophase Materials Science at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Vanderbilt University, Fisk Univ, 2Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, NOVA Center, Western Kentucky University, Department of Physics, Florida A\&M University, Tallahassee, FL-32307, Correlated Electron Materials Group, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831-6061 USA, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA, The Institute of Optics, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Clark Atlanta University, Deapartment of Physics \& Astronomy, Georgia State University, USA, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2A7, Canada, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, University of South Alabama, Samford University, University of Rochester, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Sandia National Laboratories, New Mexico State University, University of Tennessee Space Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK, Georgia State University, Atlanta GA, University of Alabama at Birmingham, National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Prairie View A\&M University, Brookhaven National Laboratory, University of Southern Indiana, Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, JINR(Dubna), Tsinghua Univ., LBNL, Vanderbilt Univ., Vanderbilt Univ./Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, Vanderbilt Univ./Univ. of Kentucky, GANIL, Vanderbilt Univ./Union Univ., JINR, ORAU, Tsinghua University, LNBL

  • J.K. Hwang

    Western Kentucky University, University of Pardubice, Francis Marion University, Clemson University Professor, Francis Marion University Professor, Undergraduate Administrator, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, Austin Peay State University, University Strenwarte-Muenchen, Seoul National University, Gatton Academy for Science and Mathematics, Alabama A\&M University, Cygnus, Center for Nanophase Materials Science at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Vanderbilt University, Fisk Univ, 2Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, NOVA Center, Western Kentucky University, Department of Physics, Florida A\&M University, Tallahassee, FL-32307, Correlated Electron Materials Group, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831-6061 USA, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA, The Institute of Optics, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Clark Atlanta University, Deapartment of Physics \& Astronomy, Georgia State University, USA, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2A7, Canada, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, University of South Alabama, Samford University, University of Rochester, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Sandia National Laboratories, New Mexico State University, University of Tennessee Space Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK, Georgia State University, Atlanta GA, University of Alabama at Birmingham, National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Prairie View A\&M University, Brookhaven National Laboratory, University of Southern Indiana, Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, JINR(Dubna), Tsinghua Univ., LBNL, Vanderbilt Univ., Vanderbilt Univ./Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, Vanderbilt Univ./Univ. of Kentucky, GANIL, Vanderbilt Univ./Union Univ., JINR, ORAU, Tsinghua University, LNBL