Integrated silicon photonics has sparked a significant ramp-up of investment in both academia and industry as a scalable, power-efficient, and eco-friendly solution. At the heart of this platform is the light source, which in itself, has been the focus of research and development extensively. This paper sheds light and conveys our perspective on the current state-of-the-art in different aspects of application-driven on-chip silicon lasers. We tackle this from two perspectives: device-level and system-wide points of view. In the former, the different routes taken in integrating on-chip lasers are explored from different material systems to the chosen integration methodologies. Then, the discussion focus is shifted towards system-wide applications that show great prospects in incorporating photonic integrated circuits (PIC) with on-chip lasers and active devices, namely, optical communications and interconnects, optical phased array-based LiDAR, sensors for chemical and biological analysis, integrated quantum technologies, and finally, optical computing. By leveraging the myriad inherent attractive features of integrated silicon photonics, this paper aims to inspire further development in incorporating PICs with on-chip lasers in, but not limited to, these applications for substantial performance gains, green solutions, and mass production. 

/pdf/prospects-and-applications-of-on-chip-lasers-1xwe1uu6.pdf

Prospects and applications of on-chip lasers

Abstract Silicon photonic integration has gained great success in many application fields owing to the excellent optical device properties and complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) compatibility. Realizing monolithic integration of III-V lasers and silicon photonic components on single silicon wafer is recognized as a long-standing obstacle for ultra-dense photonic integration, which can provide considerable economical, energy-efficient and foundry-scalable on-chip light sources, that has not been reported yet. Here, we demonstrate embedded InAs/GaAs quantum dot (QD) lasers directly grown on trenched silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate, enabling monolithic integration with butt-coupled silicon waveguides. By utilizing the patterned grating structures inside pre-defined SOI trenches and unique epitaxial method via hybrid molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), high-performance embedded InAs QD lasers with monolithically out-coupled silicon waveguide are achieved on such template. By resolving the epitaxy and fabrication challenges in such monolithic integrated architecture, embedded III-V lasers on SOI with continuous-wave lasing up to 85 °C are obtained. The maximum output power of 6.8 mW can be measured from the end tip of the butt-coupled silicon waveguides, with estimated coupling efficiency of approximately -6.7 dB. The results presented here provide a scalable and low-cost epitaxial method for the realization of on-chip light sources directly coupling to the silicon photonic components for future high-density photonic integration. 

/pdf/monolithic-integration-of-embedded-iii-v-lasers-on-soi-1ev4s97e.pdf

Monolithic integration of embedded III-V lasers on SOI

Whispering-gallery-mode microcavity lasers possess remarkable characteristics such as high Q factors and compact geometries, making them an essential element in the evolution of microlasers. However, solid-state whispering-gallery-mode lasers have previously suffered from low output power and limited optical conversion efficiency, hindering their applications. Here, we present the achievement of milliwatt laser emissions at a wavelength of 1.06 µm from a solid-state whispering-gallery-mode laser. To accomplish this, we construct a whispering-gallery-mode microcavity (with a diameter of 30 µm) using a crystalline Nd: YAG thin film obtained through carbon-implantation enhanced etching of a Nd: YAG crystal. This microcavity laser demonstrates a maximum output power of 1.12 mW and an optical conversion efficiency of 12.4%. Moreover, our unique eccentric microcavity design enables efficient coupling of free-space pump light, facilitating integration with a waveguide. This integration allowed for single-wavelength laser emission from the waveguide, achieving an output power of 0.5 mW and an optical conversion efficiency of 6.18%. Our work opens up new possibilities for advancing solid-state whispering-gallery-mode lasers, providing a viable option for compact photonic sources. 

Optically pumped Milliwatt Whispering-Gallery microcavity laser.

Recent advances in integrated nonlinear material platforms and low-loss optical microresonators enabled a broad range of chip-scale optical applications, such as optical frequency combs, quantum photonics, and optical signal processing. The aluminum gallium arsenide-on-insulator (AlGaAsOI) platform exhibiting high nonlinearity, strong light confinement, and negligible two-photon absorption has motivated research in realizing highly efficient nonlinear components. Low loss and dispersion engineering are essential for nonlinear processes in waveguides as the former allows for a long nonlinear interaction distance while the latter ensures good phase matching. Constructing waveguides into microresonators can bring the nonlinear efficiency of the device to an unprecedented level but also requires extra considerations concerning the excess losses induced by waveguide bend and coupler, and the dispersion perturbation induced by intermodal coupling. This paper presents the fabrication process and its critical aspects for high <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">Q AlGaAsOI microresonators. We report the highest <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">Q for high-confinement III-V microring resonators that are fabricated using an electron-beam lithography-based patterning process. We also present an efficient coupler that simplifies the post-processing step for fiber-chip coupling. Moreover, we present generic design methods to suppress the avoided mode crossing (AMX) or dispersion defects in microresonators and demonstrate AMX-free AlGaAsOI microresonators.

https://backend.orbit.dtu.dk/ws/files/293043914/HKKR_Design_and_Fabrication_of_AlGaAs_on_Insulator_Microring_Resonators_for_Nonlinear_Photonics.pdf

Design and Fabrication of AlGaAs-on-Insulator Microring Resonators for Nonlinear Photonics

A full integration of miniaturized transparent energy device (lithium-ion battery), electronic device (thin-film transistor) and sensing device (photodetector) to form a monolithic integrated microsystem greatly enhances the functions of transparent electronics. Here, InGaZnO is explored to prepare the above devices and microsystem due to its multifunctional properties. A transparent lithium-ion battery with InGaZnO as anode (capacity~9.8 μAh cm-2) is proposed as the on-chip power source. Then, thin-film transistor with InGaZnO as channel (mobility~23.3 cm2 V-1 s-1) and photodetector with InGaZnO as photosensitive layer (responsivity~0.35 A W-1) are also prepared on the substrate for constructing an fully integrated transparent microsystem. Each device displays acceptable performance. Moreover, alternating-current signals can be successfully charged into the lithium-ion battery by using the thin-film transistor as the on-chip rectifier and also the photodetector works well by using the charged battery as the on-chip power, demonstrating collaborative capabilities of each device to achieve systematic functions. 

Integration of microbattery with thin-film electronics for constructing an integrated transparent microsystem based on InGaZnO.

Quantum dot lasers on silicon have gained significant interest over the past decade due to their great potential as an on-chip silicon photonic light source. Here, we demonstrate multi-wavelength injection locking of InAs/GaAs quantum dot Fabry–Perot (FP) lasers both on GaAs and silicon substrates by optical self-injection via an external cavity. The number of locked laser modes can be adjusted from a single peak to multiple peaks by tuning wavelength dependent phase and mode spacing of back-injected light through a Lyot filter. The multi-wavelength injection locked laser modes exhibit average optical linewidth of <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline" id="m1"> <mml:mrow> <mml:mo>∼</mml:mo> <mml:mn>20</mml:mn> <mml:mtext> </mml:mtext> <mml:mi mathvariant="normal">kHz</mml:mi> </mml:mrow> </mml:math> , which are narrowed by approximately three orders of magnitude from their free-running condition. Furthermore, multi-wavelength self-injection locking via an external cavity exhibits flat-top optical spectral properties with approximately 30 stably locked channels under stable operation over time, where the frequency detuning is less than 700 MHz within 40 min. Particularly, FP lasers by direct epitaxial growth on silicon substrates are self-injection locked as a flat-top comb source with tunable free spectral range from approximately 25 to 700 GHz. The reported results emphasize the great potential of multi-wavelength injection locked lasers as tunable on-chip multi-wavelength light sources.

Multi-wavelength Injection Locked Comb Laser Epitaxially Grown on Silicon

Single-longitudinal-mode light sources on a silicon platform exhibit tremendous potential in data transmission, integrated on-chip optical interconnects, and optical ranging. A unique InAs/GaAs quantum dot discrete mode (DM) laser directly grown on a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate with embedded silicon gratings has been demonstrated here, which is regrowth-free and compatible with integrated silicon photonics. Attributed to refractive index perturbation and optical feedback from embedded silicon gratings prepatterned on the SOI substrate, this DM laser can provide stable single-mode operation with a threshold current of 45 mA and an output power of 9 mW. The maximum optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR) achieved is 43.6 dB with an optical linewidth of 157 kHz. The 3 dB direct modulation bandwidth is measured as 3.6 GHz. The DM laser can be externally modulated at 70 Gbit/s with non-return-to-zero (NRZ) modulation format and 80 Gbit/s under 4-level pulsed amplitude (PAM4) modulation format. Such SOI-based DM laser paves the way toward large-scale and high-power on-chip integrated lasers. 

Monolithic Quantum Dot Discrete Mode Laser on SOI

For optical interconnect applications, multi-wavelength comb sources require uniform comb spacings and high reliability at high operating temperature. Here, the high-temperature reliability measurements of a InAs quantum dot colliding pulse mode-locked (QD-CPML) laser with 100 GHz comb spacing are systematically investigated. Laser lifetime measurements are performed for over 1600 hours at 80 °C under constant stress current of 150 mA. The mean time to failure (MTTF) of the laser is approximately 38 years (336,203 hours), extracted from the threshold currents extrapolation method. The optical spectral revolutions are also monitored during the aging process, while the grids of comb laser are remarkably stable. The outstanding reliability and spectrum stability make this 100 GHz QD-CPML a promising candidate as a multi-wavelength laser source for datacom and optical I/O applications.

Ultra-reliable Quantum Dot Colliding Pulse Mode-Locked Laser as Multi-wavelength Source for Integrated Optical Interconnects

We integrated InAs QD lasers on trenched SOI platforms, enabling monolithic integration with butt-coupled waveguides. We have achieved high-performance lasers with a maximum output power of 6.8 mW and a coupling efficiency of -6.7 dB.

Monolithic Integration of III-V Quantum Dot Lasers on SOI

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