GIMLi13: Demonstration of GaAs-based nano-ridge lasers emitting at 1300 nm, fully processed in a CMOS fab on 300 mm Si substrates

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Kerstin Volz
• Subject Area: Communication Technology and Networks, High-Frequency Technology and Photonic Systems, Signal Processing and Machine Learning for Information Technology ; Experimental Condensed Matter Physics ; Synthesis and Properties of Functional Materials
• Term: since 2025
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 550321162

Silicon (Si) photonics allows for the miniaturization and mass production of optical systems using CMOS technology. The recent demonstration of a III-V laser fully processed in a CMOS pilot line underlines its tremendous potential as a cost-effective integration approach, as the III-V material is directly grown on 300 mm Si substrates using nano-ridge engineering. While the wafer-scale device read-out highlights the promise of this unique concept, the currently used gain medium only supports laser emission at 1025 nm. To fully benefit from the low-loss Si/SiO2 waveguides in Si photonics, it is necessary to extend the emission to 1300 nm to avoid light absorption in Si. This project tackles this challenge by investigating new gain materials based on GaAs that emit at 1300 nm, replacing the current gain structure and benefiting from the existing integration modules that were developed for the first device demonstration on 300 mm Si. The research consortium will explore the growth of various gain materials in a lab environment to ensure fast progress and feedback. The material that shows the most promise based on structural and optical characterization will be used to fabricate devices for lasing demonstration. The growth of the best gain material will then be transferred to the CMOS fab for the deposition and complete device fabrication on 300 mm Si, making the CMOS-compatible III-V laser ready to be integrated into a Si photonics platform.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Belgium
• Cooperation Partners: Dr. Bernardette Kunert; Professor Dries Van Thourhout, Ph.D.