On-Chip Integration Operating Under the Extraordinary Light Detection Mode of an InGaN/GaN Diode

• Published in: IEEE photonics technology letters 2017-03, Vol.29 (5), p.446-449
• Main Authors: Yang, Yongchao, Gao, Xumin, Yuan, Jialei, Li, Yuanhang, Zhang, Zhiyu, Wang, Yongjin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Diodes; Gallium nitrides; Indium gallium nitrides; InGaN/GaN multiple-quantum-well diode; light detection and emission; on-chip photonic integration; Optical transmitters; Optical waveguides; Photonics; Quantum well devices; Receivers; Silicon; System-on-chip
• ISSN: 1041-1135; 1941-0174
• DOI: 10.1109/LPT.2017.2655566

In this letter, we build an on-chip photonic integration system on a GaN-on-silicon platform. Using silicon removal and back wafer etching techniques, two suspended InGaN/GaN multiple-quantum-well diodes (MQWDs), which are connected by suspended waveguides, are fabricated as a transmitter and a receiver, respectively, in the on-chip photonic integration system. The 100-μm-long, 2-μm-high, and 3-μm-wide suspended waveguides are adopted for light coupling and transmission between the transmitter and the receiver. When the transmitter emits light, the InGaN/GaN MQWD simultaneously exhibits an extraordinary light detection mechanism in which the light-induced electron-hole pairs are greatly increased and can be rapidly cancelled by the injection current. The on-chip photonic integration system experimentally demonstrates the significantly improved 3-dB bandwidth and data transport performances when the receiver operates under the simultaneous light emission and detection mode.