Abstract
In this paper, we report on the first attempt to design, fabricate, and test an
on-chip optical amplifier which works at 1540 nm and can be electrically driven. It is
based on an asymmetric silicon slot waveguide which embeds the active material. This is
based on erbium-doped silicon rich silicon oxide. We describe the horizontal asymmetric
slot waveguide design which allows us to get a high field confinement in a nanometer
thick active layer. In addition, we detail the complex process needed to fabricate the
structure. The waveguides have been characterized both electrically as well as
optically. Electroluminescence can be excited by hot carrier injection, due to impact
excitation of the Er ions. Propagation losses have been measured and high values have
been found due to processing defects. Pump and probe measurements show a voltage
dependent strong attenuation of the probe signal due to free carrier accumulation and
absorption in the slot waveguide region. At the maximum electrical pumping level,
electroluminescence signal is in the range of tens of µW/cm2 and the
overall loss of the device is only -6 dB. Despite not demonstrating optical
amplification, this study shines some light on the path to achieve an all-silicon
electrically driven optical amplifier.
© 2012 IEEE
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