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| Reference Number | UKRI1248 | |
| Title | 3D Polysilicon Photonics - A New Platform for Integrated Optoelectronics | |
| Status | Started | |
| Energy Categories | Renewable Energy Sources (Solar Energy, Photovoltaics) 10%; Not Energy Related 80%; Other Power and Storage Technologies (Energy storage) 10%; |
|
| Research Types | Basic and strategic applied research 100% | |
| Science and Technology Fields | PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Physics) 50%; PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Metallurgy and Materials) 50%; |
|
| UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation | Not Cross-cutting 100% | |
| Principal Investigator |
Anna Peacock University of Southampton |
|
| Award Type | Standard | |
| Funding Source | EPSRC | |
| Start Date | 01 December 2025 | |
| End Date | 01 December 2028 | |
| Duration | 36 months | |
| Total Grant Value | £1,107,859 | |
| Industrial Sectors | Unknown | |
| Region | South East | |
| Programme | NC : ICT | |
| Investigators | Principal Investigator | Anna Peacock , University of Southampton |
| Other Investigator | Harold Chong , University of Southampton David Thomson , University of Southampton |
|
| Web Site | ||
| Objectives | ||
| Abstract | Silicon photonics is currently one of the fastest growing areas of research and development. The ability to exploit both the optical and electronic functionality of the semiconductor platform to process and manipulate data offers a route to dramatically increase the speeds, capacities, and efficiencies of optoelectronic systems. Capitalizing on their compact and efficient architectures, silicon photonic chips now underpin several key application areas such as data centre communications, where they are helping to expand internet bandwidths, and LiDAR, where they are enabling 4D vision in driverless vehicles. However, there are challenges associated in realizing the full suite of optoelectronic functionality using single-crystal silicon platforms due to their fixed silicon layer thickness. This is because the active and passive devices that make up the silicon circuits have different size requirements. For example, active devices are more efficient when the light is tightly confined in small waveguides, while passive devices are best when formed from larger waveguides as this helps to reduce the coupling and transmission losses. Moreover, the fixed silicon height can also make it difficult to fully optimise and integrate various components for operation across broad bandwidths or non-standard wavelength regions. The work in this proposal aims to tackle the integration challenge by developing a low cost and versatile polycrystalline silicon (polysilicon) platform technology that allows for the formation of components with a range of tailored dimensions across the photonic chip. The components will be fabricated via a combination of precision etching, deposition, and laser materials processing to achieve high-quality polysilicon waveguide devices. Importantly, as well as boosting the efficiency of the individual components through optimised designs, the improved coupling between components of different dimensions will reduce optical losses, resulting in lower energy consumption within the photonic integrated circuits. Furthermore, the transition from using single-crystal waveguide materials that require high temperature epitaxial growth to low temperature deposited polysilicon opens a route to a more sustainable manufacturing of silicon photonic systems. To explore this new platform technology, the team combines leading UK experts in the areas of semiconductor materials optimisation and integration, as well as active and passive silicon photonic component design and systems level engineering. Although much of the programme is focused on development of the fabrication procedures, a number of passive and active devices will be constructed, including couplers and modulators that will be used to benchmark the performance against state-of-the-art systems. The work will culminate in the demonstration of a high-speed photonic transmitter circuit constructed entirely from our polysilicon platform, illustrating the versatility and practicality of this approach. Thus, this project will take a transformative step towards unlocking the rich potential of integrated polysilicon optoelectronic systems | |
| Data | No related datasets |
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| Projects | No related projects |
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| Publications | No related publications |
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| Added to Database | 07/01/26 | |
