Effects of pore design on mechanical properties of nanoporous silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Winter, Nicholas; Becton, Matthew; Zhang, Liuyang; Wang, Xianqiao

2017-01-01

Nanoporous silicon has been emerging as a powerful building block for next-generation sensors, catalysts, transistors, and tissue scaffolds. The capability to design novel devices with desired mechanical properties is paramount to their reliability and serviceability. In order to bring further resolution to the highly variable mechanical characteristics of nanoporous silicon, here we perform molecular dynamics simulations to study the effects of ligament thickness, relative density, and pore geometry/orientation on the mechanical properties of nanoporous silicon, thereby determining its Young's modulus, ultimate strength, and toughness as well as the scaling laws versus the features of interior ligaments. Results show that pore shape and pattern dictate stress accumulation inside the designed structure, leading to the corresponding failure signature, such as stretching-dominated, bending-dominated, or stochastic failure signatures, in nanoporous silicon. The nanostructure of the material is also seen to drive or mute size effects such as “smaller is stronger” and “smaller is ductile”. This investigation provides useful insight into the behavior of nanoporous silicon and how one might leverage its promising applications. - Graphical abstract: Molecular dynamics simulations are performed to study the effects of ligament thickness, relative density, and pore geometry/orientation on the mechanical properties of nanoporous silicon, thereby determining its Young's modulus, ultimate strength, and toughness as well as the scaling trends versus the features of interior ligaments.

The effect of oxidation on physical properties of porous silicon layers for optical applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pirasteh, Parasteh [Laboratoire d' Optronique, CNRS-UMR FOTON 6082, Universite de Rennes 1, ENSSAT Tecnhopole Anticipa, 6 rue de Kerampont, BP 447, 22305 Lannion Cedex (France); Charrier, Joel [Laboratoire d' Optronique, CNRS-UMR FOTON 6082, Universite de Rennes 1, ENSSAT Tecnhopole Anticipa, 6 rue de Kerampont, BP 447, 22305 Lannion Cedex (France)]. E-mail: joel.charrier@univ-rennes1.fr; Soltani, Ali [Institut d' Electronique, de Microemectronique et de Nanotechnologie, CNRS-UMR 8520, Cite Scientifique Avenue Poincare, BP 69, 59652 Villeneuve d' Ascq Cedex (France); Haesaert, Severine [Laboratoire d' Optronique, CNRS-UMR FOTON 6082, Universite de Rennes 1, ENSSAT Tecnhopole Anticipa, 6 rue de Kerampont, BP 447, 22305 Lannion Cedex (France); Haji, Lazhar [Laboratoire d' Optronique, CNRS-UMR FOTON 6082, Universite de Rennes 1, ENSSAT Tecnhopole Anticipa, 6 rue de Kerampont, BP 447, 22305 Lannion Cedex (France); Godon, Christine [Laboratoire de Physique Crystalline, Institut des Materiaux Jean Rouxel, 44322 Nantes Cedex 3 (France); Errien, Nicolas [Laboratoire de Physique Crystalline, Institut des Materiaux Jean Rouxel, 44322 Nantes Cedex 3 (France)

2006-12-15

In order to understand the optical loss mechanisms in porous silicon based waveguides, structural and optical studies have been performed. Scanning and transmission electron microscopic observations of porous silicon layers are obtained before and after an oxidation process at high temperature in wet O{sub 2}. Pore size and shape of heavily p-type doped Si wafers are estimated and correlated to the optical properties of the material before and after oxidation. The refractive index was measured and compared to that determined by the Bruggeman model.

Fabrication Method for LOBSTER-Eye Optics in Silicon

Science.gov (United States)

Chervenak, James; Collier, Michael; Mateo, Jennette

2013-01-01

Soft x-ray optics can use narrow slots to direct x-rays into a desirable pattern on a focal plane. While square-pack, square-pore, slumped optics exist for this purpose, they are costly. Silicon (Si) is being examined as a possible low-cost replacement. A fabrication method was developed for narrow slots in Si demonstrating the feasibility of stacked slot optics to replace micropores. Current micropore optics exist that have 20-micron-square pores on 26-micron pitch in glass with a depth of 1 mm and an extent of several square centimeters. Among several proposals to emulate the square pore optics are stacked slot chips with etched vertical slots. When the slots in the stack are positioned orthogonally to each other, the component will approach the soft x-ray focusing observed in the micropore optics. A specific improvement Si provides is that it can have narrower sidewalls between slots to permit greater throughput of x-rays through the optics. In general, Si can have more variation in slot geometry (width, length). Further, the sidewalls can be coated with high-Z materials to enhance reflection and potentially reduce the surface roughness of the reflecting surface. Narrow, close-packed deep slots in Si have been produced using potassium hydroxide (KOH) etching and a patterned silicon nitride (SiN) mask. The achieved slot geometries have sufficient wall smoothness, as observed through scanning electron microscope (SEM) imaging, to enable evaluation of these slot plates as an optical element for soft x-rays. Etches of different angles to the crystal plane of Si were evaluated to identify a specific range of etch angles that will enable low undercut slots in the Si material. These slots with the narrow sidewalls are demonstrated to several hundred microns in depth, and a technical path to 500-micron deep slots in a precision geometry of narrow, closepacked slots is feasible. Although intrinsic stress in ultrathin wall Si is observed, slots with walls approaching 1

Optical properties of phosphorescent nano-silicon electrochemically doped with terbium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gelloz, Bernard [Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8603 (Japan); Mentek, Romain; Koshida, Nobuyoshi [Tokyo University A and T, 2-24-16 Nakacho, Koganei, Tokyo 184-8588 (Japan)

2012-12-15

Hybrid thin films consisting of oxidized nano-silicon doped with terbium have been fabricated. Nano-silicon was formed by electrochemical etching of silicon wafers. Terbium was incorporated into nano-silicon pores by electrochemical deposition. Different oxidizing thermal treatments were applied to the films. The samples treated by high-pressure water vapor annealing (HWA) exhibited strong blue emission with a phosphorescent component, as previously reported by our group. The low temperature (260 C) HWA also led to strong emission from Tb{sup 3+} ions, whereas typical high temperature (900 C) treatment generally used to activate Tb{sup 3+} ions in silicon-based materials led to less luminescent samples. Spectroscopic and dynamic analyses suggest that terbium was incorporated as a separate oxide phase in the pores of the porous nano-silicon. The PL of the terbium phase and nano-silicon phase exhibit different temperature and excitation power dependences suggesting little optical or electronic interaction between the two phases. The luminescence of terbium is better activated at low temperature (260 C) than at high temperature (900 C). The hybrid material may find some applications in photonics, for instance as a display material. (copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

A Microsystem Based on Porous Silicon-Glass Anodic Bonding for Gas and Liquid Optical Sensing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivo Rendina

2006-06-01

Full Text Available We have recently presented an integrated silicon-glass opto-chemical sensor forlab-on-chip applications, based on porous silicon and anodic bonding technologies. In thiswork, we have optically characterized the sensor response on exposure to vapors of severalorganic compounds by means of reflectivity measurements. The interaction between theporous silicon, which acts as transducer layer, and the organic vapors fluxed into the glasssealed microchamber, is preserved by the fabrication process, resulting in optical pathincrease, due to the capillary condensation of the vapors into the pores. Using theBruggemann theory, we have calculated the filled pores volume for each substance. Thesensor dynamic has been described by time-resolved measurements: due to the analysischamber miniaturization, the response time is only of 2 s. All these results have beencompared with data acquired on the same PSi structure before the anodic bonding process.

Porous silicon structures with high surface area/specific pore size

Science.gov (United States)

Northrup, M.A.; Yu, C.M.; Raley, N.F.

1999-03-16

Fabrication and use of porous silicon structures to increase surface area of heated reaction chambers, electrophoresis devices, and thermopneumatic sensor-actuators, chemical preconcentrates, and filtering or control flow devices. In particular, such high surface area or specific pore size porous silicon structures will be useful in significantly augmenting the adsorption, vaporization, desorption, condensation and flow of liquids and gases in applications that use such processes on a miniature scale. Examples that will benefit from a high surface area, porous silicon structure include sample preconcentrators that are designed to adsorb and subsequently desorb specific chemical species from a sample background; chemical reaction chambers with enhanced surface reaction rates; and sensor-actuator chamber devices with increased pressure for thermopneumatic actuation of integrated membranes. Examples that benefit from specific pore sized porous silicon are chemical/biological filters and thermally-activated flow devices with active or adjacent surfaces such as electrodes or heaters. 9 figs.

Understanding capillary condensation and hysteresis in porous silicon: network effects within independent pores.

Science.gov (United States)

Naumov, Sergej; Khokhlov, Alexey; Valiullin, Rustem; Kärger, Jörg; Monson, Peter A

2008-12-01

The ability to exert a significant degree of pore structure control in porous silicon materials has made them attractive materials for the experimental investigation of the relationship between pore structure, capillary condensation, and hysteresis phenomena. Using both experimental measurements and a lattice gas model in mean field theory, we have investigated the role of pore size inhomogeneities and surface roughness on capillary condensation of N2 at 77K in porous silicon with linear pores. Our results resolve some puzzling features of earlier experimental work. We find that this material has more in common with disordered materials such as Vycor glass than the idealized smooth-walled cylindrical pores discussed in the classical adsorption literature. We provide strong evidence that this behavior comes from the complexity of the processes within independent linear pores, arising from the pore size inhomogeneities along the pore axis, rather than from cooperative effects between different pores.

Confocal imaging of protein distributions in porous silicon optical structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De Stefano, Luca; D'Auria, Sabato

2007-01-01

The performances of porous silicon optical biosensors depend strongly on the arrangement of the biological probes into their sponge-like structures: it is well known that in this case the sensing species do not fill the pores but instead cover their internal surface. In this paper, the direct imaging of labelled proteins into different porous silicon structures by using a confocal laser microscope is reported. The distribution of the biological matter in the nanostructured material follows a Gaussian behaviour which is typical of the diffusion process in the porous media but with substantial differences between a porous silicon monolayer and a multilayer such as a Bragg mirror. Even if semi-quantitative, the results can be very useful in the design of the porous silicon based biosensing devices

Designing High-Efficiency Thin Silicon Solar Cells Using Parabolic-Pore Photonic Crystals

Science.gov (United States)

Bhattacharya, Sayak; John, Sajeev

2018-04-01

We demonstrate the efficacy of wave-interference-based light trapping and carrier transport in parabolic-pore photonic-crystal, thin-crystalline silicon (c -Si) solar cells to achieve above 29% power conversion efficiencies. Using a rigorous solution of Maxwell's equations through a standard finite-difference time domain scheme, we optimize the design of the vertical-parabolic-pore photonic crystal (PhC) on a 10 -μ m -thick c -Si solar cell to obtain a maximum achievable photocurrent density (MAPD) of 40.6 mA /cm2 beyond the ray-optical, Lambertian light-trapping limit. For a slanted-parabolic-pore PhC that breaks x -y symmetry, improved light trapping occurs due to better coupling into parallel-to-interface refraction modes. We achieve the optimum MAPD of 41.6 mA /cm2 for a tilt angle of 10° with respect to the vertical axis of the pores. This MAPD is further improved to 41.72 mA /cm2 by introducing a 75-nm SiO2 antireflective coating on top of the solar cell. We use this MAPD and the associated charge-carrier generation profile as input for a numerical solution of Poisson's equation coupled with semiconductor drift-diffusion equations using a Shockley-Read-Hall and Auger recombination model. Using experimentally achieved surface recombination velocities of 10 cm /s , we identify semiconductor doping profiles that yield power conversion efficiencies over 29%. Practical considerations of additional upper-contact losses suggest efficiencies close to 28%. This improvement beyond the current world record is largely due to an open-circuit voltage approaching 0.8 V enabled by reduced bulk recombination in our thin silicon architecture while maintaining a high short-circuit current through wave-interference-based light trapping.

Amorphous silicon rich silicon nitride optical waveguides for high density integrated optics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Philipp, Hugh T.; Andersen, Karin Nordström; Svendsen, Winnie Edith

2004-01-01

Amorphous silicon rich silicon nitride optical waveguides clad in silica are presented as a high-index contrast platform for high density integrated optics. Performance of different cross-sectional geometries have been measured and are presented with regards to bending loss and insertion loss...

Pore volume is most highly correlated with the visual assessment of skin pores.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, S J; Shin, M K; Back, J H; Koh, J S

2014-11-01

Many studies have been focused on evaluating assessment techniques for facial pores amid growing attention on skin care. Ubiquitous techniques used to assess the size of facial pores include visual assessment, cross-section images of the skin surface, and profilometric analysis of silicone replica of the facial skin. In addition, there are indirect assessment methods, including observation of pores based on confocal laser scanning microscopy and the analysis of sebum secretion and skin elasticity. The aim of this study was to identify parameters useful in estimating pore of surface in normal skin. The severity of pores on the cheek area by frontal optical images was divided on a 0-6 scale with '0' being faint and small pore and '6' being obvious and large pore. After the photos of the frontal cheek of 32 women aged between 35 and 49 were taken, the size of their pores was measured on a 0-6 scale; and the correlation between visual grading of pore and various evaluations (pore volume by 3-D image, pore area and number by Optical Image Analyzer) contributing to pore severity investigated using direct, objective, and noninvasive evaluations. The visual score revealed that the size of pores was graded on a 1-6 scale. Visual grading of pore was highly correlated with pore volume measured from 3-D images and pore area measured from 2-D optical images in the order (P pore was also slightly correlated with the number of pores in size of over 0.04 mm(2) (P pore score and pore volume can be explained by 3-D structural characteristics of pores. It is concluded that pore volume and area serve as useful parameters in estimating pore of skin surface. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Doping porous silicon with erbium: pores filling as a method to limit the Er-clustering effects and increasing its light emission

KAUST Repository

Mula, Guido

2017-07-14

Er clustering plays a major role in hindering sufficient optical gain in Er-doped Si materials. For porous Si, the long-standing failure to govern the clustering has been attributed to insufficient knowledge of the several, concomitant and complex processes occurring during the electrochemical Er-doping. We propose here an alternative road to solve the issue: instead of looking for an equilibrium between Er content and light emission using 1-2% Er, we propose to significantly increase the electrochemical doping level to reach the filling the porous silicon pores with luminescent Er-rich material. To better understand the intricate and superposing phenomena of this process, we exploit an original approach based on needle electron tomography, EXAFS and photoluminescence. Needle electron tomography surprisingly shows a heterogeneous distribution of Er content in the silicon thin pores that until now couldn\\'t be revealed by the sole use of scanning electron microscopy compositional mapping. Besides, while showing that pore filling leads to enhanced photoluminescence emission, we demonstrate that the latter is originated from both erbium oxide and silicate. These results give a much deeper understanding of the photoluminescence origin down to nanoscale and could lead to novel approaches focused on noteworthy enhancement of Er-related photoluminescence in porous silicon.

Doping porous silicon with erbium: pores filling as a method to limit the Er-clustering effects and increasing its light emission

KAUST Repository

Mula, Guido; Printemps, Tony; Licitra, Christophe; Sogne, Elisa; D’ Acapito, Francesco; Gambacorti, Narciso; Sestu, Nicola; Saba, Michele; Pinna, Elisa; Chiriu, Daniele; Ricci, Pier Carlo; Casu, Alberto; Quochi, Francesco; Mura, Andrea; Bongiovanni, Giovanni; Falqui, Andrea

2017-01-01

Er clustering plays a major role in hindering sufficient optical gain in Er-doped Si materials. For porous Si, the long-standing failure to govern the clustering has been attributed to insufficient knowledge of the several, concomitant and complex processes occurring during the electrochemical Er-doping. We propose here an alternative road to solve the issue: instead of looking for an equilibrium between Er content and light emission using 1-2% Er, we propose to significantly increase the electrochemical doping level to reach the filling the porous silicon pores with luminescent Er-rich material. To better understand the intricate and superposing phenomena of this process, we exploit an original approach based on needle electron tomography, EXAFS and photoluminescence. Needle electron tomography surprisingly shows a heterogeneous distribution of Er content in the silicon thin pores that until now couldn't be revealed by the sole use of scanning electron microscopy compositional mapping. Besides, while showing that pore filling leads to enhanced photoluminescence emission, we demonstrate that the latter is originated from both erbium oxide and silicate. These results give a much deeper understanding of the photoluminescence origin down to nanoscale and could lead to novel approaches focused on noteworthy enhancement of Er-related photoluminescence in porous silicon.

Porous Silicon Structures as Optical Gas Sensors.

Science.gov (United States)

Levitsky, Igor A

2015-08-14

We present a short review of recent progress in the field of optical gas sensors based on porous silicon (PSi) and PSi composites, which are separate from PSi optochemical and biological sensors for a liquid medium. Different periodical and nonperiodical PSi photonic structures (bares, modified by functional groups or infiltrated with sensory polymers) are described for gas sensing with an emphasis on the device specificity, sensitivity and stability to the environment. Special attention is paid to multiparametric sensing and sensor array platforms as effective trends for the improvement of analyte classification and quantification. Mechanisms of gas physical and chemical sorption inside PSi mesopores and pores of PSi functional composites are discussed.

Micro benchtop optics by bulk silicon micromachining

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Abraham P.; Pocha, Michael D.; McConaghy, Charles F.; Deri, Robert J.

2000-01-01

Micromachining of bulk silicon utilizing the parallel etching characteristics of bulk silicon and integrating the parallel etch planes of silicon with silicon wafer bonding and impurity doping, enables the fabrication of on-chip optics with in situ aligned etched grooves for optical fibers, micro-lenses, photodiodes, and laser diodes. Other optical components that can be microfabricated and integrated include semi-transparent beam splitters, micro-optical scanners, pinholes, optical gratings, micro-optical filters, etc. Micromachining of bulk silicon utilizing the parallel etching characteristics thereof can be utilized to develop miniaturization of bio-instrumentation such as wavelength monitoring by fluorescence spectrometers, and other miniaturized optical systems such as Fabry-Perot interferometry for filtering of wavelengths, tunable cavity lasers, micro-holography modules, and wavelength splitters for optical communication systems.

Porous Silicon Structures as Optical Gas Sensors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Igor A. Levitsky

2015-08-01

Full Text Available We present a short review of recent progress in the field of optical gas sensors based on porous silicon (PSi and PSi composites, which are separate from PSi optochemical and biological sensors for a liquid medium. Different periodical and nonperiodical PSi photonic structures (bares, modified by functional groups or infiltrated with sensory polymers are described for gas sensing with an emphasis on the device specificity, sensitivity and stability to the environment. Special attention is paid to multiparametric sensing and sensor array platforms as effective trends for the improvement of analyte classification and quantification. Mechanisms of gas physical and chemical sorption inside PSi mesopores and pores of PSi functional composites are discussed.

Silicon Isotopes of Marine Pore Water: Tracking the Destiny of Marine Biogenic Opal

Science.gov (United States)

Cassarino, L.; Hendry, K. R.

2017-12-01

Silicon isotopes (δ30Si) are a powerful tool for the studying of the past and present silicon cycles, which is closely linked to the carbon cycle. Siliceous phytoplankton, such as diatoms, as one of the major conveyors of carbon to marine sediments. δ30Si from fossil diatoms has been shown to represent past silicic acid (DSi) utilization in the photic zone, since the lighter isotope is preferentially incorporated in their skeleton, the frustule. This assumes that species in the sediments depict past blooms and that frustules are preserved in their initial state during burial. Here we present new silicon isotopes data of sea water and pore water of deep marine sediments from two contrasted environments, the Equatorial Atlantic and West Antarctic Peninsula. δ30Si and DSi concentration, of both sea water and pore water, are negatively correlated. Marine biogenic opal dissolution can be tracked using δ30Si signature of pore water as lighter signals and high DSi concentrations are associated with the biogenic silica. Our data enhances post depositional and diagenesis processes during burial with a clear highlight on the sediment water interface exchanges.

Strained silicon as a new electro-optic material

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jacobsen, Rune Shim; Andersen, Karin Nordström; Borel, Peter Ingo

2006-01-01

For decades, silicon has been the material of choice for mass fabrication of electronics. This is in contrast to photonics, where passive optical components in silicon have only recently been realized1, 2. The slow progress within silicon optoelectronics, where electronic and optical...... functionalities can be integrated into monolithic components based on the versatile silicon platform, is due to the limited active optical properties of silicon3. Recently, however, a continuous-wave Raman silicon laser was demonstrated4; if an effective modulator could also be realized in silicon, data...... processing and transmission could potentially be performed by all-silicon electronic and optical components. Here we have discovered that a significant linear electro-optic effect is induced in silicon by breaking the crystal symmetry. The symmetry is broken by depositing a straining layer on top...

Optical nose based on porous silicon photonic crystal infiltrated with ionic liquids

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Haijuan [Institute of Microanalytical System, Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 3100058 (China); Zhejiang Academy of Medical Sciences, Hangzhou, 310013 (China); Lin, Leimiao; Liu, Dong; Chen, Qiaofen [Institute of Microanalytical System, Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 3100058 (China); Wu, Jianmin, E-mail: wjm-st1@zju.edu.cn [Institute of Microanalytical System, Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 3100058 (China)

2017-02-08

A photonic-nose for the detection and discrimination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) was constructed. Each sensing element on the photonic sensor array was formed by infiltrating a specific type of ionic liquid (IL) into the pore channel of a patterned porous silicon (PSi) chip. Upon exposure to VOC, the density of IL dramatically decreased due to the nano-confinement effect. As a result, the IL located in pore channel expanded its volume and protrude out of the pore channel, leading to the formation of microdroplets on the PSi surface. These VOC-stimulated microdroplets could scatter the light reflected from the PSi rugate filter, thereby producing an optical response to VOC. The intensity of the optical response produced by IL/PSi sensor mainly depends on the size and shape of microdroplets, which is related to the concentration of VOC and the physi-chemical propertied of ILs. For ethanol vapor, the optical response has linear relationship with its relative vapor pressure within 0–60%. The LOD of the IL/PSi sensor for ethanol detection is calculated to be 1.3 ppm. It takes around 30 s to reach a full optical response, while the time for recovery is less than 1 min. In addition, the sensor displayed good stability and reproducibility. Owing to the different molecular interaction between IL and VOC, the ILs/PSi sensor array can generate a unique cross-reactive “fingerprint” in response to a specific type of VOC analyte. With the assistance of image technologies and principle components analysis (PCA), rapid discrimination of VOC analyte could be achieved based on the pattern recognition of photonic sensor array. The technology established in this work allows monitoring in-door air pollution in a visualized way. - Highlights: • Ionic liquids confined in the pore channel of porous silicon (PSi) can form microdroplets on the PSi surface upon exposure to VOCs. • These VOC-stimulated microdroplets could scattered the light reflected from the PSi rugate

Effect of Etching Parameter on Pore Size and Porosity of Electrochemically Formed Nanoporous Silicon

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pushpendra Kumar

2007-01-01

Full Text Available The most common fabrication technique of porous silicon (PS is electrochemical etching of a crystalline silicon wafer in a hydrofluoric (HF acid-based solution. The electrochemical process allows for precise control of the properties of PS such as thickness of the porous layer, porosity, and average pore diameter. The control of these properties of PS was shown to depend on the HF concentration in the used electrolyte, the applied current density, and the thickness of PS. The change in pore diameter, porosity, and specific surface area of PS was investigated by measuring nitrogen sorption isotherms.

Diffusion-controlled growth of hydrogen pores in aluminum-silicon castings: In situ observation and modeling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Atwood, R.C.; Sridhar, S.; Zhang, W.; Lee, P.D.

2000-01-24

In situ observations were made of the nucleation and growth kinetics of hydrogen porosity during the directional solidification of aluminium-7 wt% silicon (Al7Si) with TiB{sub 2} grain refiner added, using an X-ray temperature gradient stage (XTGS). The effect of altering the solidification velocity on the growth rate and morphology of the porosity formed was characterized by tracking individual pores with digital analysis of the micro-focal video images. It was found that increasing the solidification velocity caused the pore radius to decrease and pore density to increase. Insight gained from the experimental results was used to develop a computational model of the evolution of hydrogen pores during solidification of aluminum-silicon cast alloys. The model solves for the diffusion-limited growth of the pores in spherical coordinates, using a deterministic solution of the grain nucleation and growth as a sub-model to calculate the parameters that depend upon the fraction solid. Sensitivity analysis was carried out to assess the effects of equiaxed grain density, pore density, initial hydrogen content and cooling rate. The model agrees with the experimental results within the resolution limits of the XTGS experiments performed.

Silicon based ultrafast optical waveform sampling

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ji, Hua; Galili, Michael; Pu, Minhao

2010-01-01

A 300 nmx450 nmx5 mm silicon nanowire is designed and fabricated for a four wave mixing based non-linear optical gate. Based on this silicon nanowire, an ultra-fast optical sampling system is successfully demonstrated using a free-running fiber laser with a carbon nanotube-based mode-locker as th......A 300 nmx450 nmx5 mm silicon nanowire is designed and fabricated for a four wave mixing based non-linear optical gate. Based on this silicon nanowire, an ultra-fast optical sampling system is successfully demonstrated using a free-running fiber laser with a carbon nanotube-based mode......-locker as the sampling source. A clear eye-diagram of a 320 Gbit/s data signal is obtained. The temporal resolution of the sampling system is estimated to 360 fs....

Iridium-coated micropore x-ray optics using dry etching of a silicon wafer and atomic layer deposition.

Science.gov (United States)

Ogawa, Tomohiro; Ezoe, Yuichiro; Moriyama, Teppei; Mitsuishi, Ikuyuki; Kakiuchi, Takuya; Ohashi, Takaya; Mitsuda, Kazuhisa; Putkonen, Matti

2013-08-20

To enhance x-ray reflectivity of silicon micropore optics using dry etching of silicon (111) wafers, iridium coating is tested by use of atomic layer deposition. An iridium layer is successfully formed on sidewalls of tiny micropores with a pore width of 20 μm and depth of 300 μm. The film thickness is ∼20  nm. An enhanced x-ray reflectivity compared to that of silicon is confirmed at Ti Kα 4.51 keV, for what we believe to be the first time, with this type of optics. Some discrepancies from a theoretical reflectivity curve of iridium-coated silicon are noticed at small incident angles <1.3°. When a geometrical shadowing effect due to occultation by a ridge existing on the sidewalls is taken into account, the observed reflectivity becomes well represented by the modified theoretical curve. An estimated surface micro roughness of ∼1  nm rms is consistent with atomic force microscope measurements of the sidewalls.

Magneto-optical non-reciprocal devices in silicon photonics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuya Shoji

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Silicon waveguide optical non-reciprocal devices based on the magneto-optical effect are reviewed. The non-reciprocal phase shift caused by the first-order magneto-optical effect is effective in realizing optical non-reciprocal devices in silicon waveguide platforms. In a silicon-on-insulator waveguide, the low refractive index of the buried oxide layer enhances the magneto-optical phase shift, which reduces the device footprints. A surface activated direct bonding technique was developed to integrate a magneto-optical garnet crystal on the silicon waveguides. A silicon waveguide optical isolator based on the magneto-optical phase shift was demonstrated with an optical isolation of 30 dB and insertion loss of 13 dB at a wavelength of 1548 nm. Furthermore, a four port optical circulator was demonstrated with maximum isolations of 15.3 and 9.3 dB in cross and bar ports, respectively, at a wavelength of 1531 nm.

Study of the deposition features of the organic dye Rhodamine B on the porous surface of silicon with different pore sizes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lenshin, A. S., E-mail: lenshinas@phys.vsu.ru; Seredin, P. V.; Kavetskaya, I. V.; Minakov, D. A.; Kashkarov, V. M. [Voronezh State University (Russian Federation)

2017-02-15

The deposition features of the organic dye Rhodamine B on the porous surface of silicon with average pore sizes of 50–100 and 100–250 nm are studied. Features of the composition and optical properties of the obtained systems are studied using infrared and photoluminescence spectroscopy. It is found that Rhodamine-B adsorption on the surface of por-Si with various porosities is preferentially physical. The optimal technological parameters of its deposition are determined.

Porous silicon platform for optical detection of functionalized magnetic particles biosensing.

Science.gov (United States)

Ko, Pil Ju; Ishikawa, Ryousuke; Sohn, Honglae; Sandhu, Adarsh

2013-04-01

The physical properties of porous materials are being exploited for a wide range of applications including optical biosensors, waveguides, gas sensors, micro capacitors, and solar cells. Here, we review the fast, easy and inexpensive electrochemical anodization based fabrication porous silicon (PSi) for optical biosensing using functionalized magnetic particles. Combining magnetically labeled biomolecules with PSi offers a rapid and one-step immunoassay and real-time detection by magnetic manipulation of superparamagnetic beads (SPBs) functionalized with target molecules onto corresponding probe molecules immobilized inside nano-pores of PSi. We first give an introduction to electrochemical and chemical etching procedures used to fabricate a wide range of PSi structures. Next, we describe the basic properties of PSi and underlying optical scattering mechanisms that govern their unique optical properties. Finally, we give examples of our experiments that demonstrate the potential of combining PSi and magnetic beads for real-time point of care diagnostics.

Silicon Nanowires for All-Optical Signal Processing in Optical Communication

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pu, Minhao; Hu, Hao; Ji, Hua

2012-01-01

Silicon (Si), the second most abundant element on earth, has dominated in microelectronics for many decades. It can also be used for photonic devices due to its transparency in the range of optical telecom wavelengths which will enable a platform for a monolithic integration of optics...... and microelectronics. Silicon photonic nanowire waveguides fabricated on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrates are crucial elements in nano-photonic integrated circuits. The strong light confinement in nanowires induced by high index contrast SOI material enhances the nonlinear effects in the silicon nanowire core...... such as four-wave mixing (FWM) which is an imperative process for optical signal processing. Since the current mature silicon fabrication technology enables a precise dimension control on nanowires, dispersion engineering can be performed by tailoring nanowire dimensions to realize an efficient nonlinear...

Nonlinear optical interactions in silicon waveguides

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kuyken B.

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The strong nonlinear response of silicon photonic nanowire waveguides allows for the integration of nonlinear optical functions on a chip. However, the detrimental nonlinear optical absorption in silicon at telecom wavelengths limits the efficiency of many such experiments. In this review, several approaches are proposed and demonstrated to overcome this fundamental issue. By using the proposed methods, we demonstrate amongst others supercontinuum generation, frequency comb generation, a parametric optical amplifier, and a parametric optical oscillator.

An all-silicon passive optical diode.

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Li; Wang, Jian; Varghese, Leo T; Shen, Hao; Niu, Ben; Xuan, Yi; Weiner, Andrew M; Qi, Minghao

2012-01-27

A passive optical diode effect would be useful for on-chip optical information processing but has been difficult to achieve. Using a method based on optical nonlinearity, we demonstrate a forward-backward transmission ratio of up to 28 decibels within telecommunication wavelengths. Our device, which uses two silicon rings 5 micrometers in radius, is passive yet maintains optical nonreciprocity for a broad range of input power levels, and it performs equally well even if the backward input power is higher than the forward input. The silicon optical diode is ultracompact and is compatible with current complementary metal-oxide semiconductor processing.

Optical study of planar waveguides based on oxidized porous silicon impregnated with laser dyes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chouket, A. [Unite de recherche de Spectroscopie Raman, Departement de Physique, Faculte des Sciences de Tunis, Elmanar 2092, Tunis (Tunisia); Charrier, J. [Laboratoire d' Optronique CNRS-UMR FOTON 6082, Universite de Rennes 1, ENSSAT-6 rue de Kerampont, BP 80518, 22305 Lannion Cedex (France); Elhouichet, H. [Unite de recherche de Spectroscopie Raman, Departement de Physique, Faculte des Sciences de Tunis, Elmanar 2092, Tunis (Tunisia)], E-mail: habib.elhouichet@fst.rnu.tn; Oueslati, M. [Unite de recherche de Spectroscopie Raman, Departement de Physique, Faculte des Sciences de Tunis, Elmanar 2092, Tunis (Tunisia)

2009-05-15

Oxidized porous silicon optical planar waveguides were elaborated and impregnated with rhodamine B and rhodamine 6G. The waveguiding, absorption, and photoluminescence properties of these impregnated waveguides were studied. Successful impregnation of the structure with laser dyes is shown from photoluminescence and reflectivity measurements. Furthermore, the reflectivity spectra prove the homogenous incorporation of both dye molecules inside the pores of the matrices. The refractive indices of waveguide layers were determined before and after dye impregnation to indicate the conservation of guiding conditions. The optical losses in the visible wavelengths are studied as a function of dye concentration. The dye absorption is the main reason for these losses.

Porous silicon technology for integrated microsystems

Science.gov (United States)

Wallner, Jin Zheng

With the development of micro systems, there is an increasing demand for integrable porous materials. In addition to those conventional applications, such as filtration, wicking, and insulating, many new micro devices, including micro reactors, sensors, actuators, and optical components, can benefit from porous materials. Conventional porous materials, such as ceramics and polymers, however, cannot meet the challenges posed by micro systems, due to their incompatibility with standard micro-fabrication processes. In an effort to produce porous materials that can be used in micro systems, porous silicon (PS) generated by anodization of single crystalline silicon has been investigated. In this work, the PS formation process has been extensively studied and characterized as a function of substrate type, crystal orientation, doping concentration, current density and surfactant concentration and type. Anodization conditions have been optimized for producing very thick porous silicon layers with uniform pore size, and for obtaining ideal pore morphologies. Three different types of porous silicon materials: meso porous silicon, macro porous silicon with straight pores, and macro porous silicon with tortuous pores, have been successfully produced. Regular pore arrays with controllable pore size in the range of 2mum to 6mum have been demonstrated as well. Localized PS formation has been achieved by using oxide/nitride/polysilicon stack as masking materials, which can withstand anodization in hydrofluoric acid up to twenty hours. A special etching cell with electrolytic liquid backside contact along with two process flows has been developed to enable the fabrication of thick macro porous silicon membranes with though wafer pores. For device assembly, Si-Au and In-Au bonding technologies have been developed. Very low bonding temperature (˜200°C) and thick/soft bonding layers (˜6mum) have been achieved by In-Au bonding technology, which is able to compensate the potentially

160-Gb/s Silicon All-Optical Packet Switch for Buffer-less Optical Burst Switching

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hu, Hao; Ji, Hua; Pu, Minhao

2015-01-01

We experimentally demonstrate a 160-Gb/s Ethernet packet switch using an 8.6-mm-long silicon nanowire for optical burst switching, based on cross phase modulation in silicon. One of the four packets at the bit rate of 160 Gb/s is switched by an optical control signal using a silicon based 1 × 1 all......-optical packet switch. Error free performance (BER silicon packet switch based optical burst switching, which might be desirable for high-speed interconnects within a short...

Optical micro-cavities on silicon

Science.gov (United States)

Dai, Daoxin; Liu, Erhu; Tan, Ying

2018-01-01

Silicon-based optical microcavities are very popular for many applications because of the ultra-compact footprint, easy scalability, and functional versatility. In this paper we give a discussion about the challenges of the optical microcavities on silicon and also give a review of our recent work, including the following parts. First, a near-"perfect" high-order MRR optical filter with a box-like filtering response is realized by introducing bent directional couplers to have sufficient coupling between the access waveguide and the microrings. Second, an efficient thermally-tunable MRR-based optical filter with graphene transparent nano-heater is realized by introducing transparent graphene nanoheaters. Thirdly, a polarization-selective microring-based optical filter is realized to work with resonances for only one of TE and TM polarizations for the first time. Finally, a on-chip reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer for hybrid mode- /wavelength-division-multiplexing systems is realized for the first time by monolithically integrating a mode demultiplexer, four MRR optical switches, and a mode multiplexer.

Nonlinear optical properties of silicon waveguides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsang, H K; Liu, Y

2008-01-01

Recent work on two-photon absorption (TPA), stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) and optical Kerr effect in silicon-on-insulator (SOI) waveguides is reviewed and some potential applications of these optical nonlinearities, including silicon-based autocorrelation detectors, optical amplifiers, high speed optical switches, optical wavelength converters and self-phase modulation (SPM), are highlighted. The importance of free carriers generated by TPA in nonlinear devices is discussed, and a generalized definition of the nonlinear effective length to cater for nonlinear losses is proposed. How carrier lifetime engineering, and in particular the use of helium ion implantation, can enhance the nonlinear effective length for nonlinear devices is also discussed

Morphology of the porous silicon obtained by electrochemical anodization method

Science.gov (United States)

Bertel H, S. D.; Dussán C, A.; Diaz P, J. M.

2018-04-01

In this report, the dependence of porous silicon with the synthesis parameters and their correlation with the optical and morphological properties is studied. The P-type silicon-crystalline samples and orientation were prepared by electrochemical anodization and were characterized using SEM in order to know the evolution of the pore morphology. It was observed that the porosity and thickness of the samples increased with the increase of the concentration in the solution and a high pore density (70%) with a pore size between 40nm and 1.5μm.

Photonic Crystal Sensors Based on Porous Silicon

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Claudia Pacholski

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Porous silicon has been established as an excellent sensing platform for the optical detection of hazardous chemicals and biomolecular interactions such as DNA hybridization, antigen/antibody binding, and enzymatic reactions. Its porous nature provides a high surface area within a small volume, which can be easily controlled by changing the pore sizes. As the porosity and consequently the refractive index of an etched porous silicon layer depends on the electrochemial etching conditions photonic crystals composed of multilayered porous silicon films with well-resolved and narrow optical reflectivity features can easily be obtained. The prominent optical response of the photonic crystal decreases the detection limit and therefore increases the sensitivity of porous silicon sensors in comparison to sensors utilizing Fabry-Pérot based optical transduction. Development of porous silicon photonic crystal sensors which allow for the detection of analytes by the naked eye using a simple color change or the fabrication of stacked porous silicon photonic crystals showing two distinct optical features which can be utilized for the discrimination of analytes emphasize its high application potential.

Photonic Crystal Sensors Based on Porous Silicon

Science.gov (United States)

Pacholski, Claudia

2013-01-01

Porous silicon has been established as an excellent sensing platform for the optical detection of hazardous chemicals and biomolecular interactions such as DNA hybridization, antigen/antibody binding, and enzymatic reactions. Its porous nature provides a high surface area within a small volume, which can be easily controlled by changing the pore sizes. As the porosity and consequently the refractive index of an etched porous silicon layer depends on the electrochemial etching conditions photonic crystals composed of multilayered porous silicon films with well-resolved and narrow optical reflectivity features can easily be obtained. The prominent optical response of the photonic crystal decreases the detection limit and therefore increases the sensitivity of porous silicon sensors in comparison to sensors utilizing Fabry-Pérot based optical transduction. Development of porous silicon photonic crystal sensors which allow for the detection of analytes by the naked eye using a simple color change or the fabrication of stacked porous silicon photonic crystals showing two distinct optical features which can be utilized for the discrimination of analytes emphasize its high application potential. PMID:23571671

Optical nose based on porous silicon photonic crystal infiltrated with ionic liquids.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Haijuan; Lin, Leimiao; Liu, Dong; Chen, Qiaofen; Wu, Jianmin

2017-02-08

A photonic-nose for the detection and discrimination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) was constructed. Each sensing element on the photonic sensor array was formed by infiltrating a specific type of ionic liquid (IL) into the pore channel of a patterned porous silicon (PSi) chip. Upon exposure to VOC, the density of IL dramatically decreased due to the nano-confinement effect. As a result, the IL located in pore channel expanded its volume and protrude out of the pore channel, leading to the formation of microdroplets on the PSi surface. These VOC-stimulated microdroplets could scatter the light reflected from the PSi rugate filter, thereby producing an optical response to VOC. The intensity of the optical response produced by IL/PSi sensor mainly depends on the size and shape of microdroplets, which is related to the concentration of VOC and the physi-chemical propertied of ILs. For ethanol vapor, the optical response has linear relationship with its relative vapor pressure within 0-60%. The LOD of the IL/PSi sensor for ethanol detection is calculated to be 1.3 ppm. It takes around 30 s to reach a full optical response, while the time for recovery is less than 1 min. In addition, the sensor displayed good stability and reproducibility. Owing to the different molecular interaction between IL and VOC, the ILs/PSi sensor array can generate a unique cross-reactive "fingerprint" in response to a specific type of VOC analyte. With the assistance of image technologies and principle components analysis (PCA), rapid discrimination of VOC analyte could be achieved based on the pattern recognition of photonic sensor array. The technology established in this work allows monitoring in-door air pollution in a visualized way. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Athena Optics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bavdaz, Marcos; Wille, Eric; Shortt, Brian

2015-01-01

studies and in parallel a comprehensive series of technology preparation activities. [1-3].The core enabling technology for the high performance mirror is the Silicon Pore Optics (SPO), a modular X-ray optics technology, which utilises processes and equipment developed for the semiconductor industry [4...

Rationally designed porous silicon as platform for optical biosensors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Priano, G.; Acquaroli, L.N.; Lasave, L.C.; Battaglini, F.; Arce, R.D.; Koropecki, R.R.

2012-01-01

Optical porous silicon multilayer structures are able to work as sensitive chemical sensors or biosensors based in their optical response. An algorithm to simulate the optical response of these multilayers was developed, considering the optical properties of the individual layers. The algorithm allows designing and customizing the porous silicon structures according to a given application. The results obtained by the simulation were experimentally verified; for this purpose different photonic structures were prepared, such as Bragg reflectors and microcavities. Some of these structures have been derivatized by the introduction of aminosilane groups on the porous silicon surface. The algorithm also permits to simulate the effects produced by a non uniform derivatization of the multilayer. - Highlights: ► Mesoporous silicon structure ► Functionalization of mesoporous silicon as sensors ► Design of the one-dimensional photonic crystal ► Simulation of non-uniformity in covering the sensor structure

Rationally designed porous silicon as platform for optical biosensors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Priano, G. [INQUIMAE, DQIAyQF, FCEN, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellon 2 (C1428EHA) Buenos Aires (Argentina); Acquaroli, L.N.; Lasave, L.C. [Instituto De Desarrollo Tecnologico Para La Industria Quimica, UNL, CONICET, Gueemes 3450 (S3000GLN) Santa Fe (Argentina); Battaglini, F. [INQUIMAE, DQIAyQF, FCEN, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellon 2 (C1428EHA) Buenos Aires (Argentina); Arce, R.D., E-mail: rarce@intec.unl.edu.ar [Instituto De Desarrollo Tecnologico Para La Industria Quimica, UNL, CONICET, Gueemes 3450 (S3000GLN) Santa Fe (Argentina); Departamento De Materiales, Facultad De Ingenieria Quimica, UNL, Santiago del Estero 2829 (S3000) Santa Fe (Argentina); Koropecki, R.R. [Instituto De Desarrollo Tecnologico Para La Industria Quimica, UNL, CONICET, Gueemes 3450 (S3000GLN) Santa Fe (Argentina); Departamento De Materiales, Facultad De Ingenieria Quimica, UNL, Santiago del Estero 2829 (S3000) Santa Fe (Argentina)

2012-08-01

Optical porous silicon multilayer structures are able to work as sensitive chemical sensors or biosensors based in their optical response. An algorithm to simulate the optical response of these multilayers was developed, considering the optical properties of the individual layers. The algorithm allows designing and customizing the porous silicon structures according to a given application. The results obtained by the simulation were experimentally verified; for this purpose different photonic structures were prepared, such as Bragg reflectors and microcavities. Some of these structures have been derivatized by the introduction of aminosilane groups on the porous silicon surface. The algorithm also permits to simulate the effects produced by a non uniform derivatization of the multilayer. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Mesoporous silicon structure Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Functionalization of mesoporous silicon as sensors Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Design of the one-dimensional photonic crystal Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Simulation of non-uniformity in covering the sensor structure.

Electronic band-gap modified passive silicon optical modulator at telecommunications wavelengths.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Rui; Yu, Haohai; Zhang, Huaijin; Liu, Xiangdong; Lu, Qingming; Wang, Jiyang

2015-11-13

The silicon optical modulator is considered to be the workhorse of a revolution in communications. In recent years, the capabilities of externally driven active silicon optical modulators have dramatically improved. Self-driven passive modulators, especially passive silicon modulators, possess advantages in compactness, integration, low-cost, etc. Constrained by a large indirect band-gap and sensitivity-related loss, the passive silicon optical modulator is scarce and has been not advancing, especially at telecommunications wavelengths. Here, a passive silicon optical modulator is fabricated by introducing an impurity band in the electronic band-gap, and its nonlinear optics and applications in the telecommunications-wavelength lasers are investigated. The saturable absorption properties at the wavelength of 1.55 μm was measured and indicates that the sample is quite sensitive to light intensity and has negligible absorption loss. With a passive silicon modulator, pulsed lasers were constructed at wavelengths at 1.34 and 1.42 μm. It is concluded that the sensitive self-driven passive silicon optical modulator is a viable candidate for photonics applications out to 2.5 μm.

Correlation between surface microstructure and optical properties of porous silicon

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saeideh Rhramezani Sani

2007-12-01

Full Text Available   We have studied the effect of increasing porosity and its microstructure surface variation on the optical and dielectric properties of porous silicon. It seems that porosity, as the surface roughness within the range of a few microns, shows quantum effect in the absorption and reflection process of porous silicon. Optical constants of porous silicon at normal incidence of light with wavelength in the range of 250-3000 nm have been calculated by Kramers-Kroning method. Our experimental analysis shows that electronic structure and dielectric properties of porous silicon are totally different from silicon. Also, it shows that porous silicon has optical response in the visible region. This difference was also verified by effective media approximation (EMA.

Silicon nanowires for ultra-fast and ultrabroadband optical signal processing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ji, Hua; Hu, Hao; Pu, Minhao

2015-01-01

In this paper, we present recent research on silicon nanowires for ultra-fast and ultra-broadband optical signal processing at DTU Fotonik. The advantages and limitations of using silicon nanowires for optical signal processing are revealed through experimental demonstrations of various optical...

Type IIA photosensitivity and formation of pores in optical fibers under intense ultraviolet irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kukushkin, S. A.; Shlyagin, M. G.; Swart, P. L.; Chtcherbakov, A. A.; Osipov, A. V.

2007-01-01

Formation of the type IIA Bragg gratings in germanosilicate optical fibers is studied. We report the observation of such a type of gratings in the standard single-mode fiber (Corning SMF-28) under different experimental conditions. A mechanism for the type IIA photosensitivity in optical fibers is proposed which is based on nucleation and evolution of pores from vacancy-type defects in fiber areas where a high level of mechanical stress is induced under intense ultraviolet (UV) light. Evolution of fiber core temperature under influence of a single 20 ns light pulse from a KrF excimer laser was measured and compared with theoretical calculations. It was shown that transient thermoinduced stress in the fiber core can achieve a level sufficient for effective nucleation of pores. A theory describing formation of pores in optical fibers has been developed and was used to estimate the pore nucleation rate, concentration, and other parameters of pore evolution for different levels of UV fluence and fiber core stress

Nonlinear Silicon Photonic Signal Processing Devices for Future Optical Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cosimo Lacava

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we present a review on silicon-based nonlinear devices for all optical nonlinear processing of complex telecommunication signals. We discuss some recent developments achieved by our research group, through extensive collaborations with academic partners across Europe, on optical signal processing using silicon-germanium and amorphous silicon based waveguides as well as novel materials such as silicon rich silicon nitride and tantalum pentoxide. We review the performance of four wave mixing wavelength conversion applied on complex signals such as Differential Phase Shift Keying (DPSK, Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK, 16-Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM and 64-QAM that dramatically enhance the telecom signal spectral efficiency, paving the way to next generation terabit all-optical networks.

Ultra-Fast Optical Signal Processing in Nonlinear Silicon Waveguides

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Oxenløwe, Leif Katsuo; Galili, Michael; Pu, Minhao

2011-01-01

We describe recent demonstrations of exploiting highly nonlinear silicon nanowires for processing Tbit/s optical data signals. We perform demultiplexing and optical waveform sampling of 1.28 Tbit/s and wavelength conversion of 640 Gbit/s data signals.......We describe recent demonstrations of exploiting highly nonlinear silicon nanowires for processing Tbit/s optical data signals. We perform demultiplexing and optical waveform sampling of 1.28 Tbit/s and wavelength conversion of 640 Gbit/s data signals....

Laser-ablated silicon nanoparticles: optical properties and perspectives in optical coherence tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kirillin, M Yu; Sergeeva, E A; Agrba, P D; Krainov, A D; Ezhov, A A; Shuleiko, D V; Kashkarov, P K; Zabotnov, S V

2015-01-01

Due to their biocompatibility silicon nanoparticles have high potential in biomedical applications, especially in optical diagnostics. In this paper we analyze properties of the silicon nanoparticles formed via laser ablation in water and study the possibility of their application as contrasting agents in optical coherence tomography (OCT). The nanoparticles suspension was produced by picosecond laser irradiation of monocrystalline silicon wafers in water. According to transmission electron microcopy analysis the silicon nanoparticles in the obtained suspension vary in size from 2 to 200 nm while concentration of the particles is estimated as 10 13 cm −3 . The optical properties of the suspension in the range from 400 to 1000 nm were studied by spectrophotometry measurements revealing a scattering coefficient of about 0.1 mm −1 and a scattering anisotropy factor in the range of 0.2–0.4. In OCT study a system with a central wavelength of 910 nm was employed. Potential of the silicon nanoparticles as a contrasting agent for OCT is studied in experiments with agarose gel phantoms. Topical application of the nanoparticles suspension allowed the obtaining of the contrast of structural features of phantom up to 14 dB in the OCT image. (paper)

Fabrication of silicon molds for polymer optics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nilsson, Daniel; Jensen, Søren; Menon, Aric Kumaran

2003-01-01

A silicon mold used for structuring polymer microcavities for optical applications is fabricated, using a combination of DRIE (deep reactive ion etching) and anisotropic chemical wet etching with KOH + IPA. For polymer optical microcavities, low surface roughness and vertical sidewalls are often ...... and KOH + IPA etch have been optimized. To reduce stiction between the silicon mold and the polymers used for molding, the mold is coated with a teflon-like material using the DRIE system. Released polymer microstructures characterized with AFM and SEM are also presented....

Ultra-high-speed Optical Signal Processing using Silicon Photonics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Oxenløwe, Leif Katsuo; Ji, Hua; Jensen, Asger Sellerup

with a photonic layer on top to interconnect them. For such systems, silicon is an attractive candidate enabling both electronic and photonic control. For some network scenarios, it may be beneficial to use optical on-chip packet switching, and for high data-density environments one may take advantage...... of the ultra-fast nonlinear response of silicon photonic waveguides. These chips offer ultra-broadband wavelength operation, ultra-high timing resolution and ultra-fast response, and when used appropriately offer energy-efficient switching. In this presentation we review some all-optical functionalities based...... on silicon photonics. In particular we use nano-engineered silicon waveguides (nanowires) [1] enabling efficient phasematched four-wave mixing (FWM), cross-phase modulation (XPM) or self-phase modulation (SPM) for ultra-high-speed optical signal processing of ultra-high bit rate serial data signals. We show...

A method of evaluating facial pores using optical 2D images and analysis of age-dependent changes in facial pores in Koreans.

Science.gov (United States)

Jang, S I; Kim, E J; Lee, H K

2018-05-01

Enlarged facial pores and changes in pore area are of concern for cosmetic reasons. To evaluate pores, measuring tools based on 3D methodology are used. Yet, these methods are limited by their measuring ranges. In this study, we performed pore analysis by measuring the whole face using 2D optical images. We further sought to understand how the pores of Korean women change with age. One hundred sixteen Korean female subjects aged 20-60 years were recruited for this study. Facial images were taken using the VISIA-CR ® adjusted light source. Images were processed using Image-Pro Plus 9.2. Statistical significance was assumed when P pore area, as indicated by pixel count, gradually increased in patients through their 40s, but decreased through their 50s and 60s. Facial pores generally exhibited directionality through the patients' 30s, but this isotropic feature was more prominent in their 50s. Pore elongation increased stepwise. The first increase occurred during the transition from patients' 30s to their 40s and the second increase occurred during the transition from patients' 50s to their 60s. This indicated that the pores deformed from a circular shape to a long elliptic shape over time. A new evaluation method using 2D optical images facilitates the analysis of pore distribution and elongation throughout the entire cheek. This is an improvement over an analysis of pores over a narrow region of interest. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A silicon-nanowire memory driven by optical gradient force induced bistability

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dong, B. [School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798 (Singapore); Institute of Microelectronics, A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), Singapore 117685 (Singapore); Cai, H., E-mail: caih@ime.a-star.edu.sg; Gu, Y. D.; Kwong, D. L. [Institute of Microelectronics, A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), Singapore 117685 (Singapore); Chin, L. K.; Ng, G. I.; Ser, W. [School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798 (Singapore); Huang, J. G. [School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798 (Singapore); Institute of Microelectronics, A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), Singapore 117685 (Singapore); School of Mechanical Engineering, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an 710049 (China); Yang, Z. C. [School of Electronics Engineering and Computer Science, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China); Liu, A. Q., E-mail: eaqliu@ntu.edu.sg [School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798 (Singapore); School of Electronics Engineering and Computer Science, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China)

2015-12-28

In this paper, a bistable optical-driven silicon-nanowire memory is demonstrated, which employs ring resonator to generate optical gradient force over a doubly clamped silicon-nanowire. Two stable deformation positions of a doubly clamped silicon-nanowire represent two memory states (“0” and “1”) and can be set/reset by modulating the light intensity (<3 mW) based on the optical force induced bistability. The time response of the optical-driven memory is less than 250 ns. It has applications in the fields of all optical communication, quantum computing, and optomechanical circuits.

An All-Silicon Passive Optical Diode

OpenAIRE

Fan, Li; Wang, Jian; Varghese, Leo T.; Shen, Hao; Niu, Ben; Xuan, Yi; Weiner, Andrew M.; Qi, Minghao

2011-01-01

A passive optical diode effect would be useful for on-chip optical information processing but has been difficult to achieve. Using a method based on optical nonlinearity, we demonstrate a forward-backward transmission ratio of up to 28 decibels within telecommunication wavelengths. Our device, which uses two silicon rings 5 micrometers in radius, is passive yet maintains optical nonreciprocity for a broad range of input power levels, and it performs equally well even if the backward input pow...

Pore size is a critical parameter for obtaining sustained protein release from electrochemically synthesized mesoporous silicon microparticles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ester L. Pastor

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Mesoporous silicon has become a material of high interest for drug delivery due to its outstanding internal surface area and inherent biodegradability. We have previously reported the preparation of mesoporous silicon microparticles (MS-MPs synthesized by an advantageous electrochemical method, and showed that due to their inner structure they can adsorb proteins in amounts exceeding the mass of the carrier itself. Protein release from these MS-MPs showed low burst effect and fast delivery kinetics with complete release in a few hours. In this work, we explored if tailoring the size of the inner pores of the particles would retard the protein release process. To address this hypothesis, three new MS-MPs prototypes were prepared by electrochemical synthesis, and the resulting carriers were characterized for morphology, particle size, and pore structure. All MS-MP prototypes had 90 µm mean particle size, but depending on the current density applied for synthesis, pore size changed between 5 and 13 nm. The model protein α-chymotrypsinogen was loaded into MS-MPs by adsorption and solvent evaporation. In the subsequent release experiments, no burst release of the protein was detected for any prototype. However, prototypes with larger pores (>10 nm reached 100% release in 24–48 h, whereas prototypes with small mesopores (<6 nm still retained most of their cargo after 96 h. MS-MPs with ∼6 nm pores were loaded with the osteogenic factor BMP7, and sustained release of this protein for up to two weeks was achieved. In conclusion, our results confirm that tailoring pore size can modify protein release from MS-MPs, and that prototypes with potential therapeutic utility for regional delivery of osteogenic factors can be prepared by convenient techniques.

Optical and microstructural characterization of porous silicon using photoluminescence, SEM and positron annihilation spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheung, C K; Nahid, F; Cheng, C C; Beling, C D; Fung, S; Ling, C C; Djurisic, A B; Pramanik, C; Saha, H; Sarkar, C K

2007-01-01

We have studied the dependence of porous silicon morphology and porosity on fabrication conditions. N-type (100) silicon wafers with resistivity of 2-5 Ω cm were electrochemically etched at various current densities and anodization times. Surface morphology and the thickness of the samples were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Detailed information of the porous silicon layer morphology with variation of preparation conditions was obtained by positron annihilation spectroscopy (PAS): the depth-defect profile and open pore interconnectivity on the sample surface has been studied using a slow positron beam. Coincidence Doppler broadening spectroscopy (CDBS) was used to study the chemical environment of the samples. The presence of silicon micropores with diameter varying from 1.37 to 1.51 nm was determined by positron lifetime spectroscopy (PALS). Visible luminescence from the samples was observed, which is considered to be a combination effect of quantum confinement and the effect of Si = O double bond formation near the SiO 2 /Si interface according to the results from photoluminescence (PL) and positron annihilation spectroscopy measurements. The work shows that the study of the positronium formed when a positron is implanted into the porous surface provides valuable information on the pore distribution and open pore interconnectivity, which suggests that positron annihilation spectroscopy is a useful tool in the porous silicon micropores' characterization

Ultra-thin silicon/electro-optic polymer hybrid waveguide modulators

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Qiu, Feng; Spring, Andrew M. [Institute for Materials Chemistry and Engineering, Kyushu University, 6-1 Kasuga-koen Kasuga, Fukuoka 816-8580 (Japan); Sato, Hiromu [Department of Molecular and Material Sciences, Kyushu University, 6-1 Kasuga-koen Kasuga, Fukuoka 816-8580 (Japan); Maeda, Daisuke; Ozawa, Masa-aki; Odoi, Keisuke [Nissan Chemical Industries, Ltd., 2-10-1 Tuboi Nishi, Funabashi, Chiba 274-8507 (Japan); Aoki, Isao; Otomo, Akira [National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, 588-2 Iwaoka, Nishi-ku, Kobe 651-2492 (Japan); Yokoyama, Shiyoshi, E-mail: s-yokoyama@cm.kyushu-u.ac.jp [Institute for Materials Chemistry and Engineering, Kyushu University, 6-1 Kasuga-koen Kasuga, Fukuoka 816-8580 (Japan); Department of Molecular and Material Sciences, Kyushu University, 6-1 Kasuga-koen Kasuga, Fukuoka 816-8580 (Japan)

2015-09-21

Ultra-thin silicon and electro-optic (EO) polymer hybrid waveguide modulators have been designed and fabricated. The waveguide consists of a silicon core with a thickness of 30 nm and a width of 2 μm. The cladding is an EO polymer. Optical mode calculation reveals that 55% of the optical field around the silicon extends into the EO polymer in the TE mode. A Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) modulator was prepared using common coplanar electrodes. The measured half-wave voltage of the MZI with 7 μm spacing and 1.3 cm long electrodes is 4.6 V at 1550 nm. The evaluated EO coefficient is 70 pm/V, which is comparable to that of the bulk EO polymer film. Using ultra-thin silicon is beneficial in order to reduce the side-wall scattering loss, yielding a propagation loss of 4.0 dB/cm. We also investigated a mode converter which couples light from the hybrid EO waveguide into a strip silicon waveguide. The calculation indicates that the coupling loss between these two devices is small enough to exploit the potential fusion of a hybrid EO polymer modulator together with a silicon micro-photonics device.

Optical signal processing by silicon photonics

CERN Document Server

Ahmed, Jameel; Adeel, Freeha; Hussain, Ashiq

2014-01-01

The main objective of this book is to make respective graduate students understand the nonlinear effects inside SOI waveguide and possible applications of SOI waveguides in this emerging research area of optical fibre communication. This book focuses on achieving successful optical frequency shifting by Four Wave Mixing (FWM) in silicon-on-insulator (SOI) waveguide by exploiting a nonlinear phenomenon.

All-Optical Signal Processing using Silicon Devices

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Oxenløwe, Leif Katsuo; Pu, Minhao; Ding, Yunhong

2014-01-01

This paper presents an overview of recent wo rk on the use of silicon waveguides for processing optical data signals. We will describe ultra-fast, ultra-broadband, polarisation-insensitive and phase-sensitive applications including processing of spectrally-efficient data formats and optical phase...

Structural, optical and thermal properties of nanoporous aluminum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghrib, Taher

2015-01-01

Highlights: • A simple electrochemical technique is presented and used to manufacture a porous aluminum layer. • Manufactured pores of 40 nm diameter and 200 nm depth are filled by nanocrystal of silicon and graphite. • Dimensions of pores increase with the anodization current which ameliorate the optical and thermal properties. • A new thermal method is presented which permit to determine the pores density and the layer thickness. • All properties show that the manufactured material can be used with success in solar cells. - Abstract: In this work the structural, thermal and optical properties of porous aluminum thin film formed with various intensities of anodization current in sulfuric acid are highlighted. The obtained pores at the surface are filled by sprayed graphite and nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si) thin films deposited by plasma enhancement chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) which the role is to improve its optical and thermal absorption giving a structure of an assembly of three different media such as deposited thin layer (graphite or silicon)/(porous aluminum layer filled with the deposited layer)/(Al sample). The effect of anodization current on the microstructure of porous aluminum and the effect of the deposited layer were systematically studied by atomic force microscopy (AFM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Raman spectroscopy. The thermal properties such as the thermal conductivity (K) and thermal diffusivity (D) are determined by the photothermal deflection (PTD) technique which is a non destructive technique. Based on this full characterization, it is demonstrated that the thermal and optical characteristics of these films are directly correlated to their micro-structural properties

Luminescence and optical absorption determination in porous silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nogal, U.; Calderon, A.; Marin, E.; Rojas T, J. B.; Juarez, A. G.

2012-10-01

We applied the photoacoustic spectroscopy technique in order to obtain the optical absorption spectrum in porous silicon samples prepared by electrochemical anodic etching on n-type, phosphorous doped, (100)-oriented crystal-line silicon wafer with thickness of 300 μm and 1-5 ωcm resistivity. The porous layers were prepared with etching times of 13, 20, 30, 40 and 60 minutes. Also, we realized a comparison among the optical absorption spectrum with the photoluminescence and photo reflectance ones, both obtained at room temperature. Our results show that the absorption spectrum of the samples of porous silicon depends notably of the etching time an it consist of two distinguishable absorption bands, one in the Vis region and the other one in the UV region. (Author)

Pore space quantification of carbonate rocks before-after supercritical CO2 interaction by optical image analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Berrezueta, Edgar; José Domínguez-Cuesta, María

2017-04-01

The aim of this research is to show an experimental application of an automated quantification process of optical porosity in thin sections. Petrographic studies using scanning electronic microscopy, optical microscopy (OpM) and optical image analysis (OIA) could provide a reproducible pore characterization of carbonate rocks in applications related to the geological storage of CO2. This research is focused on i) the quantification of optical pores in a carbonate rock before and after supercritical CO2-rich brine (P ≈ 7.5 MPa and T ≈ 35 °C) and ii) the description of the process followed to guarantee the reproducibility of the OIA method on images acquired with high-resolution scanner. Mineral images were acquired from thin sections using a high-resolution scanner (HRS). Digital images were geo-referenced by using geographic information system to ensure correct spatial correlation and superposition. The optical measures of porosity by image analysis on the carbonates thin sections showed an effective pore segmentation considering different cross-polarized light conditions (90°/0°; 120°/30°) and plane-polarized light conditions (90°/-) of the same petrographic scene. The pore characterization by OpM and OIA-HRS has allowed a preliminary approximation of pore evolution in carbonate rocks under the supercritical CO2-rich brine. This study shows a fast, effective and reproducible methodology that allowed a preliminary characterization (changes in the pore network) of the samples studied. The procedure carried out could be applied to similar experimental injection tests.

Silicon-integrated thin-film structure for electro-optic applications

Science.gov (United States)

McKee, Rodney A.; Walker, Frederick Joseph

2000-01-01

A crystalline thin-film structure suited for use in any of an number of electro-optic applications, such as a phase modulator or a component of an interferometer, includes a semiconductor substrate of silicon and a ferroelectric, optically-clear thin film of the perovskite BaTiO.sub.3 overlying the surface of the silicon substrate. The BaTiO.sub.3 thin film is characterized in that substantially all of the dipole moments associated with the ferroelectric film are arranged substantially parallel to the surface of the substrate to enhance the electro-optic qualities of the film.

Thermo-Optic Characterization of Silicon Nitride Resonators for Cryogenic Photonic Circuits

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Elshaari, A.W.A.; Esmaeil Zadeh, I.; Jöns, K.D.; Zwiller, Val

2016-01-01

In this paper, we characterize the Thermo-optic properties of silicon nitride ring resonators between 18 and 300 K. The Thermo-optic coefficients of the silicon nitride core and the oxide cladding are measured by studying the temperature dependence of the resonance wavelengths. The resonant modes

Tailoring the optical constants in single-crystal silicon with embedded silver nanostructures for advanced silicon photonics applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akhter, Perveen; Huang, Mengbing; Spratt, William; Kadakia, Nirag; Amir, Faisal

2015-01-01

Plasmonic effects associated with metal nanostructures are expected to hold the key to tailoring light emission/propagation and harvesting solar energy in materials including single crystal silicon which remains the backbone in the microelectronics and photovoltaics industries but unfortunately, lacks many functionalities needed for construction of advanced photonic and optoelectronics devices. Currently, silicon plasmonic structures are practically possible only in the configuration with metal nanoparticles or thin film arrays on a silicon surface. This does not enable one to exploit the full potential of plasmonics for optical engineering in silicon, because the plasmonic effects are dominant over a length of ∼50 nm, and the active device region typically lies below the surface much beyond this range. Here, we report on a novel method for the formation of silver nanoparticles embedded within a silicon crystal through metal gettering from a silver thin film deposited at the surface to nanocavities within the Si created by hydrogen ion implantation. The refractive index of the Ag-nanostructured layer is found to be 3–10% lower or higher than that of silicon for wavelengths below or beyond ∼815–900 nm, respectively. Around this wavelength range, the optical extinction values increase by a factor of 10–100 as opposed to the pure silicon case. Increasing the amount of gettered silver leads to an increased extinction as well as a redshift in wavelength position for the resonance. This resonance is attributed to the surface plasmon excitation of the resultant silver nanoparticles in silicon. Additionally, we show that the profiles for optical constants in silicon can be tailored by varying the position and number of nanocavity layers. Such silicon crystals with embedded metal nanostructures would offer novel functional base structures for applications in silicon photonics, optoelectronics, photovoltaics, and plasmonics

Optical characterization of porous silicon microcavities for glucose oxidase biosensing

Science.gov (United States)

Palestino, G.; Agarwal, V.; Garcia, D. B.; Legros, R.; Pérez, E.; Gergely, C.

2008-04-01

PSi microcavity (PSiMc) is characterized by a narrow resonance peak in the optical spectrum that is very sensitive to small changes in the refractive index. We report that the resonant optical cavities of PSi structures can be used to enhance the detection of labeled fluorescent biomolecules. Various PSi configurations were tested in order to compare the optical response of the PSi devices to the capture of organic molecules. Morphological and topographical analyses were performed on PSiMc using Atomic Force (AFM) and Scanning Electron (SEM) microscopies. The heterogeneity in pores lengths resulting from etching process assures a better penetration of larger molecules into the pores and sensor sensitivity depends on the pore size. Molecular detection is monitored by the successive red shifts in the reflectance spectra after the stabilization of PSiMc with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES). The glucose oxidase was cross linked into the PSiMc structures following a silane-glutaraldehyde (GTA) chemistry.

Preparing the optics technology to observe the hot universe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bavdaz, M.; Wille, Eric; Wallace, Kotska

2014-01-01

is the Silicon Pore Optics (SPO) [1 to 23], a modular X-ray optics technology, which utilises processes and equipment developed for the semiconductor industry. The paper provides an overview of the programmatic background, the status of SPO technology and gives an outline of the development roadmap...

Formation of nanosize poly(p-phenylene vinylene) in porous silicon substrate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Le Rendu, P.; Nguyen, T.P.; Cheah, K.; Joubert, P.

2003-01-01

We report the results of optical investigations in porous silicon (PS)/poly(p-phenylene vinylene) (PPV) systems obtained by filling the pores of silicon wafers with polymer. By scanning electron microscopy (SEM), IR, and Raman spectroscopy, we observed that the porous silicon layer was thoroughly filled by the polymer with no significant change in the structure of the materials. This suggests that there is no interaction between the components. On the other hand, the photoluminescence (PL) spectra of the devices investigated at different temperatures (from 11 to 290 K) showed that both materials are active at low temperatures. Porous silicon has a band located at 398 nm while PPV has two bands at 528 and 570 nm. As the temperature increases, the PL intensity of porous silicon decreases and that PPV is blue shifted. A new band emerging at 473 nm may indicate an energy transfer from the porous silicon to PPV, involving short segments of the polymer. The band of PPV located at 515 nm becomes more dominant and indicates that the nanosize polymer films are formed in the pores of the silicon layer, in agreement with the results obtained by SEM, IR, and Raman analyses

Gold nanorods-silicone hybrid material films and their optical limiting property

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Chunfang; Qi, Yanhai; Hao, Xiongwen; Peng, Xue; Li, Dongxiang

2015-10-01

As a kind of new optical limiting materials, gold nanoparticles have optical limiting property owing to their optical nonlinearities induced by surface plasmon resonance (SPR). Gold nanorods (GNRs) possess transversal SPR absorption and tunable longitudinal SPR absorption in the visible and near-infrared region, so they can be used as potential optical limiting materials against tunable laser pulses. In this letter, GNRs were prepared using seed-mediated growth method and surface-modified by silica coating to obtain good dispersion in polydimethylsiloxane prepolymers. Then the silicone rubber films doped with GNRs were prepared after vulcanization, whose optical limiting property and optical nonlinearity were investigated. The silicone rubber samples doped with more GNRs were found to exhibit better optical limiting performance.

Hydrogen, oxygen and hydroxyl on porous silicon surface: A joint density-functional perturbation theory and infrared spectroscopy approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alfaro, Pedro; Palavicini, Alessio; Wang, Chumin

2014-01-01

Based on the density functional perturbation theory (DFPT), infrared absorption spectra of porous silicon are calculated by using an ordered pore model, in which columns of silicon atoms are removed along the [001] direction and dangling bonds are initially saturated with hydrogen atoms. When these atoms on the pore surface are gradually replaced by oxygen ones, the ab-initio infrared absorption spectra reveal oxygen, hydroxyl, and coupled hydrogen–oxygen vibrational modes. In a parallel way, freestanding porous silicon samples were prepared by using electrochemical etching and they were further thermally oxidized in a dry oxygen ambient. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was used to investigate the surface modifications caused by oxygen adsorption. In particular, the predicted hydroxyl and oxygen bound to the silicon pore surface are confirmed. Finally, a global analysis of measured transmittance spectra has been performed by means of a combined DFPT and thin-film optics approach. - Highlights: • The density functional perturbation theory is used to study infrared absorption. • An ordered pore model is used to investigate the oxidation in porous silicon (PSi). • Infrared transmittance spectra of oxidized PSi freestanding samples are measured

160 Gbit/s optical packet switching using a silicon chip

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hu, Hao; Ji, Hua; Galili, Michael

2012-01-01

We have successfully demonstrated 160 Gbit/s all-optical packet switching based on cross-phase modulation using a silicon chip. Error free performance is achieved for the 4-to-1 switched 160 Gbit/s packet.......We have successfully demonstrated 160 Gbit/s all-optical packet switching based on cross-phase modulation using a silicon chip. Error free performance is achieved for the 4-to-1 switched 160 Gbit/s packet....

FDTD modeling of anisotropic nonlinear optical phenomena in silicon waveguides.

Science.gov (United States)

Dissanayake, Chethiya M; Premaratne, Malin; Rukhlenko, Ivan D; Agrawal, Govind P

2010-09-27

A deep insight into the inherent anisotropic optical properties of silicon is required to improve the performance of silicon-waveguide-based photonic devices. It may also lead to novel device concepts and substantially extend the capabilities of silicon photonics in the future. In this paper, for the first time to the best of our knowledge, we present a three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method for modeling optical phenomena in silicon waveguides, which takes into account fully the anisotropy of the third-order electronic and Raman susceptibilities. We show that, under certain realistic conditions that prevent generation of the longitudinal optical field inside the waveguide, this model is considerably simplified and can be represented by a computationally efficient algorithm, suitable for numerical analysis of complex polarization effects. To demonstrate the versatility of our model, we study polarization dependence for several nonlinear effects, including self-phase modulation, cross-phase modulation, and stimulated Raman scattering. Our FDTD model provides a basis for a full-blown numerical simulator that is restricted neither by the single-mode assumption nor by the slowly varying envelope approximation.

Nanopatterning of Crystalline Silicon Using Anodized Aluminum Oxide Templates for Photovoltaics

Science.gov (United States)

Chao, Tsu-An

A novel thin film anodized aluminum oxide templating process was developed and applied to make nanopatterns on crystalline silicon to enhance the optical properties of silicon. The thin film anodized aluminum oxide was created to improve the conventional thick aluminum templating method with the aim for potential large scale fabrication. A unique two-step anodizing method was introduced to create high quality nanopatterns and it was demonstrated that this process is superior over the original one-step approach. Optical characterization of the nanopatterned silicon showed up to 10% reduction in reflection in the short wavelength range. Scanning electron microscopy was also used to analyze the nanopatterned surface structure and it was found that interpore spacing and pore density can be tuned by changing the anodizing potential.

Optical near-field lithography on hydrogen-passivated silicon surfaces

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Madsen, Steen; Müllenborn, Matthias; Birkelund, Karen

1996-01-01

by the optical near field, were observed after etching in potassium hydroxide. The uncoated fibers can also induce oxidation without light exposure, in a manner similar to an atomic force microscope, and linewidths of 50 nm have been achieved this way. (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics.......We report on a novel lithography technique for patterning of hydrogen-passivated amorphous silicon surfaces. A reflection mode scanning near-field optical microscope with uncoated fiber probes has been used to locally oxidize a thin amorphous silicon layer. Lines of 110 nm in width, induced...

Optical properties of amorphous silicon: Some problem areas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ravindra, N.M.; Chelle, F. de; Ance, C.; Ferraton, J.P.; Berger, J.M.; Coulibaly, S.P.

1983-08-01

In this presentation we essentially attempt to throw light on some problem areas concerning the various optical properties of amorphous silicon. The problems seem to emerge from the classical methods employed to determine the optical properties like the optical gap, urbach tail parameter and other related characteristics. Additional problems have emerged in recent years by virtue of many attempts to generalize the property-behaviour relationships for amorphous silicon without attributing any importance to the method of preparation of the films. It should be noted here that although many authors believe disorder to be the controlling parameter, we are of the opinion that at least for films containing fairly large concentrations of hydrogen, the hydrogen concentration has an equally important role to play. The present study has been carried out for films prepared by glow-discharge and chemical vapour deposition. (author)

Optical modelling of thin-film silicon solar cells deposited on textured substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krc, J.; Zeman, M.; Smole, F.; Topic, M.

2004-01-01

Optical modelling is used to investigate effects of light scattering in amorphous silicon and microcrystalline silicon solar cells. The role of enhanced haze parameter and different angular distribution function of scattered light is analyzed. Results of optical simulation show that enhanced haze parameter compared to that of Asahi U-type SnO 2 :F does not improve external quantum efficiency and short-circuit current density of amorphous silicon solar cell significantly, whereas for microcrystalline silicon solar cell the improvement is larger. Angular distribution function affects the external quantum efficiency and the short-circuit current density significantly

Silicone oil migration along the optic nerve after intraocular tamponade.

Science.gov (United States)

Gargallo Vaamonde, Á; Ibáñez Muñoz, D; Salceda Artola, J; Garatea Aznar, P; Zalazar, R; Yanguas Barea, N

2016-11-01

We present a case of silicone oil migration trough the optic nerve in a diabetic patient with retinal detachment and review the etiologic mechanism and clinical implications. Intracranial silicone oil migration is an uncommon complication associated with silicone oil tamponade. Copyright © 2016 Sociedad Española de Oftalmología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Quantum Dot Laser for a Light Source of an Athermal Silicon Optical Interposer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nobuaki Hatori

2015-04-01

Full Text Available This paper reports a hybrid integrated light source fabricated on a silicon platform using a 1.3 μm wavelength quantum dot array laser. Temperature insensitive characteristics up to 120 °C were achieved by the optimum quantum dot structure and laser structure. Light output power was obtained that was high enough to achieve an optical error-free link of a silicon optical interposer. Furthermore, we investigated a novel spot size convertor in a silicon waveguide suitable for a quantum dot laser for lower energy cost operation of the optical interposer.

Processing development for ceramic structural components: the influence of a presintering of silicon on the final properties of reaction bonded silicon nitride. Final technical report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1982-03-01

The influence of a presintering of silicon on the final properties of reaction bonded silicon nitride has been studied using scanning electron and optical microscopy, x-ray diffraction analysis, 4 pt. bend test, and mecury intrusion porosimetry. It has been shown that presintering at 1050/sup 0/C will not affect the final nitrided properties. At 1200/sup 0/C, the oxide layer is removed, promoting the formation of B-phase silicon nitride. Presintering at 1200/sup 0/C also results in compact weight loss due to the volatilization of silicon, and the formation of large pores which severely reduce nitrided strength. The development of the structure of sintered silicon compacts appears to involve a temperature gradient, with greater sintering observed near the surface.

Transformation optics on a silicon platform

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gabrielli, Lucas H; Lipson, Michal

2011-01-01

Transformation optics allows the creation of innovative devices; however, its implementation in the optical domain remains challenging. We describe here our process to design and fabricate such devices using silicon as a platform for broad band operation in the optical domain. We discuss the approximations and methods employed to overcome the challenges of using dielectric materials as a platform for transformation optics, such as the anisotropy and gradient refractive index implementation. These encompass conformal and quasi-conformal mappings, and a dithering process to discretize and quantize the continuously inhomogeneous index function. We show examples of devices that we fabricated and tested, including the carpet invisibility cloak, a broad bandwidth light concentrator, and a perfect imaging device, known as Maxwell's fish eye lens. Finally, we touch on future directions under investigation to further develop transformation optics based on dielectric materials

Enhanced optical performance of electrochemically etched porous silicon carbide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naderi, N; Hashim, M R; Saron, K M A; Rouhi, J

2013-01-01

Porous silicon carbide (PSC) was successfully synthesized via electrochemical etching of an n-type hexagonal silicon carbide (6H-SiC) substrate using various current densities. The cyclic voltammograms of SiC dissolution show that illumination is required for the accumulation of carriers at the surface, followed by surface oxidation and dissolution of the solid. The morphological and optical characterizations of PSC were reported. Scanning electron microscopy results demonstrated that the current density can be considered an important etching parameter that controls the porosity and uniformity of PSC; hence, it can be used to optimize the optical properties of the porous samples. (paper)

Phase-sensitive optical processing in silicon waveguides

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petermann, Klaus; Gajda, A.; Dziallas, Claudia

2015-01-01

Parametric optical signal processing is reviewed for silicon nano-rib-waveguides with a reverse-biased pin-junction. Phase-sensitive parametric amplification with a phase-sensitive extinction of more than 20 dB has been utilized for the regeneration of DPSK signals...

The ATHENA telescope and optics status

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bavdaz, Marcos; Wille, Eric; Ayre, Mark

2017-01-01

chosen for ATHENA is the Silicon Pore Optics (SPO), which hinges on technology spin-in from the semiconductor industry, and uses a modular approach to produce large effective area lightweight telescope optics with a good angular resolution. Both system studies and the technology developments are guided...... by ESA and implemented in industry, with participation of institutional partners. In this paper an overview of the current status of the telescope optics accommodation and technology development activities is provided....

GHz-rate optical parametric amplifier in hydrogenated amorphous silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Ke-Yao; Foster, Amy C

2015-01-01

We demonstrate optical parametric amplification operating at GHz-rates at telecommunications wavelengths using a hydrogenated amorphous silicon waveguide through the nonlinear optical process of four-wave mixing. We investigate how the parametric amplification scales with repetition rate. The ability to achieve amplification at GHz-repetition rates shows hydrogenated amorphous silicon’s potential for telecommunication applications and a GHz-rate optical parametric oscillator. (paper)

Linear all-optical signal processing using silicon micro-ring resonators

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ding, Yunhong; Ou, Haiyan; Xu, Jing

2016-01-01

Silicon micro-ring resonators (MRRs) are compact and versatile devices whose periodic frequency response can be exploited for a wide range of applications. In this paper, we review our recent work on linear all-optical signal processing applications using silicon MRRs as passive filters. We focus...

Composite silicon nanostructure arrays fabricated on optical fibre by chemical etching of multicrystal silicon film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zuo, Zewen; Zhu, Kai; Ning, Lixin; Cui, Guanglei; Qu, Jun; Huang, Wanxia; Shi, Yi; Liu, Hong

2015-01-01

Integrating nanostructures onto optical fibers presents a promising strategy for developing new-fashioned devices and extending the scope of nanodevices’ applications. Here we report the first fabrication of a composite silicon nanostructure on an optical fiber. Through direct chemical etching using an H 2 O 2 /HF solution, multicrystal silicon films with columnar microstructures are etched into a vertically aligned, inverted-cone-like nanorod array embedded in a nanocone array. A faster dissolution rate of the silicon at the void-rich boundary regions between the columns is found to be responsible for the separation of the columns, and thus the formation of the nanostructure array. The morphology of the nanorods primarily depends on the microstructure of the columns in the film. Through controlling the microstructure of the as-grown film and the etching parameters, the structural control of the nanostructure is promising. This fabrication method can be extended to a larger length scale, and it even allows roll-to-roll processing. (paper)

Composite silicon nanostructure arrays fabricated on optical fibre by chemical etching of multicrystal silicon film.

Science.gov (United States)

Zuo, Zewen; Zhu, Kai; Ning, Lixin; Cui, Guanglei; Qu, Jun; Huang, Wanxia; Shi, Yi; Liu, Hong

2015-04-17

Integrating nanostructures onto optical fibers presents a promising strategy for developing new-fashioned devices and extending the scope of nanodevices' applications. Here we report the first fabrication of a composite silicon nanostructure on an optical fiber. Through direct chemical etching using an H2O2/HF solution, multicrystal silicon films with columnar microstructures are etched into a vertically aligned, inverted-cone-like nanorod array embedded in a nanocone array. A faster dissolution rate of the silicon at the void-rich boundary regions between the columns is found to be responsible for the separation of the columns, and thus the formation of the nanostructure array. The morphology of the nanorods primarily depends on the microstructure of the columns in the film. Through controlling the microstructure of the as-grown film and the etching parameters, the structural control of the nanostructure is promising. This fabrication method can be extended to a larger length scale, and it even allows roll-to-roll processing.

Optical characterisation of cubic silicon carbide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jackson, S.M.

1998-09-01

The varied properties of Silicon Carbide (SiC) are helping to launch the material into many new applications, particularly in the field of novel semiconductor devices. In this work, the cubic form of SiC is of interest as a basis for developing integrated optical components. Here, the formation of a suitable SiO 2 buried cladding layer has been achieved by high dose oxygen ion implantation. This layer is necessary for the optical confinement of propagating light, and hence optical waveguide fabrication. Results have shown that optical propagation losses of the order of 20 dB/cm are obtainable. Much of this loss can be attributed to mode leakage and volume scattering. Mode leakage is a function of the effective oxide thickness, and volume scattering related to the surface layer damage. These parameters have been shown to be controllable and so suggests that further reduction in the waveguide loss is feasible. Analysis of the layer growth mechanism by RBS, XTEM and XPS proves that SiO 2 is formed, and that the extent, of formation depends on implant dose and temperature. The excess carbon generated is believed to exit the oxide layer by a number of varying mechanisms. The result of this appears to be a number of stable Si-C-O intermediaries that, form regions to either depth extreme of the SiO 2 layer. Early furnace tests suggest a need to anneal at, temperatures approaching the melting point of the silicon substrate, and that the quality of the virgin material is crucial in controlling the resulting oxide growth. (author)

Imaging of optic nerve head pore structure with motion corrected deeply penetrating OCT using tracking SLO

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vienola, Kari V.; Braaf, Boy; Sheehy, Christy K.; Yang, Qiang; Tiruveedhula, Pavan; de Boer, Johannes F.; Roorda, Austin

2013-01-01

Purpose To remove the eye motion and stabilize the optical frequency domain imaging (OFDI) system for obtaining high quality images of the optic nerve head (ONH) and the pore structure of the lamina cribrosa. Methods An optical coherence tomography (OCT) instrument was combined with an active eye

Structural, optical and electrical properties of quasi-monocrystalline silicon thin films obtained by rapid thermal annealing of porous silicon layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hajji, M.; Khardani, M.; Khedher, N.; Rahmouni, H.; Bessais, B.; Ezzaouia, H.; Bouchriha, H.

2006-01-01

Quasi-mono-crystalline silicon (QMS) layers have a top surface like crystalline silicon with small voids in the body. Such layers are reported to have a higher absorption coefficient than crystalline silicon at the interesting range of the solar spectrum for photovoltaic application. In this work we present a study of the structural, optical and electrical properties of quasimonocrystalline silicon thin films. Quasimonocrystalline silicon thin films were obtained from porous silicon, which has been annealed at a temperature ranging from 950 to 1050 deg. C under H 2 atmosphere for different annealing durations. The porous layers were prepared by conventional electrochemical anodization using a double tank cell and a HF / Ethanol electrolyte. Porous silicon is formed on highly doped p + -type silicon substrates that enable us to prevent back contacts for the anodization. Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) was used to study the morphological quality of the prepared layers. Optical properties were extracted from transmission and reflectivity spectra. Dark I-V characteristics were used to determine the electrical conductivity of quasimonocrystalline silicon thin films. Results show an important improvement of the absorption coefficient of the material and electrical conductivity reaches a value of twenty orders higher than that of starting mesoporous silicon

Optical interconnects based on VCSELs and low-loss silicon photonics

Science.gov (United States)

Aalto, Timo; Harjanne, Mikko; Karppinen, Mikko; Cherchi, Matteo; Sitomaniemi, Aila; Ollila, Jyrki; Malacarne, Antonio; Neumeyr, Christian

2018-02-01

Silicon photonics with micron-scale Si waveguides offers most of the benefits of submicron SOI technology while avoiding most of its limitations. In particular, thick silicon-on-insulator (SOI) waveguides offer 0.1 dB/cm propagation loss, polarization independency, broadband single-mode (SM) operation from 1.2 to >4 µm wavelength and ability to transmit high optical powers (>1 W). Here we describe the feasibility of Thick-SOI technology for advanced optical interconnects. With 12 μm SOI waveguides we demonstrate efficient coupling between standard single-mode fibers, vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) and photodetectors (PDs), as well as wavelength multiplexing in small footprint. Discrete VCSELs and PDs already support 28 Gb/s on-off keying (OOK), which shows a path towards 50-100 Gb/s bandwidth per wavelength by using more advanced modulation formats like PAM4. Directly modulated VCSELs enable very power-efficient optical interconnects for up to 40 km distance. Furthermore, with 3 μm SOI waveguides we demonstrate extremely dense and low-loss integration of numerous optical functions, such as multiplexers, filters, switches and delay lines. Also polarization independent and athermal operation is demonstrated. The latter is achieved by using short polymer waveguides to compensate for the thermo-optic effect in silicon. New concepts for isolator integration and polarization rotation are also explained.

Broadband and scalable optical coupling for silicon photonics using polymer waveguides

Science.gov (United States)

La Porta, Antonio; Weiss, Jonas; Dangel, Roger; Jubin, Daniel; Meier, Norbert; Horst, Folkert; Offrein, Bert Jan

2018-04-01

We present optical coupling schemes for silicon integrated photonics circuits that account for the challenges in large-scale data processing systems such as those used for emerging big data workloads. Our waveguide based approach allows to optimally exploit the on-chip optical feature size, and chip- and package real-estate. It further scales well to high numbers of channels and is compatible with state-of-the-art flip-chip die packaging. We demonstrate silicon waveguide to polymer waveguide coupling losses below 1.5 dB for both the O- and C-bands with a polarisation dependent loss of <1 dB. Over 100 optical silicon waveguide to polymer waveguide interfaces were assembled within a single alignment step, resulting in a physical I/O channel density of up to 13 waveguides per millimetre along the chip-edge, with an average coupling loss of below 3.4 dB measured at 1310 nm.

Last Advances in Silicon-Based Optical Biosensors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adrián Fernández Gavela

2016-02-01

Full Text Available We review the most important achievements published in the last five years in the field of silicon-based optical biosensors. We focus specially on label-free optical biosensors and their implementation into lab-on-a-chip platforms, with an emphasis on developments demonstrating the capability of the devices for real bioanalytical applications. We report on novel transducers and materials, improvements of existing transducers, new and improved biofunctionalization procedures as well as the prospects for near future commercialization of these technologies.

Last Advances in Silicon-Based Optical Biosensors.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernández Gavela, Adrián; Grajales García, Daniel; Ramirez, Jhonattan C; Lechuga, Laura M

2016-02-24

We review the most important achievements published in the last five years in the field of silicon-based optical biosensors. We focus specially on label-free optical biosensors and their implementation into lab-on-a-chip platforms, with an emphasis on developments demonstrating the capability of the devices for real bioanalytical applications. We report on novel transducers and materials, improvements of existing transducers, new and improved biofunctionalization procedures as well as the prospects for near future commercialization of these technologies.

Nonlinear Optical Functions in Crystalline and Amorphous Silicon-on-Insulator Nanowires

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Baets, R.; Kuyken, B.; Liu, X.

2012-01-01

Silicon-on-Insulator nanowires provide an excellent platform for nonlinear optical functions in spite of the two-photon absorption at telecom wavelengths. Work on both crystalline and amorphous silicon nanowires is reviewed, in the wavelength range of 1.5 to 2.5 µm....

Quantitative research on skin pore widening using a stereoimage optical topometer and Sebutape.

Science.gov (United States)

Jo, Ho Youn; Yu, Dong Soo; Oh, Chil Hwan

2007-05-01

The treatment of skin pore widening is concerned with cosmetics sciences, but an objective and quantitative measurement method of the severity of skin pore widening has not been developed. In this study, bioengineering methods were applied to evaluate skin pore widening. The results from bioengineering measurements were compared with clinical visual assessment. In order to quantify skin pore widening, three-dimensional data of skin pore were produced by a stereoimage optical topometer (SOT). The sizes of follicular infundibulum were measured quantitatively, with reserved sebum by Sebutape. 50 female volunteers were divided into two groups. Group A was tested by the cosmetics including active ingredient and group B by placebo. The constricting effect of skin pores by cosmetics was measured for immediate effect and long-term effect. In the immediate effect, there was no statistical difference between groups A and B in visual scoring. In SOT, the size of the skin pores of group A had changed after application of cosmetics but there were no changes in group B. In the long-term effect, there was no statistical difference between groups A and B in visual scoring. TA, TV, SA, and SV of skin pores of groups A and B were decreased in 3 and 6 months by SOT. In Sebutape measurement, there was decreased volume of reserved sebum in groups A and B. The result of the Sebutape study was similar to that of SOT. Evaluation of skin pore change by visual assessment is difficult, but bioengineering tools are more reliable and useful methods for the assessment of skin pore change.

Optic nerve compression as a late complication of a hydrogel explant with silicone encircling band.

Science.gov (United States)

Crama, Niels; Kluijtmans, Leo; Klevering, B Jeroen

2018-06-01

To present a complication of compressive optic neuropathy caused by a swollen hydrogel explant and posteriorly displaced silicone encircling band. A 72-year-old female patient presented with progressive visual loss and a tilted optic disc. Her medical history included a retinal detachment in 1993 that was treated with a hydrogel explant under a solid silicone encircling band. Visual acuity had decreased from 6/10 to 6/20 and perimetry showed a scotoma in the temporal superior quadrant. On Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), compression of the optic nerve by a displaced silicone encircling band inferior nasally in combination with a swollen episcleral hydrogel explant was observed. Surgical removal of the hydrogel explant and silicone encircling band was uneventful and resulted in improvement of visual acuity and visual field loss. This is the first report on compressive optic neuropathy caused by swelling of a hydrogel explant resulting in a dislocated silicone encircling band. The loss of visual function resolved upon removal of the explant and encircling band.

Electro-optical logic gates based on graphene-silicon waveguides

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Weiwei; Yang, Longzhi; Wang, Pengjun; Zhang, Yawei; Zhou, Liqiang; Yang, Tianjun; Wang, Yang; Yang, Jianyi

2016-08-01

In this paper, designs of electro-optical AND/NAND, OR/ NOR, XOR/XNOR logic gates based on cascaded silicon graphene switches and regular 2×1 multimode interference combiners are presented. Each switch consists of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer in which silicon slot waveguides embedded with graphene flakes are designed for phase shifters. High-speed switching function is achieved by applying an electrical signal to tune the Fermi levels of graphene flakes causing the variation of modal effective index. Calculation results show the crosstalk in the proposed optical switch is lower than -22.9 dB within a bandwidth from 1510 nm to 1600 nm. The designed six electro-optical logic gates with the operation speed of 10 Gbit/s have a minimum extinction ratio of 35.6 dB and a maximum insertion loss of 0.21 dB for transverse electric modes at 1.55 μm.

Silicon photonic crystal all-optical logic gates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fu, Yulan [State Key Laboratory for Mesoscopic Physics and Department of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China); Hu, Xiaoyong, E-mail: xiaoyonghu@pku.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory for Mesoscopic Physics and Department of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China); Gong, Qihuang, E-mail: qhgong@pku.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory for Mesoscopic Physics and Department of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China)

2013-01-03

All-optical logic gates, including OR, XOR, NOT, XNOR, and NAND gates, are realized theoretically in a two-dimensional silicon photonic crystal using the light beam interference effect. The ingenious photonic crystal waveguide component design, the precisely controlled optical path difference, and the elaborate device configuration ensure the simultaneous realization of five types of logic gate with low-power and a contrast ratio between the logic states of “1” and “0” as high as 20 dB. High power is not necessary for operation of these logic gate devices. This offers a simple and effective approach for the realization of integrated all-optical logic devices.

Self-organized, effective medium black silicon antireflection structures for silicon optics in the mid-infrared

Science.gov (United States)

Steglich, Martin; Käsebier, Thomas; Kley, Ernst-Bernhard; Tünnermann, Andreas

2016-09-01

Thanks to its high quality and low cost, silicon is the material of choice for optical devices operating in the mid-infrared (MIR; 2 μm to 6 μm wavelength). Unfortunately in this spectral region, the refractive index is comparably high (about 3.5) and leads to severe reflection losses of about 30% per interface. In this work, we demonstrate that self-organized, statistical Black Silicon structures, fabricated by Inductively Coupled Plasma Reactive Ion Etching (ICP-RIE), can be used to effectively suppress interface reflection. More importantly, it is shown that antireflection can be achieved in an image-preserving, non-scattering way. This enables Black Silicon antireflection structures (ARS) for imaging applications in the MIR. It is demonstrated that specular transmittances of 97% can be easily achieved on both flat and curved substrates, e.g. lenses. Moreover, by a combined optical and morphological analysis of a multitude of different Black Silicon ARS, an effective medium criterion for the examined structures is derived that can also be used as a design rule for maximizing sample transmittance in a desired wavelength range. In addition, we show that the mechanical durability of the structures can be greatly enhanced by coating with hard dielectric materials like diamond-like carbon (DLC), hence enabling practical applications. Finally, the distinct advantages of statistical Black Silicon ARS over conventional AR layer stacks are discussed: simple applicability to topological substrates, absence of thermal stress and cost-effectiveness.

Effective antireflection properties of porous silicon nanowires for photovoltaic applications

KAUST Repository

Najar, Adel

2013-01-01

Porous silicon nanowires (PSiNWs) have been prepared by metal-assisted chemical etching method on the n-Si substrate. The presence of nano-pores with pore size ranging between 10-50nm in SiNWs was confirmed by electron tomography (ET) in the transmission electron microscope (TEM). The PSiNWs give strong photoluminescence peak at red wavelength. Ultra-low reflectance of <5% span over wavelength 250 nm to 1050 nm has been measured. The finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method has been employed to model the optical reflectance for both Si wafer and PSiNWs. Our calculation results are in agreement with the measured reflectance from nanowires length of 6 µm and 60% porosity. The low reflectance is attributed to the effective graded index of PSiNWs and enhancement of multiple optical scattering from the pores and nanowires. PSiNW structures with low surface reflectance can potentially serve as an antireflection layer for Si-based photovoltaic devices.

Optical modulation in silicon-vanadium dioxide photonic structures

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Kevin J.; Hallman, Kent A.; Haglund, Richard F.; Weiss, Sharon M.

2017-08-01

All-optical modulators are likely to play an important role in future chip-scale information processing systems. In this work, through simulations, we investigate the potential of a recently reported vanadium dioxide (VO2) embedded silicon waveguide structure for ultrafast all-optical signal modulation. With a VO2 length of only 200 nm, finite-differencetime- domain simulations suggest broadband (200 nm) operation with a modulation greater than 12 dB and an insertion loss of less than 3 dB. Predicted performance metrics, including modulation speed, modulation depth, optical bandwidth, insertion loss, device footprint, and energy consumption of the proposed Si-VO2 all-optical modulator are benchmarked against those of current state-of-the-art all-optical modulators with in-plane optical excitation.

Clinical trial of pin-point photodynamic therapy using an optic fiber for the improvement of enlarged facial pores: a case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Sangeun; Cho, Kyeong-Hun

2009-01-01

There are few publications on the treatment options for facial pore size reduction. A focused therapy is needed. To evaluate the efficacy of selective photodynamic therapy (PDT) using an optic fiber for the size reduction of large facial pores. A series of five patients (skin phototypes IV-V) with large facial pores received two successive weekly treatments with an 810-nm diode laser using a fine optic fiber after indocyanine green (ICG) was applied selectively to enlarged pores. Patients were evaluated using digital photography at each treatment session, and at 3 months post-operation. Clinical assessment scores were determined at each treatment session and follow-up visit. Patient satisfaction surveys were obtained at the end of the study. All five participants who completed the 3-month follow-up gave a subjective assessment of reduction of facial pore size. Modest to excellent improvement was achieved. This study demonstrates that treatment with pin-point PDT using an optic fiber is a well-tolerated and effective regimen for the reduction of facial pore size.

Optic nerve compression as a late complication of a hydrogel explant with silicone encircling band

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Niels Crama

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Purpose: To present a complication of compressive optic neuropathy caused by a swollen hydrogel explant and posteriorly displaced silicone encircling band. Observations: A 72-year-old female patient presented with progressive visual loss and a tilted optic disc. Her medical history included a retinal detachment in 1993 that was treated with a hydrogel explant under a solid silicone encircling band. Visual acuity had decreased from 6/10 to 6/20 and perimetry showed a scotoma in the temporal superior quadrant. On Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI, compression of the optic nerve by a displaced silicone encircling band inferior nasally in combination with a swollen episcleral hydrogel explant was observed. Surgical removal of the hydrogel explant and silicone encircling band was uneventful and resulted in improvement of visual acuity and visual field loss. Conclusions and importance: This is the first report on compressive optic neuropathy caused by swelling of a hydrogel explant resulting in a dislocated silicone encircling band. The loss of visual function resolved upon removal of the explant and encircling band. Keywords: Retinal detachment, Tilted disc, Optic neuropathy, Miragel, Explant, Encircling band

Silica-on-silicon optical couplers and coupler based optical filters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Leick, Lasse

2002-01-01

is not an adequate description of the waveguides. A simple application for an optical couplers is as a 980/1550 nm mulitmplexer for erbium doped wavguide amplifiers. A numerical analysis shows that a directional coupler has acceptable specifications, whereas a mulit mode interference coupler does not. The wavelength......This work concerns modeling and chracterization of non ampligying silica-on-silicon optical components for wavelength division mulitplexed networks. Emphasis is placed on optical couplers and how they can be used as building blocks for devices with a larger complexity. It has been investigated how...... to construct wavelength flattened and process tolerant couplers. A thorough comparison between directional couplers, multi mode interference couplers and interferometer-based couplers has been performed. Numerically all these architectures have the ability to obtain similar wavelength-flatness, but the multi...

Effect resonance radiation transfer of excitation porous silicon to I sub 2 molecules sorbed in pores

CERN Document Server

Zakharchenko, K V; Kuznetsov, M B; Chistyakov, A A; Karavanskij, V A

2001-01-01

One studies the effect of resonance radiation-free transfer of electronic excitation between silicon nanocrystals and iodine molecules sorbed in pores. The experiment procedure includes laser-induced luminescence and laser desorption mass spectrometry. One analyzes photoluminescence spectra prior to and upon iodine sorption. Excitation of iodine through the mechanism of resonance transfer is determined to result in desorption of the iodine sorbed molecules with relatively high kinetic energies (3-1 eV). One evaluated the peculiar distance of resonance transfer the approximate value of which was equal to 2 nm

Porosity and thickness effect of porous silicon layer on photoluminescence spectra

Science.gov (United States)

Husairi, F. S.; Eswar, K. A.; Guliling, Muliyadi; Khusaimi, Z.; Rusop, M.; Abdullah, S.

2018-05-01

The porous silicon nanostructures was prepared by electrochemical etching of p-type silicon wafer. Porous silicon prepared by using different current density and fix etching time with assistance of halogen lamp. The physical structure of porous silicon measured by the parameters used which know as experimental factor. In this work, we select one of those factors to correlate which optical properties of porous silicon. We investigated the surface morphology by using Surface Profiler (SP) and photoluminescence using Photoluminescence (PL) spectrometer. Different physical characteristics of porous silicon produced when current density varied. Surface profiler used to measure the thickness of porous and the porosity calculated using mass different of silicon. Photoluminescence characteristics of porous silicon depend on their morphology because the size and distribution of pore its self will effect to their exciton energy level. At J=30 mA/cm2 the shorter wavelength produced and it followed the trend of porosity with current density applied.

Ultrafast all-optical arithmetic logic based on hydrogenated amorphous silicon microring resonators

Science.gov (United States)

Gostimirovic, Dusan; Ye, Winnie N.

2016-03-01

For decades, the semiconductor industry has been steadily shrinking transistor sizes to fit more performance into a single silicon-based integrated chip. This technology has become the driving force for advances in education, transportation, and health, among others. However, transistor sizes are quickly approaching their physical limits (channel lengths are now only a few silicon atoms in length), and Moore's law will likely soon be brought to a stand-still despite many unique attempts to keep it going (FinFETs, high-k dielectrics, etc.). This technology must then be pushed further by exploring (almost) entirely new methodologies. Given the explosive growth of optical-based long-haul telecommunications, we look to apply the use of high-speed optics as a substitute to the digital model; where slow, lossy, and noisy metal interconnections act as a major bottleneck to performance. We combine the (nonlinear) optical Kerr effect with a single add-drop microring resonator to perform the fundamental AND-XOR logical operations of a half adder, by all-optical means. This process is also applied to subtraction, higher-order addition, and the realization of an all-optical arithmetic logic unit (ALU). The rings use hydrogenated amorphous silicon as a material with superior nonlinear properties to crystalline silicon, while still maintaining CMOS-compatibility and the many benefits that come with it (low cost, ease of fabrication, etc.). Our method allows for multi-gigabit-per-second data rates while maintaining simplicity and spatial minimalism in design for high-capacity manufacturing potential.

Simultaneous high crystallinity and sub-bandgap optical absorptance in hyperdoped black silicon using nanosecond laser annealing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Franta, Benjamin, E-mail: bafranta@gmail.com; Pastor, David; Gandhi, Hemi H.; Aziz, Michael J.; Mazur, Eric [School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138 (United States); Rekemeyer, Paul H.; Gradečak, Silvija [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 (United States)

2015-12-14

Hyperdoped black silicon fabricated with femtosecond laser irradiation has attracted interest for applications in infrared photodetectors and intermediate band photovoltaics due to its sub-bandgap optical absorptance and light-trapping surface. However, hyperdoped black silicon typically has an amorphous and polyphasic polycrystalline surface that can interfere with carrier transport, electrical rectification, and intermediate band formation. Past studies have used thermal annealing to obtain high crystallinity in hyperdoped black silicon, but thermal annealing causes a deactivation of the sub-bandgap optical absorptance. In this study, nanosecond laser annealing is used to obtain high crystallinity and remove pressure-induced phases in hyperdoped black silicon while maintaining high sub-bandgap optical absorptance and a light-trapping surface morphology. Furthermore, it is shown that nanosecond laser annealing reactivates the sub-bandgap optical absorptance of hyperdoped black silicon after deactivation by thermal annealing. Thermal annealing and nanosecond laser annealing can be combined in sequence to fabricate hyperdoped black silicon that simultaneously shows high crystallinity, high above-bandgap and sub-bandgap absorptance, and a rectifying electrical homojunction. Such nanosecond laser annealing could potentially be applied to non-equilibrium material systems beyond hyperdoped black silicon.

Effect of etching current density on microstructure and NH3-sensing properties of porous silicon with intermediate-sized pores

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Mingda; Hu, Ming; Zeng, Peng; Ma, Shuangyun; Yan, Wenjun; Qin, Yuxiang

2013-01-01

In this work, porous silicon with intermediate-sized pores (intermediate–PS) was prepared by using galvanostatic electrochemical etching method and the effect toward sensing response characteristics of NH 3 gas was also studied. The morphology and surface chemical bonds of intermediate–PS were characterized by using field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), respectively. The results showed the intermediate–PS microstructure can be significantly modulated by the etching current density. Moreover, the freshly prepared intermediate–PS surface could achieve reliable passivation after storage in ethanol. Furthermore, the gas-sensing measurements of the intermediate–PS sensors were carried out versus different concentrations of NH 3 . The PS sensor exhibited good NH 3 -sensing performances at room temperature owing to its unique microstructure features, including large specific surface area and highly ordered pore channels. In addition, the conceivable pore formation mechanism as well as gas sensing mechanism was also discussed

Quantitative analysis of vascular colonisation and angio-conduction in porous silicon-substituted hydroxyapatite with various pore shapes in a chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) model.

Science.gov (United States)

Magnaudeix, Amandine; Usseglio, Julie; Lasgorceix, Marie; Lalloue, Fabrice; Damia, Chantal; Brie, Joël; Pascaud-Mathieu, Patricia; Champion, Eric

2016-07-01

The development of scaffolds for bone filling of large defects requires an understanding of angiogenesis and vascular guidance, which are crucial processes for bone formation and healing. There are few investigations on the ability of a scaffold to support blood vessel guidance and it this is of great importance because it relates to the quality and dispersion of the blood vessel network. This work reports an analysis of vascularisation of porous silicon-substituted hydroxyapatite (SiHA) bioceramics and the effects of pore shape on vascular guidance using an expedient ex ovo model, the chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay. Image analysis of vascularised implants assessed the vascular density, fractal dimension and diameter of blood vessels at two different scales (the whole ceramic and pores alone) and was performed on model SiHA ceramics harbouring pores of various cross-sectional geometries (circles, square, rhombus, triangles and stars). SiHA is a biocompatible material which allows the conduction of blood vessels on its surface. The presence of pores did not influence angiogenesis related-parameters (arborisation, fractal dimension) but pore geometry affected the blood vessel guidance and angio-conductive potential (diameter and number of the blood vessels converging toward the pores). The measured angles of pore cross-section modulated the number and diameter of blood vessels converging to pores, with triangular pores appearing of particular interest. This result will be used for shaping ceramic scaffolds with specific porous architecture to promote vascular colonisation and osteointegration. An expedient and efficient method, using chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assays, has been set up to characterise quantitatively the angiogenesis and the vascular conduction in scaffolds. This approach complements the usual cell culture assays and could replace to a certain extent in vivo experiments. It was applied to silicon

Bias-assisted KOH etching of macroporous silicon membranes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mathwig, K; Geilhufe, M; Müller, F; Gösele, U

2011-01-01

This paper presents an improved technique to fabricate porous membranes from macroporous silicon as a starting material. A crucial step in the fabrication process is the dissolution of silicon from the backside of the porous wafer by aqueous potassium hydroxide to open up the pores. We improved this step by biasing the silicon wafer electrically against the KOH. By monitoring the current–time characteristics a good control of the process is achieved and the yield is improved. Also, the etching can be stopped instantaneously and automatically by short-circuiting Si and KOH. Moreover, the bias-assisted etching allows for the controlled fabrication of silicon dioxide tube arrays when the silicon pore walls are oxidized and inverted pores are released.

Optical nano artifact metrics using silicon random nanostructures

Science.gov (United States)

Matsumoto, Tsutomu; Yoshida, Naoki; Nishio, Shumpei; Hoga, Morihisa; Ohyagi, Yasuyuki; Tate, Naoya; Naruse, Makoto

2016-08-01

Nano-artifact metrics exploit unique physical attributes of nanostructured matter for authentication and clone resistance, which is vitally important in the age of Internet-of-Things where securing identities is critical. However, expensive and huge experimental apparatuses, such as scanning electron microscopy, have been required in the former studies. Herein, we demonstrate an optical approach to characterise the nanoscale-precision signatures of silicon random structures towards realising low-cost and high-value information security technology. Unique and versatile silicon nanostructures are generated via resist collapse phenomena, which contains dimensions that are well below the diffraction limit of light. We exploit the nanoscale precision ability of confocal laser microscopy in the height dimension; our experimental results demonstrate that the vertical precision of measurement is essential in satisfying the performances required for artifact metrics. Furthermore, by using state-of-the-art nanostructuring technology, we experimentally fabricate clones from the genuine devices. We demonstrate that the statistical properties of the genuine and clone devices are successfully exploited, showing that the liveness-detection-type approach, which is widely deployed in biometrics, is valid in artificially-constructed solid-state nanostructures. These findings pave the way for reasonable and yet sufficiently secure novel principles for information security based on silicon random nanostructures and optical technologies.

Silicon-based optical integrated circuits for terabit communication networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Svidzinsky, K K

2003-01-01

A brief review is presented of the development of silicon-based optical integrated circuits used as components in modern all-optical communication networks with the terabit-per-second transmission capacity. The designs and technologies for manufacturing these circuits are described and the problems related to their development and application in WDM communication systems are considered. (special issue devoted to the memory of academician a m prokhorov)

Stable silicon isotope signatures of marine pore waters - Biogenic opal dissolution versus authigenic clay mineral formation

Science.gov (United States)

Ehlert, Claudia; Doering, Kristin; Wallmann, Klaus; Scholz, Florian; Sommer, Stefan; Grasse, Patricia; Geilert, Sonja; Frank, Martin

2016-10-01

Dissolved silicon isotope compositions have been analysed for the first time in pore waters (δ30SiPW) of three short sediment cores from the Peruvian margin upwelling region with distinctly different biogenic opal content in order to investigate silicon isotope fractionation behaviour during early diagenetic turnover of biogenic opal in marine sediments. The δ30SiPW varies between +1.1‰ and +1.9‰ with the highest values occurring in the uppermost part close to the sediment-water interface. These values are of the same order or higher than the δ30Si of the biogenic opal extracted from the same sediments (+0.3‰ to +1.2‰) and of the overlying bottom waters (+1.1‰ to +1.5‰). Together with dissolved silicic acid concentrations well below biogenic opal saturation, our collective observations are consistent with the formation of authigenic alumino-silicates from the dissolving biogenic opal. Using a numerical transport-reaction model we find that approximately 24% of the dissolving biogenic opal is re-precipitated in the sediments in the form of these authigenic phases at a relatively low precipitation rate of 56 μmol Si cm-2 yr-1. The fractionation factor between the precipitates and the pore waters is estimated at -2.0‰. Dissolved and solid cation concentrations further indicate that off Peru, where biogenic opal concentrations in the sediments are high, the availability of reactive terrigenous material is the limiting factor for the formation of authigenic alumino-silicate phases.

Thermal and optical properties of porous silicon

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Silva A. Ferreira da

2001-01-01

Full Text Available Thermal diffusivity and optical absorption have been investigated for porous silicon, at room temperature, using photoacoustic spectroscopy. The experimental results obtained conform well with the existing studies recently published. The value obtained for thermal diffusivity is 0.045 ± 0.002 cm²/s.The absorption onsets show energy structures, differing from the ordinary semiconductor of bulk type.

Anisotropic elasticity of silicon and its application to the modelling of X-ray optics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Lin; Barrett, Raymond; Cloetens, Peter; Detlefs, Carsten; Sanchez del Rio, Manuel

2014-01-01

Anisotropic elasticity of single-crystal silicon, applications to modelling of a bent X-ray mirror, and thermal deformation of a liquid-nitrogen-cooled monochromator crystal are presented. The crystal lattice of single-crystal silicon gives rise to anisotropic elasticity. The stiffness and compliance coefficient matrix depend on crystal orientation and, consequently, Young’s modulus, the shear modulus and Poisson’s ratio as well. Computer codes (in Matlab and Python) have been developed to calculate these anisotropic elasticity parameters for a silicon crystal in any orientation. These codes facilitate the evaluation of these anisotropy effects in silicon for applications such as microelectronics, microelectromechanical systems and X-ray optics. For mechanically bent X-ray optics, it is shown that the silicon crystal orientation is an important factor which may significantly influence the optics design and manufacturing phase. Choosing the appropriate crystal orientation can both lead to improved performance whilst lowering mechanical bending stresses. The thermal deformation of the crystal depends on Poisson’s ratio. For an isotropic constant Poisson’s ratio, ν, the thermal deformation (RMS slope) is proportional to (1 + ν). For a cubic anisotropic material, the thermal deformation of the X-ray optics can be approximately simulated by using the average of ν 12 and ν 13 as an effective isotropic Poisson’s ratio, where the direction 1 is normal to the optic surface, and the directions 2 and 3 are two normal orthogonal directions parallel to the optical surface. This average is independent of the direction in the optical surface (the crystal plane) for Si(100), Si(110) and Si(111). Using the effective isotropic Poisson’s ratio for these orientations leads to an error in thermal deformation smaller than 5.5%

Anisotropic elasticity of silicon and its application to the modelling of X-ray optics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Lin, E-mail: zhang@esrf.fr; Barrett, Raymond; Cloetens, Peter; Detlefs, Carsten; Sanchez del Rio, Manuel [European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, 6 Rue Jules Horowitz, BP 220, 38043 Grenoble (France)

2014-04-04

Anisotropic elasticity of single-crystal silicon, applications to modelling of a bent X-ray mirror, and thermal deformation of a liquid-nitrogen-cooled monochromator crystal are presented. The crystal lattice of single-crystal silicon gives rise to anisotropic elasticity. The stiffness and compliance coefficient matrix depend on crystal orientation and, consequently, Young’s modulus, the shear modulus and Poisson’s ratio as well. Computer codes (in Matlab and Python) have been developed to calculate these anisotropic elasticity parameters for a silicon crystal in any orientation. These codes facilitate the evaluation of these anisotropy effects in silicon for applications such as microelectronics, microelectromechanical systems and X-ray optics. For mechanically bent X-ray optics, it is shown that the silicon crystal orientation is an important factor which may significantly influence the optics design and manufacturing phase. Choosing the appropriate crystal orientation can both lead to improved performance whilst lowering mechanical bending stresses. The thermal deformation of the crystal depends on Poisson’s ratio. For an isotropic constant Poisson’s ratio, ν, the thermal deformation (RMS slope) is proportional to (1 + ν). For a cubic anisotropic material, the thermal deformation of the X-ray optics can be approximately simulated by using the average of ν{sub 12} and ν{sub 13} as an effective isotropic Poisson’s ratio, where the direction 1 is normal to the optic surface, and the directions 2 and 3 are two normal orthogonal directions parallel to the optical surface. This average is independent of the direction in the optical surface (the crystal plane) for Si(100), Si(110) and Si(111). Using the effective isotropic Poisson’s ratio for these orientations leads to an error in thermal deformation smaller than 5.5%.

Improved Optics in Monolithic Perovskite/Silicon Tandem Solar Cells with a Nanocrystalline Silicon Recombination Junction

KAUST Repository

Sahli, Florent

2017-10-09

Perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells are increasingly recognized as promi­sing candidates for next-generation photovoltaics with performance beyond the single-junction limit at potentially low production costs. Current designs for monolithic tandems rely on transparent conductive oxides as an intermediate recombination layer, which lead to optical losses and reduced shunt resistance. An improved recombination junction based on nanocrystalline silicon layers to mitigate these losses is demonstrated. When employed in monolithic perovskite/silicon heterojunction tandem cells with a planar front side, this junction is found to increase the bottom cell photocurrent by more than 1 mA cm−2. In combination with a cesium-based perovskite top cell, this leads to tandem cell power-conversion efficiencies of up to 22.7% obtained from J–V measurements and steady-state efficiencies of up to 22.0% during maximum power point tracking. Thanks to its low lateral conductivity, the nanocrystalline silicon recombination junction enables upscaling of monolithic perovskite/silicon heterojunction tandem cells, resulting in a 12.96 cm2 monolithic tandem cell with a steady-state efficiency of 18%.

Improved Optics in Monolithic Perovskite/Silicon Tandem Solar Cells with a Nanocrystalline Silicon Recombination Junction

KAUST Repository

Sahli, Florent; Kamino, Brett A.; Werner, Jé ré mie; Brä uninger, Matthias; Paviet-Salomon, Bertrand; Barraud, Loris; Monnard, Raphaë l; Seif, Johannes Peter; Tomasi, Andrea; Jeangros, Quentin; Hessler-Wyser, Aï cha; De Wolf, Stefaan; Despeisse, Matthieu; Nicolay, Sylvain; Niesen, Bjoern; Ballif, Christophe

2017-01-01

Perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells are increasingly recognized as promi­sing candidates for next-generation photovoltaics with performance beyond the single-junction limit at potentially low production costs. Current designs for monolithic tandems rely on transparent conductive oxides as an intermediate recombination layer, which lead to optical losses and reduced shunt resistance. An improved recombination junction based on nanocrystalline silicon layers to mitigate these losses is demonstrated. When employed in monolithic perovskite/silicon heterojunction tandem cells with a planar front side, this junction is found to increase the bottom cell photocurrent by more than 1 mA cm−2. In combination with a cesium-based perovskite top cell, this leads to tandem cell power-conversion efficiencies of up to 22.7% obtained from J–V measurements and steady-state efficiencies of up to 22.0% during maximum power point tracking. Thanks to its low lateral conductivity, the nanocrystalline silicon recombination junction enables upscaling of monolithic perovskite/silicon heterojunction tandem cells, resulting in a 12.96 cm2 monolithic tandem cell with a steady-state efficiency of 18%.

Study of porous silicon morphologies for electron transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pang, Y.; Demroff, H.P.; Elliott, T.S.; Lee, B.; Lu, J.; Madduri, V.B.; Mazumdar, T.K.; McIntyre, P.M.; Smith, D.D.; Trost, H.J.

1993-01-01

Field emitter devices are being developed for the gigatron, a high-efficiency, high frequency and high power microwave source. One approach being investigated is porous silicon, where a dense matrix of nanoscopic pores are galvanically etched into a silicon surface. In the present paper pore morphologies were used to characterize these materials. Using of Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) images of both N-type and P-type porous layers, it is found that pores propagate along the crystallographic direction, perpendicular to the surface of (100) silicon. Distinct morphologies were observed systematically near the surface, in the main bulk and near the bottom of N-type (100) silicon lift-off samples. It is seen that the pores are not cylindrical but exhibit more or less approximately square cross sections. X-ray diffraction spectra and electron diffraction patterns verified that bulk porous silicon is still a single crystal. In addition, a Scanning Tunnelling Microscope (STM) and an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) were successfully applied to image the 40 angstrom gold film structure which was coated upon a cooled porous silicon layer. By associating the morphology study with the measured emitting current density of the Oxidized Porous Silicon Field Emission Triode (OPSFET), techniques for the surface treatment of porous silicon will be optimized

Studies on the reactive melt infiltration of silicon and silicon-molybdenum alloys in porous carbon

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, M.; Behrendt, D. R.

1992-01-01

Investigations on the reactive melt infiltration of silicon and silicon-1.7 and 3.2 at percent molybdenum alloys into porous carbon preforms have been carried out by process modeling, differential thermal analysis (DTA) and melt infiltration experiments. These results indicate that the initial pore volume fraction of the porous carbon preform is a critical parameter in determining the final composition of the raction-formed silicon carbide and other residual phases. The pore size of the carbon preform is very detrimental to the exotherm temperatures due to liquid silicon-carbon reactions encountered during the reactive melt infiltration process. A possible mechanism for the liquid silicon-porous (glassy) carbon reaction has been proposed. The composition and microstructure of the reaction-formed silicon carbide has been discussed in terms of carbon preform microstructures, infiltration materials, and temperatures.

Guided Acoustic and Optical Waves in Silicon-on-Insulator for Brillouin Scattering and Optomechanics

Science.gov (United States)

2016-08-01

APL PHOTONICS 1, 071301 (2016) Guided acoustic and optical waves in silicon-on- insulator for Brillouin scattering and optomechanics Christopher J...is possible to simultaneously guide optical and acoustic waves in the technologically important silicon on insulator (SOI) material system. Thin...high sound velocity — makes guiding acoustic waves difficult, motivating the use of soft chalcogenide glasses and partial or complete releases (removal

ESA-led ATHENA/IXO optics development status

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bavdaz, Marcos; Rando, Nicola; Wille, Eric

2011-01-01

, under the name of ATHENA (Advanced Telescope for High Energy Astrophysics), with possible participation of NASA and JAXA. The mission is building on the novel Silicon Pore Optics (SPO) technology to achieve the required performance for this demanding astrophysics observatory. This technology is being...... developed by an industrial consortium, and involves also several research institutes [1-12]. A second optics technology, slumped glass optics (SGO), which is being developed in Europe and the USA, was the backup technology for IXO, and additionally work is progressing on improved reflective coatings and X...

Design and fabrication of ultrathin silicon-nitride membranes for use in UV-visible airgap-based MEMS optical filters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghaderi, Mohammadamir; Wolffenbuttel, Reinoud F.

2016-01-01

MEMS-based airgap optical filters are composed of quarter-wave thick high-index dielectric membranes that are separated by airgaps. The main challenge in the fabrication of these filters is the intertwined optical and mechanical requirements. The thickness of the layers decreases with design wavelength, which makes the optical performance in the UV more susceptible to fabrication tolerances, such as thickness and composition of the deposited layers, while the ability to sustain a certain level of residual stress by the structural strength becomes more critical. Silicon-nitride has a comparatively high Young's modulus and good optical properties, which makes it a suitable candidate as the membrane material. However, both the mechanical and optical properties in a silicon-nitride film strongly depend on the specifics of the deposition process. A design trade-off is required between the mechanical strength and the index of refraction, by tuning the silicon content in the silicon-nitride film. However, also the benefit of a high index of refraction in a silicon-rich film should be weighed against the increased UV optical absorption. This work presents the design, fabrication, and preliminary characterization of one and three quarter-wave thick silicon-nitride membranes with a one-quarter airgap and designed to give a spectral reflectance at 400 nm. The PECVD silicon-nitride layers were initially characterized, and the data was used for the optical and mechanical design of the airgap filters. A CMOS compatible process based on polysilicon sacrificial layers was used for the fabrication of the membranes. Optical characterization results are presented. (paper)

High-Q photonic resonators and electro-optic coupling using silicon-on-lithium-niobate

Science.gov (United States)

Witmer, Jeremy D.; Valery, Joseph A.; Arrangoiz-Arriola, Patricio; Sarabalis, Christopher J.; Hill, Jeff T.; Safavi-Naeini, Amir H.

2017-04-01

Future quantum networks, in which superconducting quantum processors are connected via optical links, will require microwave-to-optical photon converters that preserve entanglement. A doubly-resonant electro-optic modulator (EOM) is a promising platform to realize this conversion. Here, we present our progress towards building such a modulator by demonstrating the optically-resonant half of the device. We demonstrate high quality (Q) factor ring, disk and photonic crystal resonators using a hybrid silicon-on-lithium-niobate material system. Optical Q factors up to 730,000 are achieved, corresponding to propagation loss of 0.8 dB/cm. We also use the electro-optic effect to modulate the resonance frequency of a photonic crystal cavity, achieving a electro-optic modulation coefficient between 1 and 2 pm/V. In addition to quantum technology, we expect that our results will be useful both in traditional silicon photonics applications and in high-sensitivity acousto-optic devices.

Fabrication and Characterisation of Silicon Waveguides for High-Speed Optical Signal Processing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Asger Sellerup

This Ph.D. thesis treats various aspects of silicon photonics. From the limitations of silicon as a linear and nonlinear waveguide medium to its synergy with other waveguide materials. Various methods for reducing sidewall roughness and line edge roughness of silicon waveguides are attempted...... was too high for any practical applications. It is speculated that the attempt at creating a material with low density of dangling bonds was unsuccessful. Nevertheless, linear losses of 2.4dB/cm at 1550nm wavelength in the silicon waveguides remained sufficiently low that high speed nonlinear optical...

Microelectromechanical pump utilizing porous silicon

Science.gov (United States)

Lantz, Jeffrey W [Albuquerque, NM; Stalford, Harold L [Norman, OK

2011-07-19

A microelectromechanical (MEM) pump is disclosed which includes a porous silicon region sandwiched between an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber. The porous silicon region is formed in a silicon substrate and contains a number of pores extending between the inlet and outlet chambers, with each pore having a cross-section dimension about equal to or smaller than a mean free path of a gas being pumped. A thermal gradient is provided along the length of each pore by a heat source which can be an electrical resistance heater or an integrated circuit (IC). A channel can be formed through the silicon substrate so that inlet and outlet ports can be formed on the same side of the substrate, or so that multiple MEM pumps can be connected in series to form a multi-stage MEM pump. The MEM pump has applications for use in gas-phase MEM chemical analysis systems, and can also be used for passive cooling of ICs.

Element depth profiles of porous silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kobzev, A.P.; Nikonov, O.A.; Kulik, M.; Zuk, J.; Krzyzanowska, H.; Ochalski, T.J.

1997-01-01

Element depth profiles of porous silicon were measured on the Van-de-Graaff accelerator in the energy range of 4 He + ions from 2 to 3.2 MeV. Application of complementary RBS, ERD and 16 O(α,α) 16 O nuclear reaction methods permits us to obtain: 1) the exact silicon, oxygen and hydrogen distribution in the samples, 2) the distribution of partial pore concentrations. The oxygen concentration in porous silicon reaches 30%, which allows one to assume the presence of silicon oxide in the pores and to explain the spectrum shift of luminescence into the blue area

Magnetic Field Effect on Ultrashort Two-dimensional Optical Pulse Propagation in Silicon Nanotubes

Science.gov (United States)

Konobeeva, N. N.; Evdokimov, R. A.; Belonenko, M. B.

2018-05-01

The paper deals with the magnetic field effect which provides a stable propagation of ultrashort pulses in silicon nanotubes from the viewpoint of their waveform. The equation is derived for the electromagnetic field observed in silicon nanotubes with a glance to the magnetic field for two-dimensional optical pulses. The analysis is given to the dependence between the waveform of ultrashort optical pulses and the magnetic flux passing through the cross-sectional area of the nanotube.

Experience with parallel optical link for the CDF silicon detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hou, S.

2003-01-01

The Dense Optical Interface Module (DOIM) is a byte-wide optical link developed for the Run II upgrade of the CDF silicon tracking system [1]. The module consists of a transmitter with a laser-diode array for conversion of digitized detector signals to light outputs, a 22 m optical fiber ribbon cable for light transmission, and a receiver converting the light pulses back to electrical signals. We report on the design feature, characteristics, and radiation tolerance

Optical properties of uniformly sized silicon nanocrystals within a single silicon oxide layer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

En Naciri, A., E-mail: aotmane.en-naciri@univ-lorraine.fr [Universite de Lorraine, LCP-A2MC, Institut Jean Barriol (France); Miska, P. [Universite de Lorraine, Institut Jean Lamour CNRS UMR 7198 (France); Keita, A.-S. [Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems (Germany); Battie, Y. [Universite de Lorraine, LCP-A2MC, Institut Jean Barriol (France); Rinnert, H.; Vergnat, M. [Universite de Lorraine, Institut Jean Lamour CNRS UMR 7198 (France)

2013-04-15

Silicon nanocrystals (Si-NC) with different sizes (2-6 nm) are synthesized by evaporation. The system is composed of a single Si-NC layer that is well controlled in size. The numerical modeling of such system, without a large size distribution, is suitable to perform easily the optical calculations. The nanocrystal size and confinement effects on the optical properties are determined by photoluminescence (PL) measurements, absorption in the UV visible range, and spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE). The optical constants and the bandgap energies are then extracted and analyzed. The dependence of the optical responses with the decrease of the size of the Si-NC occurs not only with a drastic reduction of the amplitudes of dielectric function but also by a significant expansion of the optical gap. This study supports the idea of a presence of a critical size of Si-NC for which the confinement effect becomes weak. The evolution of those bandgap energies are discussed in comparison with values reported in literature.

Modeling optical transmissivity of graphene grate in on-chip silicon photonic device

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iraj S. Amiri

2018-06-01

Full Text Available A three-dimensional (3-D finite-difference-time-domain (FDTD analysis was used to simulate a silicon photonic waveguide. We have calculated power and transmission of the graphene used as single or multilayers to study the light transmission behavior. A new technique has been developed to define the straight silicon waveguide integrated with grate graphene layer. The waveguide has a variable grate spacing to be filled by the graphene layer. The number of graphene atomic layers varies between 100 and 1000 (or 380 nm and 3800 nm, the transmitted power obtained varies as ∼30% and ∼80%. The ∼99%, blocking of the light was occurred in 10,000 (or 38,000 nm atomic layers of the graphene grate. Keywords: Optical waveguide, Silicon waveguide, Grate, Graphene, Optical transmissivity

Silicon Carbide Lightweight Optics With Hybrid Skins for Large Cryo Telescopes, Phase I

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Optical Physics Company (OPC) proposes to manufacture new silicon carbide (SiC) foam-based optics that are composite, athermal and lightweight (FOCAL) that provide...

The processing and potential applications of porous silicon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Syyuan Shieh.

1992-07-01

Stability of a cylindrical pore under the influence of surface energy is important for porous silicon (PS) processing in the integrated circuit industry. Once the zig-zag cylindrical pores of porous silicon or oxidized porous silicon (OPS) are unstable and breakup into rows of isolated spherical pores, oxidation of PS and densification/nitridation of OPS become difficult. Swing to difficulty transport of reactant gas (O{sub 2}, NH{sub 3}) or the trapped gas (for densification of OPS). A first order analysis of the stability of a cylindrical pore or cylinder is considered first. Growth of small sinusoidal perturbations by viscous flow or evaporation/condensation result in dependence of perturbation growth rate on perturbation wavelength. Rapid thermal oxidation (RTO) of porous silicon is proposed as an alternative for the tedious two-step 300 and 800C oxidation process. Transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy ESCA are used for quality control. Also, rapid thermal nitridation of oxidized porous silicon in ammonia is proposed to enhance OPS resistance to HF solution. Pores breakup of OPS results in a trapped gas problem during densification. Wet helium is proposed as OPS densification ambient gas to shorten densification time. Finally, PS is proposed to be an extrinsic gettering center in silicon wafers. The suppression of oxidation-induced stacking faults is used to demonstrate the gettering ability. Possible mechanism is discussed.

The processing and potential applications of porous silicon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shieh, Syyuan [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

1992-07-01

Stability of a cylindrical pore under the influence of surface energy is important for porous silicon (PS) processing in the integrated circuit industry. Once the zig-zag cylindrical pores of porous silicon or oxidized porous silicon (OPS) are unstable and breakup into rows of isolated spherical pores, oxidation of PS and densification/nitridation of OPS become difficult. Swing to difficulty transport of reactant gas (O₂, NH₃) or the trapped gas (for densification of OPS). A first order analysis of the stability of a cylindrical pore or cylinder is considered first. Growth of small sinusoidal perturbations by viscous flow or evaporation/condensation result in dependence of perturbation growth rate on perturbation wavelength. Rapid thermal oxidation (RTO) of porous silicon is proposed as an alternative for the tedious two-step 300 and 800C oxidation process. Transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy ESCA are used for quality control. Also, rapid thermal nitridation of oxidized porous silicon in ammonia is proposed to enhance OPS resistance to HF solution. Pores breakup of OPS results in a trapped gas problem during densification. Wet helium is proposed as OPS densification ambient gas to shorten densification time. Finally, PS is proposed to be an extrinsic gettering center in silicon wafers. The suppression of oxidation-induced stacking faults is used to demonstrate the gettering ability. Possible mechanism is discussed.

Near-field optical microscope using a silicon-nitride probe

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Hulst, N.F.; Moers, M.H.P.; Moers, M.H.P.; Noordman, O.F.J.; Noordman, O.F.J.; Tack, R.G.; Segerink, Franciscus B.; Bölger, B.; Bölger, B.

1993-01-01

Operation of an alternative near-field optical microscope is presented. The microscope uses a microfabricated silicon- nitride probe with integrated cantilever, as originally developed for force microscopy. The cantilever allows routine close contact near-field imaging o­n arbitrary surfaces without

Towards micro-assembly of hybrid MOEMS components on a reconfigurable silicon free-space micro-optical bench

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bargiel, S; Gorecki, C; Rabenorosoa, K; Clévy, C; Lutz, P

2010-01-01

The 3D integration of hybrid chips is a viable approach for the micro-optical technologies to reduce the costs of assembly and packaging. In this paper a technology platform for the hybrid integration of MOEMS components on a reconfigurable silicon free-space micro-optical bench (FS-MOB) is presented. In this approach a desired optical component (e.g. micromirror, microlens) is integrated with a removable and adjustable silicon holder which can be manipulated, aligned and fixed in the precisely etched rail of the silicon baseplate by use of a robotic micro-assembly station. An active-based gripping system allows modification of the holder position on the baseplate with nanometre precision. The fabrication processes of the micromachined parts of the micro-optical bench, based on bulk micromachining of standard silicon wafer and SOI wafer, are described. The successful assembly of the holders, equipped with a micromirror and a refractive glass ball microlens, on the baseplate rail is demonstrated.

Silicon Carbide Lightweight Optics With Hybrid Skins for Large Cryo Telescopes, Phase II

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Optical Physics Company (OPC) has developed new silicon carbide (SiC) foam-based optics with hybrid skins that are composite, athermal and lightweight (FOCAL) that...

Extreme electronic bandgap modification in laser-crystallized silicon optical fibres

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Healy, N.; Mailis, S.; Bulgakova, Nadezhda M.; Sazio, P.J.A.; Day, T.D.; Sparks, J.R.; Cheng, H.Y.; Badding, J.V.; Peacock, A.C.

2014-01-01

Roč. 13, č. 12 (2014), s. 1122-1127 ISSN 1476-1122 Institutional support: RVO:68378271 Keywords : strained silicon * modulation * generation Subject RIV: BH - Optics, Masers, Lasers Impact factor: 36.503, year: 2014

Optical characterization of nanocrystals in silicon rich oxide superlattices and porous silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Agocs, E.; Petrik, P.; Milita, S.; Vanzetti, L.; Gardelis, S.; Nassiopoulou, A.G.; Pucker, G.; Balboni, R.; Fried, M.

2011-01-01

We propose to analyze ellipsometry data by using effective medium approximation (EMA) models. Thanks to EMA, having nanocrystalline reference dielectric functions and generalized critical point (GCP) model the physical parameters of two series of samples containing silicon nanocrystals, i.e. silicon rich oxide (SRO) superlattices and porous silicon layers (PSL), have been determined. The superlattices, consisting of ten SRO/SiO 2 layer pairs, have been prepared using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The porous silicon layers have been prepared using short monopulses of anodization current in the transition regime between porous silicon formation and electropolishing, in a mixture of hydrofluoric acid and ethanol. The optical modeling of both structures is similar. The effective dielectric function of the layer is calculated by EMA using nanocrystalline components (nc-Si and GCP) in a dielectric matrix (SRO) or voids (PSL). We discuss the two major problems occurring when modeling such structures: (1) the modeling of the vertically non-uniform layer structures (including the interface properties like nanoroughness at the layer boundaries) and (2) the parameterization of the dielectric function of nanocrystals. We used several techniques to reduce the large number of fit parameters of the GCP models. The obtained results are in good agreement with those obtained by X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy. We investigated the correlation of the broadening parameter and characteristic EMA components with the nanocrystal size and the sample preparation conditions, such as the annealing temperatures of the SRO superlattices and the anodization current density of the porous silicon samples. We found that the broadening parameter is a sensitive measure of the nanocrystallinity of the samples, even in cases, where the nanocrystals are too small to be visible for X-ray scattering. Major processes like sintering, phase separation, and intermixing have been

Reactive Melt Infiltration Of Silicon Into Porous Carbon

Science.gov (United States)

Behrendt, Donald R.; Singh, Mrityunjay

1994-01-01

Report describes study of synthesis of silicon carbide and related ceramics by reactive melt infiltration of silicon and silicon/molybdenum alloys into porous carbon preforms. Reactive melt infiltration has potential for making components in nearly net shape, performed in less time and at lower temperature. Object of study to determine effect of initial pore volume fraction, pore size, and infiltration material on quality of resultant product.

Capillary condensation in porous materials. Hysteresis and interaction mechanism without pore blocking/percolation process.

Science.gov (United States)

Grosman, Annie; Ortega, Camille

2008-04-15

We have performed measurements of boundary hysteresis loops, reversal curves, and subloops in p+-type porous silicon, a porous material composed of straight non-interconnected pores. These data show that a strong interaction mechanism exists between the pores. The pores of porous silicon are non-independent, whereas they are not interconnected. This hysteretic behavior is very similar to that observed in porous glass, which consists of cavities connected to each other by constrictions. This questions the so-called pore blocking/percolation model developed to explain the behavior of fluid in porous glass. More generally, if we disregard the shape of the boundary hysteresis loops which depends on the porous material (H1 for MCM-41 and SBA-15, H2 for porous glass and p+-type porous silicon), the hysteretic features inside the main loop are qualitatively the same for all these porous systems. This shows that none of these systems are composed of independent pores. A coupling between the pores is always present whether they are interconnected or not and whatever the shape of the main loop is.

Theoretical exploration of structural, electro-optical and magnetic properties of gallium-doped silicon carbide nanotubes

Science.gov (United States)

Behzad, Somayeh; Chegel, Raad; Moradian, Rostam; Shahrokhi, Masoud

2014-09-01

The effects of gallium doping on the structural, electro-optical and magnetic properties of (8,0) silicon carbide nanotube (SiCNT) are investigated by using spin-polarized density functional theory. It is found from the calculation of the formation energies that gallium substitution for silicon atom is preferred. Our results show that gallium substitution at either single carbon or silicon atom site in SiCNT could induce spontaneous magnetization. The optical studies based on dielectric function indicate that new transition peaks and a blue shift are observed after gallium doping.

Mechanically flexible optically transparent porous mono-crystalline silicon substrate

KAUST Repository

Rojas, Jhonathan Prieto; Syed, Ahad A.; Hussain, Muhammad Mustafa

2012-01-01

For the first time, we present a simple process to fabricate a thin (≥5μm), mechanically flexible, optically transparent, porous mono-crystalline silicon substrate. Relying only on reactive ion etching steps, we are able to controllably peel off a thin layer of the original substrate. This scheme is cost favorable as it uses a low-cost silicon <100> wafer and furthermore it has the potential for recycling the remaining part of the wafer that otherwise would be lost and wasted during conventional back-grinding process. Due to its porosity, it shows see-through transparency and potential for flexible membrane applications, neural probing and such. Our process can offer flexible, transparent silicon from post high-thermal budget processed device wafer to retain the high performance electronics on flexible substrates. © 2012 IEEE.

Quantum confinement and disorder in porous silicon: effects on the optical and transport properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amato, G.; Boarino, L.; Brunetto, N.; Rossi, A.M.

1996-01-01

In this report the authors report new optical data showing that disorder in porous silicon leads to strong carrier localisation. Light emission in PS (porous silicon) is suggested to occur through transitions involving localized states

Silicon-on-Insulator Nanowire Based Optical Waveguide Biosensors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Mingyu; Liu, Yong; Chen, Yangqing; He, Jian-Jun

2016-01-01

Optical waveguide biosensors based on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) nanowire have been developed for label free molecular detection. This paper reviews our work on the design, fabrication and measurement of SOI nanowire based high-sensitivity biosensors employing Vernier effect. Biosensing experiments using cascaded double-ring sensor and Mach-Zehnder- ring sensor integrated with microfluidic channels are demonstrated (paper)

Mechanically flexible optically transparent silicon fabric with high thermal budget devices from bulk silicon (100)

KAUST Repository

Hussain, Muhammad Mustafa

2013-05-30

Today’s information age is driven by silicon based electronics. For nearly four decades semiconductor industry has perfected the fabrication process of continuingly scaled transistor – heart of modern day electronics. In future, silicon industry will be more pervasive, whose application will range from ultra-mobile computation to bio-integrated medical electronics. Emergence of flexible electronics opens up interesting opportunities to expand the horizon of electronics industry. However, silicon – industry’s darling material is rigid and brittle. Therefore, we report a generic batch fabrication process to convert nearly any silicon electronics into a flexible one without compromising its (i) performance; (ii) ultra-large-scale-integration complexity to integrate billions of transistors within small areas; (iii) state-of-the-art process compatibility, (iv) advanced materials used in modern semiconductor technology; (v) the most widely used and well-studied low-cost substrate mono-crystalline bulk silicon (100). In our process, we make trenches using anisotropic reactive ion etching (RIE) in the inactive areas (in between the devices) of a silicon substrate (after the devices have been fabricated following the regular CMOS process), followed by a dielectric based spacer formation to protect the sidewall of the trench and then performing an isotropic etch to create caves in silicon. When these caves meet with each other the top portion of the silicon with the devices is ready to be peeled off from the bottom silicon substrate. Release process does not need to use any external support. Released silicon fabric (25 μm thick) is mechanically flexible (5 mm bending radius) and the trenches make it semi-transparent (transparency of 7%). © (2013) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.

Mechanically flexible optically transparent silicon fabric with high thermal budget devices from bulk silicon (100)

KAUST Repository

Hussain, Muhammad Mustafa; Rojas, Jhonathan Prieto; Sevilla, Galo T.

2013-01-01

Today’s information age is driven by silicon based electronics. For nearly four decades semiconductor industry has perfected the fabrication process of continuingly scaled transistor – heart of modern day electronics. In future, silicon industry will be more pervasive, whose application will range from ultra-mobile computation to bio-integrated medical electronics. Emergence of flexible electronics opens up interesting opportunities to expand the horizon of electronics industry. However, silicon – industry’s darling material is rigid and brittle. Therefore, we report a generic batch fabrication process to convert nearly any silicon electronics into a flexible one without compromising its (i) performance; (ii) ultra-large-scale-integration complexity to integrate billions of transistors within small areas; (iii) state-of-the-art process compatibility, (iv) advanced materials used in modern semiconductor technology; (v) the most widely used and well-studied low-cost substrate mono-crystalline bulk silicon (100). In our process, we make trenches using anisotropic reactive ion etching (RIE) in the inactive areas (in between the devices) of a silicon substrate (after the devices have been fabricated following the regular CMOS process), followed by a dielectric based spacer formation to protect the sidewall of the trench and then performing an isotropic etch to create caves in silicon. When these caves meet with each other the top portion of the silicon with the devices is ready to be peeled off from the bottom silicon substrate. Release process does not need to use any external support. Released silicon fabric (25 μm thick) is mechanically flexible (5 mm bending radius) and the trenches make it semi-transparent (transparency of 7%). © (2013) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.

Porous silicon and diatoms micro-shells: an example of inverse biomimetic

Science.gov (United States)

De Tommasi, Edoardo; Rea, Ilaria; Rendina, Ivo; De Stefano, Luca

2011-05-01

Porous silicon (PSi) is by far a very useful technological platform for optical monitoring of chemical and biological substances and due to its peculiar physical and morphological properties it is worldwide used in sensing experiments. On the other hand, we have discovered a natural material, the micro-shells of marine diatoms, ubiquitous unicellular algae, which are made of hydrated amorphous silica, but, most of all, show geometrical structures made of complex patterns of pores which are surprisingly similar to those of porous silicon. Moreover, under laser irradiation, this material is photoluminescent and the photoluminescence is very sensitive to the surrounding atmosphere, which means that the material can act as a transducer. Starting from our experience on PSi devices, we explore the optical and photonic properties of marine diatoms micro-shells in a sort of inverse biomimicry.

Broadband dielectric spectroscopy of oxidized porous silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Axelrod, Ekaterina; Urbach, Benayahu; Sa'ar, Amir; Feldman, Yuri

2006-01-01

Dielectric measurements accompanied by infrared absorption and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy were used to investigate the electrical and optical properties of oxidized porous silicon (PS). As opposed to non-oxidized PS, only high temperature relaxation processes could be resolved for oxidized PS. Two relaxation processes have been observed. The first process is related to dc-conductivity that dominates at high temperatures and low frequencies. After subtraction of dc-conductivity we could analyse a second high-temperature relaxation process that is related to interface polarization induced by charge carriers trapped at the host matrix-pore interfaces. We found that, while the main effect of the oxidation on the PL appears to be a size reduction in the silicon nanocrystals that gives rise to a blue shift of the PL spectrum, its main contribution to the dielectric properties turns out to be blocking of transport channels in the host tissue and activation of hopping conductivity between silicon nanocrystals

Broadband dielectric spectroscopy of oxidized porous silicon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Axelrod, Ekaterina [Department of Applied Physics, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 91904 (Israel); Urbach, Benayahu [Racah Institute of Physics and the Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 91904 (Israel); Sa' ar, Amir [Racah Institute of Physics and the Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 91904 (Israel); Feldman, Yuri [Department of Applied Physics, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 91904 (Israel)

2006-04-07

Dielectric measurements accompanied by infrared absorption and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy were used to investigate the electrical and optical properties of oxidized porous silicon (PS). As opposed to non-oxidized PS, only high temperature relaxation processes could be resolved for oxidized PS. Two relaxation processes have been observed. The first process is related to dc-conductivity that dominates at high temperatures and low frequencies. After subtraction of dc-conductivity we could analyse a second high-temperature relaxation process that is related to interface polarization induced by charge carriers trapped at the host matrix-pore interfaces. We found that, while the main effect of the oxidation on the PL appears to be a size reduction in the silicon nanocrystals that gives rise to a blue shift of the PL spectrum, its main contribution to the dielectric properties turns out to be blocking of transport channels in the host tissue and activation of hopping conductivity between silicon nanocrystals.

Optical properties of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) in surface and pore waters adjacent to an oil well in a southern California salt marsh.

Science.gov (United States)

Bowen, Jennifer C; Clark, Catherine D; Keller, Jason K; De Bruyn, Warren J

2017-01-15

Chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) optical properties were measured in surface and pore waters as a function of depth and distance from an oil well in a southern California salt marsh. Higher fluorescence and absorbances in pore vs. surface waters suggest soil pore water is a reservoir of CDOM in the marsh. Protein-like fluorophores in pore waters at distinct depths corresponded to variations in sulfate depletion and Fe(II) concentrations from anaerobic microbial activity. These variations were supported by fluorescence indexes and are consistent with differences in optical molecular weight and aromaticity indicators. Fluorescence indices were consistent with autochthonous material of aquatic origin in surface waters, with more terrestrial, humified allochthonous material in deeper pore waters. CDOM optical properties were consistent with significantly enhanced microbial activity in regions closest to the oil well, along with a three-dimensional excitation/emission matrix fluorescence spectrum peak attributable to oil, suggesting anaerobic microbial degradation of oil. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Athermal silicon optical add-drop multiplexers based on thermo-optic coefficient tuning of sol-gel material.

Science.gov (United States)

Namnabat, Soha; Kim, Kyung-Jo; Jones, Adam; Himmelhuber, Roland; DeRose, Christopher T; Trotter, Douglas C; Starbuck, Andrew L; Pomerene, Andrew; Lentine, Anthony L; Norwood, Robert A

2017-09-04

Silicon photonics has gained interest for its potential to provide higher efficiency, bandwidth and reduced power consumption compared to electrical interconnects in datacenters and high performance computing environments. However, it is well known that silicon photonic devices suffer from temperature fluctuations due to silicon's high thermo-optic coefficient and therefore, temperature control in many applications is required. Here we present an athermal optical add-drop multiplexer fabricated from ring resonators. We used a sol-gel inorganic-organic hybrid material as an alternative to previously used materials such as polymers and titanium dioxide. In this work we studied the thermal curing parameters of the sol-gel and their effect on thermal wavelength shift of the rings. With this method, we were able to demonstrate a thermal shift down to -6.8 pm/°C for transverse electric (TE) polarization in ring resonators with waveguide widths of 325 nm when the sol-gel was cured at 130°C for 10.5 hours. We also achieved thermal shifts below 1 pm/°C for transverse magnetic (TM) polarization in the C band under different curing conditions. Curing time compared to curing temperature shows to be the most important factor to control sol-gel's thermo-optic value in order to obtain an athermal device in a wide temperature range.

Optical and passivating properties of hydrogenated amorphous silicon nitride deposited by plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition for application on silicon solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wight, Daniel Nilsen

2008-07-01

Within this thesis, several important subjects related to the use of amorphous silicon nitride made by plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition as an anti-reflective coating on silicon solar cells are presented. The first part of the thesis covers optical simulations to optimise single and double layer anti-reflective coatings with respect to optical performance when situated on a silicon solar cell. The second part investigates the relationship between important physical properties of silicon nitride films when deposited under different conditions. The optical simulations were either based on minimising the reflectance off a silicon nitride/silicon wafer stack or maximising the transmittance through the silicon nitride into the silicon wafer. The former method allowed consideration of the reflectance off the back surface of the wafer, which occurs typically at wavelengths above 1000 nm due to the transparency of silicon at these wavelengths. However, this method does not take into consideration the absorption occurring in the silicon nitride, which is negligible at low refractive indexes but quite significant when the refractive index increases above 2.1. For high-index silicon nitride films, the latter method is more accurate as it considers both reflectance and absorbance in the film to calculate the transmittance into the Si wafer. Both methods reach similar values for film thickness and refractive index for optimised single layer anti-reflective coatings, due to the negligible absorption occurring in these films. For double layer coatings, though, the reflectance based simulations overestimated the optimum refractive index for the bottom layer, which would have lead to excessive absorption if applied to real anti-reflective coatings. The experimental study on physical properties for silicon nitride films deposited under varying conditions concentrated on the estimation of properties important for its applications, such as optical properties, passivation

Mechanical constraint and release generates long, ordered horizontal pores in anodic alumina templates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bolger, Ciara T; Petkov, Nikolay; Holmes, Justin D; Fois, Giovanni; Cross, Graham L W; Sassiat, Nicolas; Burke, Micheál; Quinn, Aidan J

2012-01-01

We describe the formation of long, highly ordered arrays of planar oriented anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) pores during plane parallel anodization of thin aluminum ‘finger’ microstructures fabricated on thermally oxidized silicon substrates and capped with a silicon oxide layer. The pore morphology was found to be strongly influenced by mechanical constraint imposed by the oxide layers surrounding the Al fingers. Tractions induced by the SiO 2 substrate and capping layer led to frustrated volume expansion and restricted oxide flow along the interface, with extrusion of oxide into the primary pore volume, leading to the formation of dendritic pore structures and meandering pore growth. However, partial relief of the constraint by a delaminating interfacial fracture, with its tip closely following the anodization front, led to pore growth that was highly ordered with regular, hexagonally packed arrays of straight horizontal pores up to 3 µm long. Detailed characterization of both straight and dendritic planar pores over a range of formation conditions using advanced microscopy techniques is reported, including volume reconstruction, enabling high quality 3D visualization of pore formation. (paper)

Flow restrictor silicon membrane microvalve actuated by optically controlled paraffin phase transition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kolari, K; Havia, T; Stuns, I; Hjort, K

2014-01-01

Restrictor valves allow proportional control of fluid flow but are rarely integrated in microfluidic systems. In this study, an optically actuated silicon membrane restrictor microvalve is demonstrated. Its actuation is based on the phase transition of paraffin, using a paraffin wax mixed with a suitable concentration of optically absorbing nanographite particles. Backing up the membrane with oil (the melted paraffin) allows for a compliant yet strong contact to the valve seat, which enables handling of high pressures. At flow rates up to 30 µL min −1 and at a pressure of 2 bars, the valve can successfully be closed and control the flow level by restriction. The use of this paraffin composite as an adhesive layer sandwiched between the silicon valve and glass eases fabrication. This type of restrictor valve is best suited for high pressure, low volume flow silicon-based nanofluidic systems. (paper)

Process for forming a porous silicon member in a crystalline silicon member

Science.gov (United States)

Northrup, M. Allen; Yu, Conrad M.; Raley, Norman F.

1999-01-01

Fabrication and use of porous silicon structures to increase surface area of heated reaction chambers, electrophoresis devices, and thermopneumatic sensor-actuators, chemical preconcentrates, and filtering or control flow devices. In particular, such high surface area or specific pore size porous silicon structures will be useful in significantly augmenting the adsorption, vaporization, desorption, condensation and flow of liquids and gasses in applications that use such processes on a miniature scale. Examples that will benefit from a high surface area, porous silicon structure include sample preconcentrators that are designed to adsorb and subsequently desorb specific chemical species from a sample background; chemical reaction chambers with enhanced surface reaction rates; and sensor-actuator chamber devices with increased pressure for thermopneumatic actuation of integrated membranes. Examples that benefit from specific pore sized porous silicon are chemical/biological filters and thermally-activated flow devices with active or adjacent surfaces such as electrodes or heaters.

The ATHENA telescope and optics status

Science.gov (United States)

Bavdaz, Marcos; Wille, Eric; Ayre, Mark; Ferreira, Ivo; Shortt, Brian; Fransen, Sebastiaan; Collon, Maximilien; Vacanti, Giuseppe; Barriere, Nicolas; Landgraf, Boris; Haneveld, Jeroen; van Baren, Coen; Zuknik, Karl-Heintz; Della Monica Ferreira, Desiree; Massahi, Sonny; Christensen, Finn; Krumrey, Michael; Burwitz, Vadim; Pareschi, Giovanni; Spiga, Daniele; Valsecchi, Giuseppe; Vernani, Dervis; Oliver, Paul; Seidel, André

2017-08-01

The work on the definition and technological preparation of the ATHENA (Advanced Telescope for High ENergy Astrophysics) mission continues to progress. In parallel to the study of the accommodation of the telescope, many aspects of the X-ray optics are being evolved further. The optics technology chosen for ATHENA is the Silicon Pore Optics (SPO), which hinges on technology spin-in from the semiconductor industry, and uses a modular approach to produce large effective area lightweight telescope optics with a good angular resolution. Both system studies and the technology developments are guided by ESA and implemented in industry, with participation of institutional partners. In this paper an overview of the current status of the telescope optics accommodation and technology development activities is provided.

Linear electro-optic effect in cubic silicon carbide

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Xiao; Irvine, Kenneth G.; Zhang, Dongping; Spencer, Michael G.

1991-01-01

The first observation is reported of the electrooptic effect of cubic silicon carbide (beta-SiC) grown by a low-pressure chemical vapor deposition reactor using the hydrogen, silane, and propane gas system. At a wavelength of 633 nm, the value of the electrooptic coefficient r41 in beta-SiC is determined to be 2.7 +/- 0.5 x 10 (exp-12) m/V, which is 1.7 times larger than that in gallium arsenide measured at 10.6 microns. Also, a half-wave voltage of 6.4 kV for beta-SiC is obtained. Because of this favorable value of electrooptic coefficient, it is believed that silicon carbide may be a promising candidate in electrooptic applications for high optical intensity in the visible region.

Characterization of thermal, optical and carrier transport properties of porous silicon using the photoacoustic technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sheng, Chan Kok; Mahmood Mat Yunus, W.; Yunus, Wan Md. Zin Wan; Abidin Talib, Zainal; Kassim, Anuar

2008-01-01

In this work, the porous silicon layer was prepared by the electrochemical anodization etching process on n-type and p-type silicon wafers. The formation of the porous layer has been identified by photoluminescence and SEM measurements. The optical absorption, energy gap, carrier transport and thermal properties of n-type and p-type porous silicon layers were investigated by analyzing the experimental data from photoacoustic measurements. The values of thermal diffusivity, energy gap and carrier transport properties have been found to be porosity-dependent. The energy band gap of n-type and p-type porous silicon layers was higher than the energy band gap obtained for silicon substrate (1.11 eV). In the range of porosity (50-76%) of the studies, our results found that the optical band-gap energy of p-type porous silicon (1.80-2.00 eV) was higher than that of the n-type porous silicon layer (1.70-1.86 eV). The thermal diffusivity value of the n-type porous layer was found to be higher than that of the p-type and both were observed to increase linearly with increasing layer porosity

SOI silicon on glass for optical MEMS

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Kristian Pontoppidan; Ravnkilde, Jan Tue; Hansen, Ole

2003-01-01

and a final sealing at the interconnects can be performed using a suitable polymer. Packaged MEMS on glass are advantageous within Optical MEMS and for sensitive capacitive devices. We report on experiences with bonding SOI to Pyrex. Uniform DRIE shallow and deep etching was achieved by a combination......A newly developed fabrication method for fabrication of single crystalline Si (SCS) components on glass, utilizing Deep Reactive Ion Etching (DRIE) of a Silicon On Insulator (SOI) wafer is presented. The devices are packaged at wafer level in a glass-silicon-glass (GSG) stack by anodic bonding...... of an optimized device layout and an optimized process recipe. The behavior of the buried oxide membrane when used as an etch stop for the through-hole etch is described. No harmful buckling or fracture of the membrane is observed for an oxide thickness below 1 μm, but larger and more fragile released structures...

Nonlinear silicon photonics

Science.gov (United States)

Borghi, M.; Castellan, C.; Signorini, S.; Trenti, A.; Pavesi, L.

2017-09-01

Silicon photonics is a technology based on fabricating integrated optical circuits by using the same paradigms as the dominant electronics industry. After twenty years of fervid development, silicon photonics is entering the market with low cost, high performance and mass-manufacturable optical devices. Until now, most silicon photonic devices have been based on linear optical effects, despite the many phenomenologies associated with nonlinear optics in both bulk materials and integrated waveguides. Silicon and silicon-based materials have strong optical nonlinearities which are enhanced in integrated devices by the small cross-section of the high-index contrast silicon waveguides or photonic crystals. Here the photons are made to strongly interact with the medium where they propagate. This is the central argument of nonlinear silicon photonics. It is the aim of this review to describe the state-of-the-art in the field. Starting from the basic nonlinearities in a silicon waveguide or in optical resonator geometries, many phenomena and applications are described—including frequency generation, frequency conversion, frequency-comb generation, supercontinuum generation, soliton formation, temporal imaging and time lensing, Raman lasing, and comb spectroscopy. Emerging quantum photonics applications, such as entangled photon sources, heralded single-photon sources and integrated quantum photonic circuits are also addressed at the end of this review.

X-ray optics developments at ESA

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bavdaz, M.; Wille, E.; Wallace, K.

2013-01-01

Future high energy astrophysics missions will require high performance novel X-ray optics to explore the Universe beyond the limits of the currently operating Chandra and Newton observatories. Innovative optics technologies are therefore being developed and matured by the European Space Agency (ESA......) in collaboration with research institutions and industry, enabling leading-edge future science missions. Silicon Pore Optics (SPO) [1 to 21] and Slumped Glass Optics (SGO) [22 to 29] are lightweight high performance X-ray optics technologies being developed in Europe, driven by applications in observatory class...... reflective coatings [30 to 35]. In addition, the progress with the X-ray test facilities and associated beam-lines is discussed [36]. © (2013) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only....

Effect of Current Density on Thermal and Optical Properties of p-Type Porous Silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kasra Behzad; Wan Mahmood Mat Yunus; Zainal Abidin Talib; Azmi Zakaria; Afarin Bahrami

2011-01-01

The different parameters of the porous silicon (PSi) can be tuned by changing some parameters in preparation process. We have chosen the anodization as formation method, so the related parameters should be changed. In this study the porous silicon (PSi) layers were formed on p-type Si wafer. The samples were anodized electrically in a fixed etching time under some different current densities. The structural and optical properties of porous silicon (PSi) on silicon (Si) substrates were investigated using photoluminescence (PL) and Photoacoustic Spectroscopy (PAS). (author)

Optical characterisation of sputtered hydrogenated amorphous silicon thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mellassi, K.; Chafik El Idrissi, M.; Chouiyakh, A.; Rjeb, A.; Barhdadi, A.

2000-09-01

The present work is devoted to the study of some optical properties of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) thin films prepared by radio-frequency cathodic sputtering technique. It is essentially focused on investigating separately the effects of increasing partial hydrogen pressure during the deposition stage, and the effects of post deposition thermal annealing on the main optical parameters of the deposited layers (refraction index, optical gap Urbach energy, etc.). We show that low hydrogen pressures allow a saturation of the dangling bonds in the material, while high pressures lead to the creation of new defects. We also show that thermal annealing under moderate temperatures allows a good improvement of the structural quality of deposited films. (author)

Determination of thicknesses and temperatures of crystalline silicon wafers from optical measurements in the far infrared region

Science.gov (United States)

Franta, Daniel; Franta, Pavel; Vohánka, Jiří; Čermák, Martin; Ohlídal, Ivan

2018-05-01

Optical measurements of transmittance in the far infrared region performed on crystalline silicon wafers exhibit partially coherent interference effects appropriate for the determination of thicknesses of the wafers. The knowledge of accurate spectral and temperature dependencies of the optical constants of crystalline silicon in this spectral region is crucial for the determination of its thickness and vice versa. The recently published temperature dependent dispersion model of crystalline silicon is suitable for this purpose. Because the linear thermal expansion of crystalline silicon is known, the temperatures of the wafers can be determined with high precision from the evolution of the interference patterns at elevated temperatures.

Detection and light enhancement of glucose oxidase adsorbed on porous silicon microcavities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Palestino, Gabriela [GES-UMR 5650, CNRS-Universite Montpellier II, Montpellier (France); Facultad de Ciencias Quimicas, Universidad Autonoma de San Luis Potosi, San Luis Potosi (Mexico); Martin, Marta; Legros, Rene; Cloitre, Thierry; Gergely, Csilla [GES-UMR 5650, CNRS-Universite Montpellier II, Montpellier (France); Agarwal, Vivechana [CIICAP, Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Morelos, Cuernavaca (Mexico); Zimanyi, Laszlo [EA4203, Faculte d' Odontologie, Universite Montpellier I, Montpellier (France); Institute of Biophysics, Biological Research Center, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Szeged (Hungary)

2009-07-15

Porous silicon (PSi) structure is used as support material to detect protein infiltration and to induce fluorescence and second harmonic light enhancement from glucose oxidase (GOX). Functionalization and protein infiltration is monitored by specular reflectometry. Optical response enhancement of PSi microcavity structures compared to PSi single layers or Bragg mirrors is observed, when GOX is impregnated. Penetration of organic molecules along the PSi microcavity structure is demonstrated by energy dispersive X-ray profile. Enhanced fluorescence emission of GOX when adsorbed on PSi microcavity is evidenced by multi-photon microscopy (MPM). Second harmonic light generation is observed at some particular pores of PSi and subsequent resonance enhancement of the signal arising from the GOX adsorbed within the pores is detected. Our work evidences an improved device functionality of GOX-PSi microcavities due to strongly confined and localized light emission within these structures. This opens the way towards the application of PSi microcavity structures as amended biosensors based on their locally enhanced optical response. The second main achievement lies in the novelty of the used techniques. In contrast to the specular reflectometry used to monitor the macroscopic optical response of PSi structures, MPM presents a valuable alternative microscopic technique probing individual pores. (copyright 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Periodic arrays of deep nanopores made in silicon with reactive ion etching and deep UV lithography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Woldering, Leon A; Tjerkstra, R Willem; Vos, Willem L; Jansen, Henri V; Setija, Irwan D

2008-01-01

We report on the fabrication of periodic arrays of deep nanopores with high aspect ratios in crystalline silicon. The radii and pitches of the pores were defined in a chromium mask by means of deep UV scan and step technology. The pores were etched with a reactive ion etching process with SF 6 , optimized for the formation of deep nanopores. We have realized structures with pitches between 440 and 750 nm, pore diameters between 310 and 515 nm, and depth to diameter aspect ratios up to 16. To the best of our knowledge, this is the highest aspect ratio ever reported for arrays of nanopores in silicon made with a reactive ion etching process. Our experimental results show that the etching rate of the nanopores is aspect-ratio-dependent, and is mostly influenced by the angular distribution of the etching ions. Furthermore we show both experimentally and theoretically that, for sub-micrometer structures, reducing the sidewall erosion is the best way to maximize the aspect ratio of the pores. Our structures have potential applications in chemical sensors, in the control of liquid wetting of surfaces, and as capacitors in high-frequency electronics. We demonstrate by means of optical reflectivity that our high-quality structures are very well suited as photonic crystals. Since the process studied is compatible with existing CMOS semiconductor fabrication, it allows for the incorporation of the etched arrays in silicon chips

An all-silicone zoom lens in an optical imaging system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao Cun-Hua

2013-01-01

An all-silicone zoom lens is fabricated. A tunable metal ringer is fettered around the side edge of the lens. A nylon rope linking a motor is tied, encircling the notch in the metal ringer. While the motor is operating, the rope can shrink or release to change the focal length of the lens. A calculation method is developed to obtain the focal length and the zoom ratio. The testing is carried out in succession. The testing values are compared with the calculated ones, and they tally with each other well. Finally, the imaging performance of the all-silicone lens is demonstrated. The all-silicone lens has potential uses in cellphone cameras, notebook cameras, micro monitor lenses, etc. (electromagnetism, optics, acoustics, heat transfer, classical mechanics, and fluid dynamics)

Fabrication and optical characterization of light trapping silicon nanopore and nanoscrew devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jin, Hyunjong; Logan Liu, G

2012-01-01

We have fabricated nanotextured Si substrates that exhibit controllable optical reflection intensities and colors. Si nanopore has a photon trapping nanostructure but has abrupt changes in the index of refraction displaying a darkened specular reflection. Nanoscrew Si shows graded refractive-index photon trapping structures that enable diffuse reflection to be as low as 2.2% over the visible wavelengths. By tuning the 3D nanoscale silicon structure, the optical reflection peak wavelength and intensity are changed in the wavelength range of 300–800 nm, making the surface have different reflectivity and apparent colors. The relation between the surface optical properties with the spatial features of the photon trapping nanostructures is examined. Integration of photon trapping structures with planar Si structure on the same substrate is also demonstrated. The tunable photon trapping silicon structures have potential applications in enhancing the performance of semiconductor photoelectric devices. (paper)

Methods and systems for Raman and optical cross-interrogation in flow-through silicon membranes

Science.gov (United States)

Bond, Tiziana C.; Letant, Sonia E.

2014-09-09

Cross-interrogating photonic detection systems and methods are shown. A flow through photonic crystal membrane with a surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate is provided with pores which are distributed along multiple regions. The pores of one region have walls to which a first type of target specific anchor can be attached, while pores of another region have walls to which a second type of target specific anchor can be attached. An optical arrangement out-of-plane to the SERS substrate is also provided for enhanced sensitivity and identification of target organisms.

High speed all-silicon optical modulator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marris-Morini, Delphine; Le Roux, Xavier; Pascal, Daniel; Vivien, Laurent; Cassan, Eric; Fedeli, Jean Marc; Damlencourt, Jean Francois; Bouville, David; Palomo, Jose; Laval, Suzanne

2006-01-01

Electrorefractive effect is experimentally demonstrated in an all-silicon optical structure. A highly doped Si P + layer is embedded in the intrinsic region of a PIN diode integrated in a SOI waveguide. Holes are confined at equilibrium around the P + layer. By applying a reverse bias to the diode, electrical field sweeps the carriers out of the active region. Free carrier concentration variations are responsible for local refractive index variations leading to an effective index variation of the waveguide optical mode and to an optical absorption variation. As a figure of merit, the product V π L π , determined from the measured effective index variation, is equal to 3.1 V cm. Furthermore, the device performances have theoretically been investigated. Estimations show that V π L π as small as 1 V cm are feasible using optimized structures. Response times lower than 2 ps are predicted, which gives the possibility to achieve very high-speed modulation. Furthermore, a temperature increases from 300 to 400 K does not change the index variation amplitude, and despite the carrier mobility reduction, response times are still lower than 2 ps

Channel-Selectable Optical Link Based on a Silicon Microring for on-Chip Interconnection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qiu Chen; Hu Ting; Wang Wan-Jun; Yu Ping; Jiang Xiao-Qing; Yang Jian-Yi

2012-01-01

A channel-selectable optical link based on a silicon microring resonator is proposed and demonstrated. This optical link consists of the wavelength-tunable microring modulators and the filters, defined on a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) platform. With a p—i—n junction embedded in the microring modulator, light at the resonant wavelength of the ring resonator is modulated. The 2 nd -order microring add-drop filter routes the modulated light. The channel selectivity is demonstrated by heating the microrings. With a thermal tuning efficiency of 5.9 mW/nm, the filter drop port response was successfully tuned with 0.8 nm channel spacing. We also show that modulation can be achieved in these channels. This device aims to offer flexibility and increase the bandwidth usage efficiency in optical interconnection

Micropore x-ray optics using anisotropic wet etching of (110) silicon wafers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ezoe, Yuichiro; Koshiishi, Masaki; Mita, Makoto; Mitsuda, Kazuhisa; Hoshino, Akio; Ishisaki, Yoshitaka; Yang Zhen; Takano, Takayuki; Maeda, Ryutaro

2006-01-01

To develop x-ray mirrors for micropore optics, smooth silicon (111)sidewalls obtained after anisotropic wet etching of a silicon (110) wafer were studied. A sample device with 19 μm wide (111) sidewalls was fabricated using a 220 μm thick silicon (110) wafer and potassium hydroxide solution. For what we believe to be the first time,x-ray reflection on the (111) sidewalls was detected in the angular response measurement. Compared to ray-tracing simulations, the surface roughness of the sidewalls was estimated to be 3-5 nm, which is consistent with the atomic force microscope and the surface profiler measurements

Micropore x-ray optics using anisotropic wet etching of (110) silicon wafers.

Science.gov (United States)

Ezoe, Yuichiro; Koshiishi, Masaki; Mita, Makoto; Mitsuda, Kazuhisa; Hoshino, Akio; Ishisaki, Yoshitaka; Yang, Zhen; Takano, Takayuki; Maeda, Ryutaro

2006-12-10

To develop x-ray mirrors for micropore optics, smooth silicon (111) sidewalls obtained after anisotropic wet etching of a silicon (110) wafer were studied. A sample device with 19 microm wide (111) sidewalls was fabricated using a 220 microm thick silicon (110) wafer and potassium hydroxide solution. For what we believe to be the first time, x-ray reflection on the (111) sidewalls was detected in the angular response measurement. Compared to ray-tracing simulations, the surface roughness of the sidewalls was estimated to be 3-5 nm, which is consistent with the atomic force microscope and the surface profiler measurements.

Optical temperature sensor with enhanced sensitivity by employing hybrid waveguides in a silicon Mach-Zehnder interferometer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Guan, Xiaowei; Wang, Xiaoyan; Frandsen, Lars Hagedorn

2016-01-01

We report on a novel design of an on-chip optical temperature sensor based on a Mach-Zehnder interferometer configuration where the two arms consist of hybrid waveguides providing opposite temperature-dependent phase changes to enhance the temperature sensitivity of the sensor. The sensitivity...... of the fabricated sensor with silicon/polymer hybrid waveguides is measured to be 172 pm/°C, which is two times larger than a conventional all-silicon optical temperature sensor (∼80 pm/°C). Moreover, a design with silicon/titanium dioxide hybrid waveguides is by calculation expected to have a sensitivity as high...

All-Optical Wavelength Conversion of a High-Speed RZ-OOK Signal in a Silicon Nanowire

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hu, Hao; Ji, Hua; Galili, Michael

2011-01-01

All-optical wavelength conversion of a 320 Gb/s line-rate RZ-OOK signal is demonstrated based on four-wave mixing in a 3.6 mm long silicon nanowire. Bit error rate measurements validate the performance within FEC limits.......All-optical wavelength conversion of a 320 Gb/s line-rate RZ-OOK signal is demonstrated based on four-wave mixing in a 3.6 mm long silicon nanowire. Bit error rate measurements validate the performance within FEC limits....

Mid-IR optical properties of silicon doped InP

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Panah, Mohammad Esmail Aryaee; Han, Li; Norrman, Kion

2017-01-01

of growth conditions on the optical and electrical properties of silicon doped InP (InP:Si) in the wavelength range from 3 to 40 μm was studied. The carrier concentration of up to 3.9 × 1019 cm-3 is achieved by optimizing the growth conditions. The dielectric function, effective mass of electrons and plasma...

Photonic Torque Microscopy of the Nonconservative Force Field for Optically Trapped Silicon Nanowires

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Irrera, A.; Maggazu, A.; Artoni, P.; Simpson, Stephen Hugh; Hanna, S.; Jones, P.H.; Priolo, F.; Gucciardi, P. G.; Marago, O.M.

2016-01-01

Roč. 16, č. 7 (2016), s. 4181-4188 ISSN 1530-6984 R&D Projects: GA ČR GB14-36681G Institutional support: RVO:68081731 Keywords : optical tweezers * silicon nanowires * nonequilibrium dynamics * Brownian motion Subject RIV: BH - Optics, Masers, Lasers Impact factor: 12.712, year: 2016

Four-port mode-selective silicon optical router for on-chip optical interconnect.

Science.gov (United States)

Jia, Hao; Zhou, Ting; Fu, Xin; Ding, Jianfeng; Zhang, Lei; Yang, Lin

2018-04-16

We propose and demonstrate a four-port mode-selective optical router on a silicon-on-insulator platform. The passive routing property ensures that the router consumes no power to establish the optical links. For each port, input signals with different modes are selectively routed to the target ports through the pre-designed architecture. In general, the device intrinsically supports broadcasting of multiplexed signals from one port to the other three ports through mode division multiplexing. In some applications, the input signal from one port would only be sent to another port as in reconfigurable optical routers. The prototype is constructed by mode multiplexers/de-multiplexers and single-mode interconnect waveguides between them. The insertion losses for all optical links are lower than 8.0 dB, and the largest optical crosstalk values are lower than -18.7 dB and -22.0 dB for the broadcasting and port-to-port routing modes, respectively, at the wavelength range of 1525-1565 nm. In order to verify the routing functionality, a 40-Gbps bidirectional data transmission experiment is performed. The device offers a promising building block for passive routing by utilizing the dimension of the modes.

Process of preparing tritiated porous silicon

Science.gov (United States)

Tam, Shiu-Wing

1997-01-01

A process of preparing tritiated porous silicon in which porous silicon is equilibrated with a gaseous vapor containing HT/T.sub.2 gas in a diluent for a time sufficient for tritium in the gas phase to replace hydrogen present in the pore surfaces of the porous silicon.

Spectroscopy of nanosized composites silicon-organic polymer/nanoporous silicas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ostapenko, N.; Kozlova, N.; Suto, S.; Watanabe, A.

2006-01-01

Fluorescence and excitation spectra (T=5-290 K) of nanosized silicon-organic polymers poly(di-n-hexylsilane) and poly(methyl(phenyl)silane) incorporated into porous silica materials MCM-41 and SBA-15 have been studied with varying pore diameter from 2.8 to 10 nm. The controlled variation of the pore diameter in a wide range (2.8-10 nm) permitted us, for the first time, to investigate the optical properties of the polymers on their transition from isolated macromolecules to a film. It is found that this transition depends on polymer type and occurs via the formation of new spatially independent structures of the polymers not observed in the spectra of the film, namely, via the formation of disordered and (or) ordered conformations of polymer chains and clusters

Silicon nitride nanosieve membrane

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tong, D.H.; Jansen, Henricus V.; Gadgil, V.J.; Bostan, C.G.; Berenschot, Johan W.; van Rijn, C.J.M.; Elwenspoek, Michael Curt

2004-01-01

An array of very uniform cylindrical nanopores with a pore diameter as small as 25 nm has been fabricated in an ultrathin micromachined silicon nitride membrane using focused ion beam (FIB) etching. The pore size of this nanosieve membrane was further reduced to below 10 nm by coating it with

Polarization-induced local pore-wall functionalization for biosensing: from micropore to nanopore.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Jie; Pham, Pascale; Haguet, Vincent; Sauter-Starace, Fabien; Leroy, Loïc; Roget, André; Descamps, Emeline; Bouchet, Aurélie; Buhot, Arnaud; Mailley, Pascal; Livache, Thierry

2012-04-03

The use of biological-probe-modified solid-state pores in biosensing is currently hindered by difficulties in pore-wall functionalization. The surface to be functionalized is small and difficult to target and is usually chemically similar to the bulk membrane. Herein, we demonstrate the contactless electrofunctionalization (CLEF) approach and its mechanism. This technique enables the one-step local functionalization of the single pore wall fabricated in a silica-covered silicon membrane. CLEF is induced by polarization of the pore membrane in an electric field and requires a sandwich-like composition and a conducting or semiconducting core for the pore membrane. The defects in the silica layer of the micropore wall enable the creation of an electric pathway through the silica layer, which allows electrochemical reactions to take place locally on the pore wall. The pore diameter is not a limiting factor for local wall modification using CLEF. Nanopores with a diameter of 200 nm fabricated in a silicon membrane and covered with native silica layer have been successfully functionalized with this method, and localized pore-wall modification was obtained. Furthermore, through proof-of-concept experiments using ODN-modified nanopores, we show that functionalized nanopores are suitable for translocation-based biosensing.

Towards Optical Partial Discharge Detection with Micro Silicon Photomultipliers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ming Ren

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Optical detection is reliable in intrinsically characterizing partial discharges (PDs. Because of the great volume and high-level power supply of the optical devices that can satisfy the requirements in photosensitivity, optical PD detection can merely be used in laboratory studies. To promote the practical application of the optical approach in an actual power apparatus, a silicon photomultiplier (SiPM-based PD sensor is introduced in this paper, and its basic properties, which include the sensitivity, pulse resolution, correlation with PD severity, and electromagnetic (EM interference immunity, are experimentally evaluated. The stochastic phase-resolved PD pattern (PRPD for three typical insulation defects are obtained by SiPM PD detector and are compared with those obtained using a high-frequency current transformer (HFCT and a vacuum photomultiplier tube (PMT. Because of its good performances in the above aspects and its additional advantages, such as the small size, low power supply, and low cost, SiPM offers great potential in practical optical PD monitoring.

APPLIED OPTICS. Voltage-tunable circular photogalvanic effect in silicon nanowires.

Science.gov (United States)

Dhara, Sajal; Mele, Eugene J; Agarwal, Ritesh

2015-08-14

Electronic bands in crystals can support nontrivial topological textures arising from spin-orbit interactions, but purely orbital mechanisms can realize closely related dynamics without breaking spin degeneracies, opening up applications in materials containing only light elements. One such application is the circular photogalvanic effect (CPGE), which is the generation of photocurrents whose magnitude and polarity depend on the chirality of optical excitation. We show that the CPGE can arise from interband transitions at the metal contacts to silicon nanowires, where inversion symmetry is locally broken by an electric field. Bias voltage that modulates this field further controls the sign and magnitude of the CPGE. The generation of chirality-dependent photocurrents in silicon with a purely orbital-based mechanism will enable new functionalities in silicon that can be integrated with conventional electronics. Copyright © 2015, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Silicon photonic dynamic optical channel leveler with external feedback loop.

Science.gov (United States)

Doylend, J K; Jessop, P E; Knights, A P

2010-06-21

We demonstrate a dynamic optical channel leveler composed of a variable optical attenuator (VOA) integrated monolithically with a defect-mediated photodiode in a silicon photonic waveguide device. An external feedback loop mimics an analog circuit such that the photodiode directly controls the VOA to provide blind channel leveling within +/-1 dB across a 7-10 dB dynamic range for wavelengths from 1530 nm to 1570 nm. The device consumes approximately 50 mW electrical power and occupies a 6 mm x 0.1 mm footprint per channel. Dynamic leveling is accomplished without tapping optical power from the output path to the photodiode and thus the loss penalty is minimized.

Dynamic characterization of silicon nanowires using a terahertz optical asymmetric demultiplexer-based pump-probe scheme

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ji, Hua; Cleary, C. S.; Dailey, J. M.

2012-01-01

Dynamic phase and amplitude all-optical responses of silicon nanowires are characterized using a terahertz optical asymmetric demultiplexer (TOAD) based pump-probe scheme. Ultra-fast recovery is observed for moderate pump powers....

Optical performance of hybrid porous silicon-porous alumina multilayers

Science.gov (United States)

Cencha, L. G.; Antonio Hernández, C.; Forzani, L.; Urteaga, R.; Koropecki, R. R.

2018-05-01

In this work, we study the optical response of structures involving porous silicon and porous alumina in a multi-layered hybrid structure. We performed a rational design of the optimal sequence necessary to produce a high transmission and selective filter, with potential applications in chemical and biosensors. The combination of these porous materials can be used to exploit its distinguishing features, i.e., high transparency of alumina and high refractive index of porous silicon. We assembled hybrid microcavities with a central porous alumina layer between two porous silicon Bragg reflectors. In this way, we constructed a Fabry-Perot resonator with high reflectivity and low absorption that improves the quality of the filter compared to a microcavity built only with porous silicon or porous alumina. We explored a simpler design in which one of the Bragg reflectors is replaced by the aluminium that remains bound to the alumina after its fabrication. We theoretically explored the potential of the proposal and its limitations when considering the roughness of the layers. We found that the quality of a microcavity made entirely with porous silicon shows a limit in the visible range due to light absorption. This limitation is overcome in the hybrid scheme, with the roughness of the layers determining the ultimate quality. Q-factors of 220 are experimentally obtained for microcavities supported on aluminium, while Q-factors around 600 are reached for microcavities with double Bragg reflectors, centred at 560 nm. This represents a four-fold increase with respect to the optimal porous silicon microcavity at this wavelength.

Electrochemical characteristics of porous TiO2 encapsulated silicon anode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeon, Bup Ju; Lee, Joong Kee

2011-01-01

Graphical abstract: Cycling performances of the TiO 2 coated silicon anode at different catalyst pH values. Display Omitted Highlights: → TiO 2 coated silicon was used as the anode material for lithium batteries. → TiO 2 layer acted as a buffer layer for reducing the volume expansion. → Pore size distribution of TiO 2 coated silicon influenced discharge capacity. → Higher capacity retention was exhibited at pH 10.7. - Abstract: TiO 2 coated silicon, which was prepared by the modified sol-gel method, was employed as the anode material for lithium secondary batteries and the relationship between the diffusivity and electrochemical characteristics was investigated. The results showed that the physical properties of the samples, such as their diffusivity and pore size distribution, enhanced the cycling efficiency of the TiO 2 coated silicon, probably due to the reduction of the side reactions, which may be closely related to the pore size distribution of the TiO 2 coating layer. The pore size of the coating layer plays an important role in retarding the lithium ion diffusion. In the experimental range studied herein, higher capacity retention was exhibited for the TiO 2 coated silicon prepared at pH 10.7.

Fiber Optic Excitation of Silicon Microspheres in Amorphous and Crystalline Fluids

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Yilmaz, H.; Murib, M.S.; Serpenguzel, A.

2016-01-01

This study investigates the optical resonance spectra of free-standing monolithic single crystal silicon microspheres immersed in various amorphous fluids, such as air, water, ethylene glycol, and 4-Cyano-4’-pentylbiphenyl nematic liquid crystal. For the various amorphous fluids,

Optical study of the ultrasonic formation process of noble metal nanoparticles dispersed inside the pores of monolithic mesoporous silica

CERN Document Server

Fu Gan Hua; Kan Cai Xia; Li Cun Cheng; Fang Qi

2003-01-01

Gold nanoparticles dispersed inside the pores of monolithic mesoporous silica were prepared by soaking the silica in a gold (III) ion solution and subsequent ultrasound irradiation. The formation process of gold nanoparticles in the pores of mesoporous silica was investigated based on optical measurements of wrapped and naked soaked silica after ultrasonic irradiation, and the reduction rate effect in solution and pre-soaking effect. It has been shown that acoustic cavitation cannot occur in nano-sized pores. The gold nanoparticles in silica are not formed in situ within the pores but produced mainly by diffusion of the gold clusters formed in the solution during irradiation into the pores. The radicals formed in solution are exhausted before entering the pores of silica. There exists a critical reduction rate in solution, at which the yield of gold nanoparticles in silica reaches a maximum, and above which there is a decrease in the yield. This is attributed to too quick a growth or aggregation of gold clust...

Zero-field optical magnetic resonance study of phosphorus donors in 28-silicon

Science.gov (United States)

Morse, Kevin J.; Dluhy, Phillip; Huber, Julian; Salvail, Jeff Z.; Saeedi, Kamyar; Riemann, Helge; Abrosimov, Nikolay V.; Becker, Peter; Pohl, Hans-Joachim; Simmons, S.; Thewalt, M. L. W.

2018-03-01

Donor spins in silicon are some of the most promising qubits for upcoming solid-state quantum technologies. The nuclear spins of phosphorus donors in enriched silicon have among the longest coherence times of any solid-state system as well as simultaneous high fidelity qubit initialization, manipulation, and readout. Here we characterize the phosphorus in silicon system in the regime of "zero" magnetic field, where a singlet-triplet spin clock transition can be accessed, using laser spectroscopy and magnetic resonance methods. We show the system can be optically hyperpolarized and has ˜10 s Hahn echo coherence times, even for applied static magnetic fields below Earth's field.

Guided acoustic and optical waves in silicon-on-insulator for Brillouin scattering and optomechanics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christopher J. Sarabalis

2016-10-01

Full Text Available We numerically study silicon waveguides on silica showing that it is possible to simultaneously guide optical and acoustic waves in the technologically important silicon on insulator (SOI material system. Thin waveguides, or fins, exhibit geometrically softened mechanical modes at gigahertz frequencies with phase velocities below the Rayleigh velocity in glass, eliminating acoustic radiation losses. We propose slot waveguides on glass with telecom optical frequencies and strong radiation pressure forces resulting in Brillouin gains on the order of 500 and 50 000 W−1m−1 for backward and forward Brillouin scattering, respectively.

Formation of porous silicon oxide from substrate-bound silicon rich silicon oxide layers by continuous-wave laser irradiation

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Nan; Fricke-Begemann, Th.; Peretzki, P.; Ihlemann, J.; Seibt, M.

2018-03-01

Silicon nanocrystals embedded in silicon oxide that show room temperature photoluminescence (PL) have great potential in silicon light emission applications. Nanocrystalline silicon particle formation by laser irradiation has the unique advantage of spatially controlled heating, which is compatible with modern silicon micro-fabrication technology. In this paper, we employ continuous wave laser irradiation to decompose substrate-bound silicon-rich silicon oxide films into crystalline silicon particles and silicon dioxide. The resulting microstructure is studied using transmission electron microscopy techniques with considerable emphasis on the formation and properties of laser damaged regions which typically quench room temperature PL from the nanoparticles. It is shown that such regions consist of an amorphous matrix with a composition similar to silicon dioxide which contains some nanometric silicon particles in addition to pores. A mechanism referred to as "selective silicon ablation" is proposed which consistently explains the experimental observations. Implications for the damage-free laser decomposition of silicon-rich silicon oxides and also for controlled production of porous silicon dioxide films are discussed.

Ultra-high speed all-optical signal processing using silicon waveguides and a carbon nanotubes based mode-locked laser

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ji, Hua

This thesis concerns the use of nano-engineered silicon waveguides for ultra-high speed optical serial data signal processing. The fundamental nonlinear properties of nano-engineered silicon waveguides are characterized. Utilizing the nonlinear effect in nano-engineered silicon waveguides for dem...

Wannier–Stark electro-optical effect, quasi-guided and photonic modes in 2D macroporous silicon structures with SiO_2 coatings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karachevtseva, L.; Goltviansky, Yu.; Sapelnikova, O.; Lytvynenko, O.; Stronska, O.; Bo, Wang; Kartel, M.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • The IR absorption spectra of oxidized macroporous silicon were studied. • The Wannier–Stark electro-optical effect on Si-SiO_2 boundary was confirmed. • An additional electric field of quasi-guided optical modes was evaluated. • The photonic modes and band gaps were measured as peculiarities in absorption spectra. - Abstract: Opportunities to enhance the properties of structured surfaces were demonstrated on 2D macroporous silicon structures with SiO_2 coatings. We investigated the IR light absorption oscillations in macroporous silicon structures with SiO2 coatings 0–800 nm thick. The Wannier–Stark electro-optical effect due to strong electric field on Si-SiO_2boundary and an additional electric field of quasi-guided optical modes were taken into account. The photonic modes and band gaps were also considered as peculiarities in absorbance spectra of macroporous silicon structures with a thick SiO_2 coating. The photonic modes do not coincide with the quasi-guided modes in the silicon matrix and do not appear in absorption spectra of 2D macroporous silicon structures with surface nanocrystals.

Nonlinear silicon photonics

Science.gov (United States)

Tsia, Kevin K.; Jalali, Bahram

2010-05-01

An intriguing optical property of silicon is that it exhibits a large third-order optical nonlinearity, with orders-ofmagnitude larger than that of silica glass in the telecommunication band. This allows efficient nonlinear optical interaction at relatively low power levels in a small footprint. Indeed, we have witnessed a stunning progress in harnessing the Raman and Kerr effects in silicon as the mechanisms for enabling chip-scale optical amplification, lasing, and wavelength conversion - functions that until recently were perceived to be beyond the reach of silicon. With all the continuous efforts developing novel techniques, nonlinear silicon photonics is expected to be able to reach even beyond the prior achievements. Instead of providing a comprehensive overview of this field, this manuscript highlights a number of new branches of nonlinear silicon photonics, which have not been fully recognized in the past. In particular, they are two-photon photovoltaic effect, mid-wave infrared (MWIR) silicon photonics, broadband Raman effects, inverse Raman scattering, and periodically-poled silicon (PePSi). These novel effects and techniques could create a new paradigm for silicon photonics and extend its utility beyond the traditionally anticipated applications.

Sub-micron silicon nitride waveguide fabrication using conventional optical lithography.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Yuewang; Zhao, Qiancheng; Kamyab, Lobna; Rostami, Ali; Capolino, Filippo; Boyraz, Ozdal

2015-03-09

We demonstrate a novel technique to fabricate sub-micron silicon nitride waveguides using conventional contact lithography with MEMS-grade photomasks. Potassium hydroxide anisotropic etching of silicon facilitates line reduction and roughness smoothing and is key to the technique. The fabricated waveguides is measured to have a propagation loss of 0.8dB/cm and nonlinear coefficient of γ = 0.3/W/m. A low anomalous dispersion of <100ps/nm/km is also predicted. This type of waveguide is highly suitable for nonlinear optics. The channels naturally formed on top of the waveguide also make it promising for plasmonics and quantum efficiency enhancement in sensing applications.

Human aortic endothelial cell morphology influenced by topography of porous silicon substrates.

Science.gov (United States)

Formentín, Pilar; Catalán, Úrsula; Fernández-Castillejo, Sara; Alba, Maria; Baranowska, Malgorzata; Solà, Rosa; Pallarès, Josep; Marsal, Lluís F

2015-10-01

Porous silicon has received much attention because of its optical properties and for its usefulness in cell-based biosensing, drug delivery, and tissue engineering applications. Surface properties of the biomaterial are associated with cell adhesion and with proliferation, migration, and differentiation. The present article analyzes the behavior of human aortic endothelial cells in macro- and nanoporous collagen-modified porous silicon samples. On both substrates, cells are well adhered and numerous. Confocal microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were employed to study the effects of porosity on the morphology of the cells. On macroporous silicon, filopodia is not observed but the cell spreads on the surface, increasing the lamellipodia surface which penetrates the macropore. On nanoporous silicon, multiple filopodia were found to branch out from the cell body. These results demonstrate that the pore size plays a key role in controlling the morphology and growth rate of human aortic endothelial cells, and that these forms of silicon can be used to control cell development in tissue engineering as well as in basic cell biology research. © The Author(s) 2015.

Two-dimensional optical phased array antenna on silicon-on-insulator.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Acoleyen, Karel; Rogier, Hendrik; Baets, Roel

2010-06-21

Optical wireless links can offer a very large bandwidth and can act as a complementary technology to radiofrequency links. Optical components nowadays are however rather bulky. Therefore, we have investigated the potential of silicon photonics to fabricated integrated components for wireless optical communication. This paper presents a two-dimensional phased array antenna consisting of grating couplers that couple light off-chip. Wavelength steering of $0.24 degrees /nm is presented reducing the need of active phase modulators. The needed steering range is $1.5 degrees . The 3dB angular coverage range of these antennas is about $0.007pi sr with a directivity of more than 38dBi and antenna losses smaller than 3dB.

Synthesis and characterization of a stable, label-free optical biosensor from TiO2-coated porous silicon.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jianlin; Sailor, Michael J

2014-05-15

A nanoscale layer of TiO2 is coated on the inner pore walls of a porous silicon (PSi) film by room-temperature infiltration of a TiO2 sol-gel precursor and firing at 500 °C. The PSi:TiO2 composite films are characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray spectral analysis (EDS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and reflective interferometric Fourier transform spectroscopy (RIFTS). The analysis indicates that TiO2 conformally coats the inner pore surfaces of the PSi film. The film displays greater aqueous stability in the pH range 2-12 relative to a PSi:SiO2 surface. A label-free optical interference immunosensor based on the TiO2-coated PSi film is demonstrated by real-time monitoring of the physical adsorption of protein A, followed by the specific binding of rabbit anti-sheep immunoglobulin (IgG) and then specific capture of sheep IgG. The time to achieve equilibrium for the physical adsorption of protein A on the surface of TiO2-coated PSi film is significantly greater than that of PSi film. The specificity of the protein A and rabbit anti-sheep IgG construct on the sensor is confirmed by tests with non-binding chicken IgG. The sensitivity of the immunosensor is shown to be 8210 ± 170 nm/refractive index unit (RIU). Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Optical continuum generation on a silicon chip

Science.gov (United States)

Jalali, Bahram; Boyraz, Ozdal; Koonath, Prakash; Raghunathan, Varun; Indukuri, Tejaswi; Dimitropoulos, Dimitri

2005-08-01

Although the Raman effect is nearly two orders of magnitude stronger than the electronic Kerr nonlinearity in silicon, under pulsed operation regime where the pulse width is shorter than the phonon response time, Raman effect is suppressed and Kerr nonlinearity dominates. Continuum generation, made possible by the non-resonant Kerr nonlinearity, offers a technologically and economically appealing path to WDM communication at the inter-chip or intra-chip levels. We have studied this phenomenon experimentally and theoretically. Experimentally, a 2 fold spectral broadening is obtained by launching ~4ps optical pulses with 2.2GW/cm2 peak power into a conventional silicon waveguide. Theoretical calculations, that include the effect of two-photon-absorption, free carrier absorption and refractive index change indicate that up to >30 times spectral broadening is achievable in an optimized device. The broadening is due to self phase modulation and saturates due to two photon absorption. Additionally, we find that free carrier dynamics also contributes to the spectral broadening and cause the overall spectrum to be asymmetric with respect to the pump wavelength.

Porous silicon-VO{sub 2} based hybrids as possible optical temperature sensor: Wavelength-dependent optical switching from visible to near-infrared range

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Antunez, E. E.; Salazar-Kuri, U.; Estevez, J. O.; Basurto, M. A.; Agarwal, V., E-mail: vagarwal@uaem.mx [Centro de Investigación en Ingeniería y Ciencias Aplicadas, Instituto de Investigación en Ciencias Básicas y Aplicadas, UAEM, Av. Universidad 1001, Col. Chamilpa, Cuernavaca, Mor. 62209 (Mexico); Campos, J. [Instituto de Energías Renovables, UNAM, Priv. Xochicalco S/N, Temixco, Mor. 62580 (Mexico); Jiménez Sandoval, S. [Laboratorio de Investigación en Materiales, Centro de Investigación y estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Unidad Querétaro, Qro. 76001 (Mexico)

2015-10-07

Morphological properties of thermochromic VO{sub 2}—porous silicon based hybrids reveal the growth of well-crystalized nanometer-scale features of VO{sub 2} as compared with typical submicron granular structure obtained in thin films deposited on flat substrates. Structural characterization performed as a function of temperature via grazing incidence X-ray diffraction and micro-Raman demonstrate reversible semiconductor-metal transition of the hybrid, changing from a low-temperature monoclinic VO{sub 2}(M) to a high-temperature tetragonal rutile VO{sub 2}(R) crystalline structure, coupled with a decrease in phase transition temperature. Effective optical response studied in terms of red/blue shift of the reflectance spectra results in a wavelength-dependent optical switching with temperature. As compared to VO{sub 2} film over crystalline silicon substrate, the hybrid structure is found to demonstrate up to 3-fold increase in the change of reflectivity with temperature, an enlarged hysteresis loop and a wider operational window for its potential application as an optical temperature sensor. Such silicon based hybrids represent an exciting class of functional materials to display thermally triggered optical switching culminated by the characteristics of each of the constituent blocks as well as device compatibility with standard integrated circuit technology.

Tailoring the optical characteristics of microsized InP nanoneedles directly grown on silicon.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Kun; Sun, Hao; Ren, Fan; Ng, Kar Wei; Tran, Thai-Truong D; Chen, Roger; Chang-Hasnain, Connie J

2014-01-08

Nanoscale self-assembly offers a pathway to realize heterogeneous integration of III-V materials on silicon. However, for III-V nanowires directly grown on silicon, dislocation-free single-crystal quality could only be attained below certain critical dimensions. We recently reported a new approach that overcomes this size constraint, demonstrating the growth of single-crystal InGaAs/GaAs and InP nanoneedles with the base diameters exceeding 1 μm. Here, we report distinct optical characteristics of InP nanoneedles which are varied from mostly zincblende, zincblende/wurtzite-mixed, to pure wurtzite crystalline phase. We achieved, for the first time, pure single-crystal wurtzite-phase InP nanoneedles grown on silicon with bandgaps of 80 meV larger than that of zincblende-phase InP. Being able to attain excellent material quality while scaling up in size promises outstanding device performance of these nanoneedles. At room temperature, a high internal quantum efficiency of 25% and optically pumped lasing are demonstrated for single nanoneedle as-grown on silicon substrate. Recombination dynamics proves the excellent surface quality of the InP nanoneedles, which paves the way toward achieving multijunction photovoltaic cells, long-wavelength heterostructure lasers, and advanced photonic integrated circuits.

The passive optical properties of a silicon nanoparticle-embedded benzocyclobutene polymer waveguide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chiu, J.-J.; Perng, Tsong P

2008-01-01

The passive optical properties of a silicon nanoparticle-embedded benzocyclobutene (BCB) waveguide were investigated. The silicon nanoparticles, of a size varying from 6 to 25 nm, were prepared by vapor condensation. The transmission modes and losses were examined by the prism coupler and cut-back methods. A He-Ne laser beam with a wavelength of 6328 A was used to measure the effective index and thickness of the waveguide. Laser light could be efficiently coupled into the BCB waveguide when the embedded Si nanoparticles were smaller than 6 nm. The film thickness and effective index of the Si-embedded BCB waveguide were measured to be 1.825 μm and 1.565, respectively. The optical transmission losses of the pure BCB and Si-embedded ridge waveguides measured by the cut-back method were 0.85 and 1.63 dB cm -1 , respectively. Although the optical loss was increased by the embedded Si, the disturbance of the output contour was quite small. This result demonstrates that the nanoparticle-embedded polymer waveguide may be used for optoelectronic integrated circuits

Linear and Non-Linear Optical Imaging of Cancer Cells with Silicon Nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Tolstik, Elen; Osminkina, Liubov A.; Akimov, Denis; Gongalsky, Maksim B.; Kudryavtsev, Andrew A.; Timoshenko, Victor Yu.; Heintzmann, Rainer; Sivakov, Vladimir; Popp, Jürgen

2016-01-01

New approaches for visualisation of silicon nanoparticles (SiNPs) in cancer cells are realised by means of the linear and nonlinear optics in vitro. Aqueous colloidal solutions of SiNPs with sizes of about 10–40 nm obtained by ultrasound grinding of silicon nanowires were introduced into breast cancer cells (MCF-7 cell line). Further, the time-varying nanoparticles enclosed in cell structures were visualised by high-resolution structured illumination microscopy (HR-SIM) and micro-Raman spectroscopy. Additionally, the nonlinear optical methods of two-photon excited fluorescence (TPEF) and coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) with infrared laser excitation were applied to study the localisation of SiNPs in cells. Advantages of the nonlinear methods, such as rapid imaging, which prevents cells from overheating and larger penetration depth compared to the single-photon excited HR-SIM, are discussed. The obtained results reveal new perspectives of the multimodal visualisation and precise detection of the uptake of biodegradable non-toxic SiNPs by cancer cells and they are discussed in view of future applications for the optical diagnostics of cancer tumours. PMID:27626408

Ultra-low reflection porous silicon nanowires for solar cell applications

KAUST Repository

Najar, Adel

2012-01-01

High density vertically aligned Porous Silicon NanoWires (PSiNWs) were fabricated on silicon substrate using metal assisted chemical etching process. A linear dependency of nanowire length to the etching time was obtained and the change in the growth rate of PSiNWs by increasing etching durations was shown. A typical 2D bright-field TEM image used for volume reconstruction of the sample shows the pores size varying from 10 to 50 nm. Furthermore, reflectivity measurements show that the 35% reflectivity of the starting silicon wafer drops to 0.1% recorded for more than 10 μm long PSiNWs. Models based on cone shape of nanowires located in a circular and rectangular bases were used to calculate the reflectance employing the Transfert Matrix Formalism (TMF) of the PSiNWs layer. Using TMF, the Bruggeman model was used to calculate the refractive index of PSiNWs layer. The calculated reflectance using circular cone shape fits better the measured reflectance for PSiNWs. The remarkable decrease in optical reflectivity indicates that PSiNWs is a good antireflective layer and have a great potential to be utilized in radial or coaxial p-n heterojunction solar cells that could provide orthogonal photon absorption and enhanced carrier collection. ©2012 Optical Society of America.

X-ray excited optical luminescence (XEOL) and its application to porous silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hill, D.A.

1998-09-01

X-ray Excited Optical Luminescence (XEOL) is investigated as a local structural probe of the light-emitting sites in porous silicon. A detailed microscopic model of the XEOL process in porous silicon is proposed. A central aspect of the technique is an assessment of the spatial separation between the primary photoionisation event and subsequent optical radiative recombination. By constructing a Monte Carlo simulation of hot electron propagation in silicon using both elastic and inelastic scattering cross-sections, the mean minimum range of luminescence excitation can be calculated. This range is estimated as 546±1A for the silicon K-edge (∼ 1839eV), but is reduced to 8.9±0.1A for the silicon L 2,3 -edge (∼ 99eV). From known porous silicon properties, it is concluded that this mean minimum range is comparable to the actual range of excitation. Hence, more localised structural information may be obtained from L 2,3 -edge XEOL measurements. This important difference between the two spectra has been neglected in previous studies. Simultaneous measurements of the XEOL and total electron yield (TEY) x-ray absorption spectra (XAS) have been conducted at both the silicon K-edge and L 2,3 -edge for various porous silicon samples and related materials. Measurements have been conducted at the Si K-edge on a rapid thermally oxidised (RTO) porous silicon sample. XEOL spectra yield two distinct luminescence bands in the visible region. From multi-bunch wavelength-selective XEOL measurements, it is concluded that there are blue luminescent defective silica sites together with a red luminescent site originating from silicon-like material. The spectral time decay curve under pulsed x-ray excitation gives two distinct decay components; one fast in the range of a few nanoseconds and the other slow in the range of microseconds. Time-resolved XEOL measurements in single-bunch mode show that the fast band mirrors the blue wavelength XEOL whereas the slow band correlates with the

Linear Optical Response of Silicon Nanotubes Under Axial Magnetic Field

Science.gov (United States)

Chegel, Raad; Behzad, Somayeh

2013-01-01

We investigated the optical properties of silicon nanotubes (SiNTs) in the low energy region, E < 0.5 eV, and middle energy region, 1.8 eV < E < 2 eV. The dependence of optical matrix elements and linear susceptibility on radius and magnetic field, in terms of one-dimensional (1-d) wavevector and subband index, is calculated using the tight-binding approximation. It is found that, on increasing the nanotube diameter, the low-energy peaks show red-shift and their intensities are decreased. Also, we found that in the middle energy region all tubes have two distinct peaks, where the energy position of the second peak is approximately constant and independent of the nanotube diameter. Comparing the band structure of these tubes in different magnetic fields, several differences are clearly seen, such as splitting of degenerate bands, creation of additional band-edge states, and bandgap modification. It is found that applying the magnetic field leads to a phase transition in zigzag silicon hexagonal nanotubes (Si h-NTs), unlike in zigzag silicon gear-like nanotubes (Si g-NTs), which remain semiconducting in any magnetic field. We found that the axial magnetic field has two effects on the linear susceptibility spectrum, namely broadening and splitting. The axial magnetic field leads to the creation of a peak with energy less than 0.2 eV in metallic Si h-NTs, whereas in the absence of a magnetic field such a transition is not allowed.

Resonator-Based Silicon Electro-Optic Modulator with Low Power Consumption

Science.gov (United States)

Xin, Maoqing; Danner, Aaron J.; Eng Png, Ching; Thor Lim, Soon

2009-04-01

This paper demonstrates, via simulation, an electro-optic modulator based on a subwavelength Fabry-Perot resonator cavity with low power consumption of 86 µW/µm. This is, to the best of our knowledge, the lowest power reported for silicon photonic bandgap modulators. The device is modulated at a doped p-i-n junction overlapping the cavity in a silicon waveguide perforated with etched holes, with the doping area optimized for minimum power consumption. The surface area of the entire device is only 2.1 µm2, which compares favorably to other silicon-based modulators. A modulation speed of at least 300 MHz is detected from the electrical simulator after sidewall doping is introduced which is suitable for sensing or fiber to the home (FTTH) technologies, where speed can be traded for low cost and power consumption. The device does not rely on ultra-high Q, and could serve as a sensor, modulator, or passive filter with built-in calibration.

All-optical switching via four-wave mixing Bragg scattering in a silicon platform

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yun Zhao

2017-02-01

Full Text Available We employ the process of non-degenerate four-wave mixing Bragg scattering to demonstrate all-optical control in a silicon platform. In our configuration, a strong, non-information-carrying pump is mixed with a weak control pump and an input signal in a silicon-on-insulator waveguide. Through the optical nonlinearity of this highly confining waveguide, the weak pump controls the wavelength conversion process from the signal to an idler, leading to a controlled depletion of the signal. The strong pump, on the other hand, plays the role of a constant bias. In this work, we show experimentally that it is possible to implement this low-power switching technique as a first step towards universal optical logic gates, and test the performance with random binary data. Even at very low powers, where the signal and control pump levels are almost equal, the eye-diagrams remain open, indicating a successful operation of the logic gates.

Porous silicon based micro-opto-electro-mechanical-systems (MOEMS) components for free space optical interconnects

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Da

2008-02-01

One of the major challenges confronting the current integrated circuits (IC) industry is the metal "interconnect bottleneck". To overcome this obstacle, free space optical interconnects (FSOIs) can be used to address the demand for high speed data transmission, multi-functionality and multi-dimensional integration for the next generation IC. One of the crucial elements in FSOIs system is to develop a high performance and flexible optical network to transform the incoming optical signal into a distributed set of optical signals whose direction, alignment and power can be independently controlled. Among all the optical materials for the realization of FSOI components, porous silicon (PSi) is one of the most promising candidates because of its unique optical properties, flexible fabrication methods and integration with conventional IC material sets. PSi-based Distributed Bragg Reflector (DBR) and Fabry-Perot (F-P) structures with unique optical properties are realized by electrochemical etching of silicon. By incorporating PSi optical structures with Micro-Opto-Electro-Mechanical-Systems (MOEMS), several components required for FSOI have been developed. The first type of component is the out-of-plane freestanding optical switch. Implementing a PSi DBR structure as an optically active region, the device can realize channel selection by changing the tilting angle of the micromirror supported by the thermal bimorph actuator. All the fabricated optical switches have reached kHz working frequency and life time of millions of cycles. The second type of component is the in-plane tunable optical filter. By introducing PSi F-P structure into the in-plane PSi film, a thermally tunable optical filter with a sensitivity of 7.9nm/V has been realized for add/drop optical signal selection. Also, for the first time, a new type of PSi based reconfigurable diffractive optical element (DOE) has been developed. By using patterned photoresist as a protective mask for electrochemical

Rectangular optical filter based on high-order silicon microring resonators

Science.gov (United States)

Bao, Jia-qi; Yu, Kan; Wang, Li-jun; Yin, Juan-juan

2017-07-01

The rectangular optical filter is one of the most important optical switching components in the dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) fiber-optic communication system and the intelligent optical network. The integrated highorder silicon microring resonator (MRR) is one of the best candidates to achieve rectangular filtering spectrum response. In general, the spectrum response rectangular degree of the single MRR is very low, so it cannot be used in the DWDM system. Using the high-order MRRs, the bandwidth of flat-top pass band, the out-of-band rejection degree and the roll-off coefficient of the edge will be improved obviously. In this paper, a rectangular optical filter based on highorder MRRs with uniform couplers is presented and demonstrated. Using 15 coupled race-track MRRs with 10 μm in radius, the 3 dB flat-top pass band of 2 nm, the out-of-band rejection ratio of 30 dB and the rising and falling edges of 48 dB/nm can be realized successfully.

Rectangular optical filter based on high-order silicon microring resonators

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

BAO Jia-qi; YU Kan; WANG Li-jun; YIN Juan-juan

2017-01-01

The rectangular optical filter is one of the most important optical switching components in the dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) fiber-optic communication system and the intelligent optical network.The integrated highorder silicon microring resonator (MRR) is one of the best candidates to achieve rectangular filtering spectrum response.In general,the spectrum response rectangular degree of the single MRR is very low,so it cannot be used in the DWDM system.Using the high-order MRRs,the bandwidth of flat-top pass band,the out-of-band rejection degree and the roll-off coefficient of the edge will be improved obviously.In this paper,a rectangular optical filter based on highorder MRRs with uniform couplers is presented and demonstrated.Using 15 coupled race-track MRRs with 10 μm in radius,the 3 dB flat-top pass band of 2 nm,the out-of-band rejection ratio of 30 dB and the rising and falling edges of 48 dB/nm can be realized successfully.

Improved surface quality of anisotropically etched silicon {111} planes for mm-scale optics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cotter, J P; Hinds, E A; Zeimpekis, I; Kraft, M

2013-01-01

We have studied the surface quality of millimetre-scale optical mirrors produced by etching CZ and FZ silicon wafers in potassium hydroxide to expose the {111} planes. We find that the FZ surfaces have four times lower noise power at spatial frequencies up to 500 mm −1 . We conclude that mirrors made using FZ wafers have higher optical quality. (technical note)

Optical coupling study of plastic scintillation detectors: evaluation of different silicon products

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamada, M.M.; Madi Filho, T.; Mesquita, C.H. de

1990-01-01

Properties of different optical oils and greases in the range of 320-560 nm were studied. Several parameters as the transmitance, index of refraction, plastic scintillator fluorescence emission and its influence in the resolution and pulse height of the detection system were described. This paper shows a design to analyse the optical quality or adequacy of the silicon oils and greases in the coupling between the detector and the photocathode of the photomultiplier. (author) [pt

Silicon photonic IC embedded optical-PCB for high-speed interconnect application

Science.gov (United States)

Kallega, Rakshitha; Nambiar, Siddharth; Kumar, Abhai; Ranganath, Praveen; Selvaraja, Shankar Kumar

2018-02-01

Optical-Printed Circuit Board (PCB) is an emerging optical interconnect technology to bridge the gap between the board edge and the processing module. The technology so far has been used as a broadband transmitter using polymer waveguides in the PCB. In this paper, we report a Silicon Nitride based photonic IC embedded in the PCB along with the polymers as waveguides in the PCB. The motivation for such integration is to bring routing capability and to reduce the power loss due to broadcasting mode.

Electro-optical properties of dislocations in silicon and their possible application for light emitters

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arguirov, Tzanimir Vladimirov

2007-10-14

This thesis addresses the electro-optical properties of silicon, containing dislocations. The work demonstrates that dislocation specific radiation may provide a means for optical diagnostics of solar cell grade silicon. It provides insight into the mechanisms governing the dislocation recombination activity, their radiation, and how are they influenced by other defects present in silicon. We demonstrate that photoluminescence mapping is useful for monitoring the recombination activity in solar cell grade silicon and can be applied for identification of contaminants, based on their photoluminescence signatures. It is shown that the recombination at dislocations is strongly influenced by the presence of metals at the dislocation sites. The dislocation radiation activity correlates with their electrical activity. It is shown that the dislocation and band-to-band luminescence are essentially anti-correlated. {beta}FeSi{sub 2} precipitates, with a luminescence at 0.8 eV, were detected within the grains of block cast materials. They exhibit a characteristic feature of quantum dots, namely blinking. The second aspect of the thesis concerns the topic of silicon based light emitters for on-chip optical interconnects. The goal is an enhancement of sub-band-gap or band-to-band radiation by controlled formation of dislocation-rich areas in microelectronics-grade silicon as well as understanding of the processes governing such enhancement. For light emitters based on band-to-band emission it is shown, that internal quantum efficiency of nearly 2 % can be achieved, but the emission is essentially generated in the bulk of the wafer. On the other hand, light emitters utilizing the emission from dislocation-rich areas of a well localized wafer depth were explored. Three different methods for reproducible formation of a dislocation-rich region beneath the wafer surface were investigated and evaluated in view of their room temperature sub-band-gap radiation: (1) silicon implantation

Oxidation of hydrogen-passivated silicon surfaces by scanning near-field optical lithography using uncoated and aluminum-coated fiber probes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Madsen, Steen; Bozhevolnyi, Sergey I.; Birkelund, Karen

1997-01-01

Optically induced oxidation of hydrogen-passivated silicon surfaces using a scanning near-field optical microscope was achieved with both uncoated and aluminum-coated fiber probes. Line scans on amorphous silicon using uncoated fiber probes display a three-peak profile after etching in potassium...... hydroxide. Numerical simulations of the electromagnetic field around the probe-sample interaction region are used to explain the experimental observations. With an aluminum-coated fiber probe, lines of 35 nm in width were transferred into the amorphous silicon layer. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics....

Silicon nanoparticles as contrast agents in the methods of optical biomedical diagnostics

Science.gov (United States)

Zabotnov, S. V.; Kashaev, F. V.; Shuleiko, D. V.; Gongalsky, M. B.; Golovan, L. A.; Kashkarov, P. K.; Loginova, D. A.; Agrba, P. D.; Sergeeva, E. A.; Kirillin, M. Yu

2017-07-01

The efficiency of light scattering by nanoparticles formed using the method of picosecond laser ablation of silicon in water and by nanoparticles of mechanically grinded mesoporous silicon is compared. The ensembles of particles of both types possess the scattering coefficients sufficient to use them as contrast agents in optical coherence tomography (OCT), particularly in the range of wavelengths 700-1000 nm, where the absorption of both silicon and most biological and mimicking tissues is small. According to the Mie theory the main contribution to the scattering in this case is made by the particles having a relatively large size (150-300 nm). In the experiments on visualising the agar phantom surface by means of OCT, the contrast of the medium boundary, provided by nanoparticles amounted to 14 dB and 30 dB for the ablated particles and the porous silicon powder, respectively. The numerical simulation of OCT images of skin in the presence of nanoparticles, confirmed the efficiency of using them as a contrast agent.

Controlling the optical properties of monocrystalline 3C-SiC heteroepitaxially grown on silicon at low temperatures

Science.gov (United States)

Colston, Gerard; Myronov, Maksym

2017-11-01

Cubic silicon carbide (3C-SiC) offers an alternative wide bandgap semiconductor to conventional materials such as hexagonal silicon carbide (4H-SiC) or gallium nitride (GaN) for the detection of UV light and can offer a closely lattice matched virtual substrate for subsequent GaN heteroepitaxy. As 3C-SiC can be heteroepitaxially grown on silicon (Si) substrates its optical properties can be manipulated by controlling the thickness and doping concentrations. The optical properties of 3C-SiC epilayers have been characterized by measuring the transmission of light through suspended membranes. Decreasing the thickness of the 3C-SiC epilayers is shown to shift the absorbance edge to lower wavelengths, a result of the indirect bandgap nature of silicon carbide. This property, among others, can be exploited to fabricate very low-cost, tuneable 3C-SiC based UV photodetectors. This study investigates the effect of thickness and doping concentration on the optical properties of 3C-SiC epilayers grown at low temperatures by a standard Si based growth process. The results demonstrate the potential photonic applications of 3C-SiC and its heterogeneous integration into the Si industry.

Optical switching at 1.55um in silicon racetrack resonators using phase change materials

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rudé, M.; Pello, J.; Simpson, R.E.; Osmond, J.; Roelkens, G.C.; Tol, van der J.J.G.M.; Pruneri, V.

2013-01-01

An optical switch operating at a wavelength of 1.55¿µm and showing a 12 dB modulation depth is introduced. The device is implemented in a silicon racetrack resonator using an overcladding layer of the phase change data storage material Ge2Sb2Te5, which exhibits high contrast in its optical

Highly Efficient Optical Pumping of Spin Defects in Silicon Carbide for Stimulated Microwave Emission

Science.gov (United States)

Fischer, M.; Sperlich, A.; Kraus, H.; Ohshima, T.; Astakhov, G. V.; Dyakonov, V.

2018-05-01

We investigate the pump efficiency of silicon-vacancy-related spins in silicon carbide. For a crystal inserted into a microwave cavity with a resonance frequency of 9.4 GHz, the spin population inversion factor of 75 with the saturation optical pump power of about 350 mW is achieved at room temperature. At cryogenic temperature, the pump efficiency drastically increases, owing to an exceptionally long spin-lattice relaxation time exceeding one minute. Based on the experimental results, we find realistic conditions under which a silicon carbide maser can operate in continuous-wave mode and serve as a quantum microwave amplifier.

Optical nonlinearity enhancement with graphene-decorated silicon waveguides

Science.gov (United States)

Ishizawa, Atsushi; Kou, Rai; Goto, Takahiro; Tsuchizawa, Tai; Matsuda, Nobuyuki; Hitachi, Kenichi; Nishikawa, Tadashi; Yamada, Koji; Sogawa, Tetsuomi; Gotoh, Hideki

2017-04-01

Broadband on-chip optical frequency combs (OFCs) are important for expanding the functionality of photonic integrated circuits. Here, we demonstrate a huge local optical nonlinearity enhancement using graphene. A waveguide is decorated with graphene by precisely manipulating graphene’s area and position. Our approach simultaneously achieves both an extremely efficient supercontinuum and ultra-short pulse generation. With our graphene-decorated silicon waveguide (G-SWG), we have achieved enhanced spectral broadening of femtosecond pump pulses, along with an eightfold increase in the output optical intensity at a wavelength approximately 200 nm shorter than that of the pump pulses. We also found that this huge nonlinearity works as a compressor that effectively compresses pulse width from 80 to 15.7 fs. Our results clearly show the potential for our G-SWG to greatly boost the speed and capacity of future communications with lower power consumption, and our method will further decrease the required pump laser power because it can be applied to decorate various kinds of waveguides with various two-dimensional materials.

All-Optical 40 Gbit/s Regenerative Wavelength Conversion Based on Cross-Phase Modulation in a Silicon Nanowire

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Asger Sellerup; Hu, Hao; Ji, Hua

2013-01-01

We successfully demonstrate all-optical regeneration of a 40 Gbit/s signal based on cross-phase modulation in a silicon nanowire. Bit-error-rate measurements show an average of 1.7dB improvement in receiver sensitivity after the regeneration.......We successfully demonstrate all-optical regeneration of a 40 Gbit/s signal based on cross-phase modulation in a silicon nanowire. Bit-error-rate measurements show an average of 1.7dB improvement in receiver sensitivity after the regeneration....

Compact silicon photonic resonance-sssisted variable optical attenuator.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xiaoxi; Aguinaldo, Ryan; Lentine, Anthony; DeRose, Christopher; Starbuck, Andrew L; Trotter, Douglas; Pomerene, Andrew; Mookherjea, Shayan

2016-11-28

A two-part silicon photonic variable optical attenuator is demonstrated in a compact footprint which can provide a high extinction ratio at wavelengths between 1520 nm and 1620 nm. The device was made by following the conventional p-i-n waveguide section by a high-extinction-ratio second-order microring filter section. The rings provide additional on-off contrast by utilizing a thermal resonance shift, which harvested the heat dissipated by current injection in the p-i-n junction. We derive and discuss a simple thermal-resistance model in explanation of these effects.

SEM and HRTEM study of porous silicon--relationship between fabrication, morphology and optical properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dian, J.; Macek, A.; Niznansky, D.; Nemec, I.; Vrkoslav, V.; Chvojka, T.; Jelinek, I.

2004-01-01

We studied the dependence of porous silicon (PS) morphology on fabrication conditions and the link between morphology, porosity and optical properties. P-type (1 0 0) silicon wafers with resistivity of 10 Ω cm were electrochemically etched in a HF:ethanol:water mixture at various HF concentrations and current densities. Porosity and thickness of the samples were determined gravimetrically. Detailed information about evolution of porous silicon layer morphology with variation of preparation conditions was obtained by scanning electron microscope (SEM), the presence of silicon nanoparticles was confirmed by high resolution transmission electron microscopy. Decrease of the mean size of silicon nanoparticles with increasing porous silicon porosity was revealed in a monotonous blue shift of photoluminescence (PL) maximum in room temperature photoluminescence spectra of studied samples. This blue shift is consistent with quantum confinement model of photoluminescence mechanism. We observed that total porosity of porous films cannot fully explain observed photoluminescence behavior and correct interpretation of the blue shift of photoluminescence spectra requires detailed knowledge of porous silicon morphology

Silicon Pore Optics development for ATHENA

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Collon, Maximilien J.; Vacanti, Giuseppe; Guenther, Ramses

2015-01-01

The ATHENA mission, a European large (L) class X-ray observatory to be launched in 2028, will essentially consist of an X-ray lens and two focal plane instruments. The lens, based on a Wolter-I type double reflection grazing incidence angle design, will be very large (similar to 3 m in diameter) ...

Advances in silicon nanophotonics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hvam, Jørn Märcher; Pu, Minhao

Silicon has long been established as an ideal material for passive integrated optical circuitry due to its high refractive index, with corresponding strong optical confinement ability, and its low-cost CMOS-compatible manufacturability. However, the inversion symmetry of the silicon crystal lattice.......g. in high-bit-rate optical communication circuits and networks, it is vital that the nonlinear optical effects of silicon are being strongly enhanced. This can among others be achieved in photonic-crystal slow-light waveguides and in nano-engineered photonic-wires (Fig. 1). In this talk I shall present some...... recent advances in this direction. The efficient coupling of light between optical fibers and the planar silicon devices and circuits is of crucial importance. Both end-coupling (Fig. 1) and grating-coupling solutions will be discussed along with polarization issues. A new scheme for a hybrid III...

Terahertz optical-Hall effect for multiple valley band materials: n-type silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuehne, P.; Hofmann, T.; Herzinger, C.M.; Schubert, M.

2011-01-01

The optical-Hall effect comprises generalized ellipsometry at long wavelengths on samples with free-charge carriers placed within external magnetic fields. Measurement of the anisotropic magneto-optic response allows for the determination of the free-charge carrier properties including spatial anisotropy. In this work we employ the optical-Hall effect at terahertz frequencies for analysis of free-charge carrier properties in multiple valley band materials, for which the optical free-charge carrier contributions originate from multiple Brillouin-zone conduction or valence band minima or maxima, respectively. We investigate exemplarily the room temperature optical-Hall effect in low phosphorous-doped n-type silicon where free electrons are located in six equivalent conduction-band minima near the X-point. We simultaneously determine their free-charge carrier concentration, mobility, and longitudinal and transverse effective mass parameters.

Structural, electronic, and optical properties of the C-C complex in bulk silicon from first principles

Science.gov (United States)

Timerkaeva, Dilyara; Attaccalite, Claudio; Brenet, Gilles; Caliste, Damien; Pochet, Pascal

2018-04-01

The structure of the CiCs complex in silicon has long been the subject of debate. Numerous theoretical and experimental studies have attempted to shed light on the properties of these defects that are at the origin of the light emitting G-center. These defects are relevant for applications in lasing, and it would be advantageous to control their formation and concentration in bulk silicon. It is therefore essential to understand their structural and electronic properties. In this paper, we present the structural, electronic, and optical properties of four possible configurations of the CiCs complex in bulk silicon, namely, the A-, B-, C-, and D-forms. The configurations were studied by density functional theory and many-body perturbation theory. Our results suggest that the C-form was misinterpreted as a B-form in some experiments. Our optical investigation also tends to exclude any contribution of A- and B-forms to light emission. Taken together, our results suggest that the C-form could play an important role in heavily carbon-doped silicon.

Detection of Ammonia-Oxidizing Bacteria (AOB) Using a Porous Silicon Optical Biosensor Based on a Multilayered Double Bragg Mirror Structure.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Hongyan; Lv, Jie; Jia, Zhenhong

2018-01-01

We successfully demonstrate a porous silicon (PS) double Bragg mirror by electrochemical etching at room temperature as a deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) label-free biosensor for detecting ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB). Compared to various other one-dimension photonic crystal configurations of PS, the double Bragg mirror structure is quite easy to prepare and exhibits interesting optical properties. The width of high reflectivity stop band of the PS double Bragg mirror is about 761 nm with a sharp and deep resonance peak at 1328 nm in the reflectance spectrum, which gives a high sensitivity and distinguishability for sensing performance. The detection sensitivity of such a double Bragg mirror structure is illustrated through the investigation of AOB DNA hybridization in the PS pores. The redshifts of the reflectance spectra show a good linear relationship with both complete complementary and partial complementary DNA. The lowest detection limit for complete complementary DNA is 27.1 nM and the detection limit of the biosensor for partial complementary DNA is 35.0 nM, which provides the feasibility and effectiveness for the detection of AOB in a real environment. The PS double Bragg mirror structure is attractive for widespread biosensing applications and provides great potential for the development of optical applications.

Morphological and optical properties of silicon thin films by PLD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ayouchi, R.; Schwarz, R.; Melo, L.V.; Ramalho, R.; Alves, E.; Marques, C.P.; Santos, L.; Almeida, R.; Conde, O.

2009-01-01

Silicon thin films have been prepared on sapphire substrates by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique. The films were deposited in vacuum from a silicon target at a base pressure of 10 -6 mbar in the temperature range from 400 to 800 deg. C. A Q-switched Nd:YAG laser (1064 nm, 5 ns duration, 10 Hz) at a constant energy density of 2 J x cm -2 has been used. The influence of the substrate temperature on the structural, morphological and optical properties of the Si thin films was investigated. Spectral ellipsometry and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were used to study the thickness and the surface roughness of the deposited films. Surface roughness values measured by AFM and ellipsometry show the same tendency of increasing roughness with increased deposition temperature

Silicon carbide optics for space and ground based astronomical telescopes

Science.gov (United States)

Robichaud, Joseph; Sampath, Deepak; Wainer, Chris; Schwartz, Jay; Peton, Craig; Mix, Steve; Heller, Court

2012-09-01

Silicon Carbide (SiC) optical materials are being applied widely for both space based and ground based optical telescopes. The material provides a superior weight to stiffness ratio, which is an important metric for the design and fabrication of lightweight space telescopes. The material also has superior thermal properties with a low coefficient of thermal expansion, and a high thermal conductivity. The thermal properties advantages are important for both space based and ground based systems, which typically need to operate under stressing thermal conditions. The paper will review L-3 Integrated Optical Systems - SSG’s (L-3 SSG) work in developing SiC optics and SiC optical systems for astronomical observing systems. L-3 SSG has been fielding SiC optical components and systems for over 25 years. Space systems described will emphasize the recently launched Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) developed for JHU-APL and NASA-GSFC. Review of ground based applications of SiC will include supporting L-3 IOS-Brashear’s current contract to provide the 0.65 meter diameter, aspheric SiC secondary mirror for the Advanced Technology Solar Telescope (ATST).

Investigation of the interface region between a porous silicon layer and a silicon substrate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Ki-Won; Park, Dae-Kyu; Kim, Young-You; Shin, Hyun-Joon

2005-01-01

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurement and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis were performed to investigate the physical and structural characteristics of the interface region between a porous silicon layer and a silicon substrate. We discovered that, when anodization time was increased under a constant current density, the Si crystallites in the interface region became larger and formed different lattice parameters than observed in the porous silicon layer. Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) analysis also revealed that the Si was more concentrated in the interface region than in the porous silicon layer. These results were interpreted by the deficiency of the HF solution in reaching to the interface through the pores during the porous silicon formation

Optical absorption in silicon layers in the presence of charge inversion/accumulation or ion implantation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alloatti, L.; Lauermann, M.; Koos, C.; Freude, W.; Sürgers, C.; Leuthold, J.

2013-01-01

We determine the optical losses in gate-induced charge accumulation/inversion layers at a Si/SiO 2 interface. Comparison between gate-induced charge layers and ion-implanted thin silicon films having an identical sheet resistance shows that optical losses can be significantly lower for gate-induced layers. For a given sheet resistance, holes produce higher optical loss than electrons. Measurements have been performed at λ = 1550 nm

Hybrid graphene/silicon integrated optical isolators with photonic spin–orbit interaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ma, Jingwen; Sun, Xiankai; Xi, Xiang; Yu, Zejie

2016-01-01

Optical isolators are an important building block in photonic computation and communication. In traditional optics, isolators are realized with magneto-optical garnets. However, it remains challenging to incorporate such materials on an integrated platform because of the difficulty in material growth and bulky device footprint. Here, we propose an ultracompact integrated isolator by exploiting graphene's magneto-optical property on a silicon-on-insulator platform. The photonic nonreciprocity is achieved because the cyclotrons in graphene experiencing different optical spins exhibit different responses to counterpropagating light. Taking advantage of cavity resonance effects, we have numerically optimized a device design, which shows excellent isolation performance with the extinction ratio over 45 dB and the insertion loss around 12 dB at a wavelength near 1.55 μm. Featuring graphene's CMOS compatibility and substantially reduced device footprint, our proposal sheds light on monolithic integration of nonreciprocal photonic devices.

Influence of the silicon concentration on the optical and electrical properties of reactively sputtered Zr-Si-N nanocomposite coatings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pilloud, D.; Pierson, J.F.; Pichon, L.

2006-01-01

Zr-Si-N films were deposited on silicon and X38CrMoV5 steel substrates by sputtering composite Zr-Si targets in reactive Ar-N 2 mixture. The silicon concentration in the deposited films was adjusted by the variation of the number of Si chips located on the target erosion zone. As a function of the silicon content, the films exhibited the following structures: insertion of Si into the ZrN lattice, nanocomposite (nc-ZrN/a-SiN x ) and an amorphous-like structure. Addition of silicon into ZrN-based coatings induced a lost of the golden aspect due to the decrease of the metallic behaviour. This result was confirmed by ellipsometric measurements. The films refractive index increased with the silicon concentration. On the other hand, a continuous decrease of the extinction coefficient was noticed. The effect of the silicon content on the optical properties of Zr-Si-N films was discussed as a function of the films structure and the occurrence of new optical absorptions due to the silicon chemical bonds. Finally, the evolution of the films electrical resistivity was discussed in connection to the films structure changes

Mesoporous ethanesilica materials with bimodal and trimodal pore-size distributions synthesised in the presence of cobalt ions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alufelwi M. Tshavhungwe

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Mesoporous organosilica materials containing ethane groups in their framework were formed with two and three pore sizes (i.e. bimodal and trimodal pores when synthesised by the sol-gel method in the presence of cobalt ions. The compounds 1,2-bistrimethoxysilylethane and tetraethylorthosilicate were used as silicon sources and the reactions were done in the presence of a surfactant, which served as a template. Diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy revealed that organic functional groups were incorporated into the ethanesilica. Powder X-ray diffraction and nitrogen adsorption data indicated that the mesophase and textural properties (surface area, pore volume, pore diameter of the materials were dependent on the ageing temperature, the amount/ratio of silica precursors and cobalt ion incorporation. Secondary mesopores were drastically reduced by changing the ratio of silicon precursors.

The influence of noble-gas ion bombardment on the electrical and optical properties of clean silicon surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martens, J.W.D.

1980-01-01

A study of the effect of argon and helium ion bombardment on the electrical and optical properties of the clean silicon (211) surface is described. The objective of the study was to determine the effect of noble gas ions on the density of surface states at the clean silicon surface. (Auth.)

Anodic processes in the chemical and electrochemical etching of Si crystals in acid-fluoride solutions: Pore formation mechanism

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ulin, V. P.; Ulin, N. V.; Soldatenkov, F. Yu., E-mail: f.soldatenkov@mail.ioffe.ru [Ioffe Physical–Technical Institute (Russian Federation)

2017-04-15

The interaction of heavily doped p- and n-type Si crystals with hydrofluoric acid in the dark with and without contact with metals having greatly differing work functions (Ag and Pd) is studied. The dependences of the dissolution rates of Si crystals in HF solutions that contain oxidizing agents with different redox potentials (FeCl{sub 3}, V{sub 2}O{sub 5} and CrO{sub 3}) on the type and level of silicon doping are determined. Analysis of the experimental data suggests that valence-band holes in silicon are not directly involved in the anodic reactions of silicon oxidation and dissolution and their generation in crystals does not limit the rate of these processes. It is also shown that the character and rate of the chemical process leading to silicon dissolution in HF-containing electrolytes are determined by the interfacial potential attained at the semiconductor–electrolyte interface. The mechanism of electrochemical pore formation in silicon crystals is discussed in terms of selfconsistent cooperative reactions of nucleophilic substitution between chemisorbed fluorine anions and coordination- saturated silicon atoms in the crystal subsurface layer. A specific feature of these reactions for silicon crystals is that vacant nonbonding d{sup 2}sp{sup 3} orbitals of Si atoms, associated with sixfold degenerate states corresponding to the Δ valley of the conduction band, are involved in the formation of intermediate complexes. According to the suggested model, the pore-formation process spontaneously develops in local regions of the interface under the action of the interfacial potential in the adsorption layer and occurs as a result of the detachment of (SiF{sub 2}){sub n} polymer chains from the crystal. Just this process leads to the preferential propagation of pores along the <100> crystallographic directions. The thermodynamic aspects of pore nucleation and the effect of the potential drop across the interface, conduction type, and free-carrier concentration

Hybridization assay of insect antifreezing protein gene by novel multilayered porous silicon nucleic acid biosensor.

Science.gov (United States)

Lv, Xiaoyi; Chen, Liangliang; Zhang, Hongyan; Mo, Jiaqing; Zhong, Furu; Lv, Changwu; Ma, Ji; Jia, Zhenhong

2013-01-15

A fabrication of a novel simple porous silicon polybasic photonic crystal with symmetrical structure has been reported as a nucleic acid biosensor for detecting antifreeze protein gene in insects (Microdera puntipennis dzhungarica), which would be helpful in the development of some new transgenic plants with tolerance of freezing stress. Compared to various porous silicon-based photonic configurations, porous silicon polytype layered structure is quite easy to prepare and shows more stability; moreover, polybasic photonic crystals with symmetrical structure exhibit interesting optical properties with a sharp resonance in the reflectance spectrum, giving a higher Q factor which causes higher sensitivity for sensing performance. In this experiment, DNA oligonucleotides were immobilized into the porous silicon pores using a standard crosslink chemistry method. The porous silicon polybasic symmetrical structure sensor possesses high specificity in performing controlled experiments with non-complementary DNA. The detection limit was found to be 21.3nM for DNA oligonucleotides. The fabricated multilayered porous silicon-based DNA biosensor has potential commercial applications in clinical chemistry for determination of an antifreeze protein gene or other genes. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Silicon photonics integrated circuits: a manufacturing platform for high density, low power optical I/O's.

Science.gov (United States)

Absil, Philippe P; Verheyen, Peter; De Heyn, Peter; Pantouvaki, Marianna; Lepage, Guy; De Coster, Jeroen; Van Campenhout, Joris

2015-04-06

Silicon photonics integrated circuits are considered to enable future computing systems with optical input-outputs co-packaged with CMOS chips to circumvent the limitations of electrical interfaces. In this paper we present the recent progress made to enable dense multiplexing by exploiting the integration advantage of silicon photonics integrated circuits. We also discuss the manufacturability of such circuits, a key factor for a wide adoption of this technology.

On-chip all-optical wavelength conversion of multicarrier, multilevel modulation (OFDM m-QAM) signals using a silicon waveguide.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Chao; Gui, Chengcheng; Xiao, Xi; Yang, Qi; Yu, Shaohua; Wang, Jian

2014-08-01

We report on-chip all-optical wavelength conversion of multicarrier multilevel modulation signals in a silicon waveguide. Using orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) combined with advanced multilevel quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) signals (i.e., OFDM m-QAM), we experimentally demonstrate all-optical wavelength conversions of 3.2 Gbaud/s OFDM 16/32/64/128-QAM signals based on the degenerate four-wave mixing (FWM) nonlinear effect in a silicon waveguide. The measured optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR) penalties of wavelength conversion are ∼3  dB for OFDM 16-QAM and ∼4  dB for OFDM 32-QAM at 7% forward error correction (FEC) threshold and ∼3.5  dB for OFDM 64-QAM and ∼4.5  dB for OFDM 128-QAM at 20% FEC threshold. The observed clear constellations of converted idlers imply favorable performance obtained for silicon-waveguide-based OFDM 16/32/64/128-QAM wavelength conversions.

Fabrication and Modification of Nanoporous Silicon Particles

Science.gov (United States)

Ferrari, Mauro; Liu, Xuewu

2010-01-01

Silicon-based nanoporous particles as biodegradable drug carriers are advantageous in permeation, controlled release, and targeting. The use of biodegradable nanoporous silicon and silicon dioxide, with proper surface treatments, allows sustained drug release within the target site over a period of days, or even weeks, due to selective surface coating. A variety of surface treatment protocols are available for silicon-based particles to be stabilized, functionalized, or modified as required. Coated polyethylene glycol (PEG) chains showed the effective depression of both plasma protein adsorption and cell attachment to the modified surfaces, as well as the advantage of long circulating. Porous silicon particles are micromachined by lithography. Compared to the synthesis route of the nanomaterials, the advantages include: (1) the capability to make different shapes, not only spherical particles but also square, rectangular, or ellipse cross sections, etc.; (2) the capability for very precise dimension control; (3) the capacity for porosity and pore profile control; and (4) allowance of complex surface modification. The particle patterns as small as 60 nm can be fabricated using the state-of-the-art photolithography. The pores in silicon can be fabricated by exposing the silicon in an HF/ethanol solution and then subjecting the pores to an electrical current. The size and shape of the pores inside silicon can be adjusted by the doping of the silicon, electrical current application, the composition of the electrolyte solution, and etching time. The surface of the silicon particles can be modified by many means to provide targeted delivery and on-site permanence for extended release. Multiple active agents can be co-loaded into the particles. Because the surface modification of particles can be done on wafers before the mechanical release, asymmetrical surface modification is feasible. Starting from silicon wafers, a treatment, such as KOH dipping or reactive ion

An ultra-small, low-power, all-optical flip-flop memory on a silicon chip

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Liu, Liu; Kumar, R.; Huybrechts, K.

2010-01-01

Ultra-small, low-power, all-optical switching and memory elements, such as all-optical flip-flops, as well as photonic integrated circuits of many such elements, are in great demand for all-optical signal buffering, switching and processing. Silicon-on-insulator is considered to be a promising......-flop working in a continuous-wave regime with an electrical power consumption of a few milliwatts, allowing switching in 60 ps with 1.8 fJ optical energy. The total power consumption and the device size are, to the best of our knowledge, the smallest reported to date at telecom wavelengths. This is also...

The effects of thermal annealing in structural and optical properties of RF sputtered amorphous silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdul Fatah Awang Mat

1988-01-01

The effect of thermal annealing on structural and optical properties of amorphous silicon are studied on samples prepared by radio-frequency sputtering. The fundamental absorption edge of these films are investigated at room temperature and their respective parameters estimated. Annealing effect on optical properties is interpreted in terms of the removal of voids and a decrease of disorder. (author)

Nanopore arrays in a silicon membrane for parallel single-molecule detection: fabrication

Science.gov (United States)

Schmidt, Torsten; Zhang, Miao; Sychugov, Ilya; Roxhed, Niclas; Linnros, Jan

2015-08-01

Solid state nanopores enable translocation and detection of single bio-molecules such as DNA in buffer solutions. Here, sub-10 nm nanopore arrays in silicon membranes were fabricated by using electron-beam lithography to define etch pits and by using a subsequent electrochemical etching step. This approach effectively decouples positioning of the pores and the control of their size, where the pore size essentially results from the anodizing current and time in the etching cell. Nanopores with diameters as small as 7 nm, fully penetrating 300 nm thick membranes, were obtained. The presented fabrication scheme to form large arrays of nanopores is attractive for parallel bio-molecule sensing and DNA sequencing using optical techniques. In particular the signal-to-noise ratio is improved compared to other alternatives such as nitride membranes suffering from a high-luminescence background.

Oxide-Free Bonding of III-V-Based Material on Silicon and Nano-Structuration of the Hybrid Waveguide for Advanced Optical Functions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Konstantinos Pantzas

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Oxide-free bonding of III-V-based materials for integrated optics is demonstrated on both planar Silicon (Si surfaces and nanostructured ones, using Silicon on Isolator (SOI or Si substrates. The hybrid interface is characterized electrically and mechanically. A hybrid InP-on-SOI waveguide, including a bi-periodic nano structuration of the silicon guiding layer is demonstrated to provide wavelength selective transmission. Such an oxide-free interface associated with the nanostructured design of the guiding geometry has great potential for both electrical and optical operation of improved hybrid devices.

Mechanical Kerr nonlinearities due to bipolar optical forces between deformable silicon waveguides.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Jing; Povinelli, Michelle L

2011-05-23

We use an analytical method based on the perturbation of effective index at fixed frequency to calculate optical forces between silicon waveguides. We use the method to investigate the mechanical Kerr effect in a coupled-waveguide system with bipolar forces. We find that a positive mechanical Kerr coefficient results from either an attractive or repulsive force. An enhanced mechanical Kerr coefficient several orders of magnitude larger than the intrinsic Kerr coefficient is obtained in waveguides for which the optical mode approaches the air light line, given appropriate design of the waveguide dimensions.

Micro knife-edge optical measurement device in a silicon-on-insulator substrate.

Science.gov (United States)

Chiu, Yi; Pan, Jiun-Hung

2007-05-14

The knife-edge method is a commonly used technique to characterize the optical profiles of laser beams or focused spots. In this paper, we present a micro knife-edge scanner fabricated in a silicon-on-insulator substrate using the micro-electromechanical-system technology. A photo detector can be fabricated in the device to allow further integration with on-chip signal conditioning circuitry. A novel backside deep reactive ion etching process is proposed to solve the residual stress effect due to the buried oxide layer. Focused optical spot profile measurement is demonstrated.

Optical characteristics of silicon nanowires grown from tin catalyst layers on silicon coated glass

KAUST Repository

Ball, Jeremy

2012-08-20

The optical characteristics of silicon nanowires grown on Si layers on glass have been modeled using the FDTD (Finite Difference Time Domain) technique and compared with experimental results. The wires were grown by the VLS (vapour-liquid-solid) method using Sn catalyst layers and exhibit a conical shape. The resulting measured and modeled absorption, reflectance and transmittance spectra have been investigated as a function of the thickness of the underlying Si layer and the initial catalyst layer, the latter having a strong influence on wire density. High levels of absorption (>90% in the visible wavelength range) and good agreement between the modeling and experiment have been observed when the nanowires have a relatively high density of ∼4 wires/μ m2. The experimental and modeled results diverge for samples with a lower density of wire growth. The results are discussed along with some implications for solar cell fabrication. © 2012 Optical Society of America.

Optical characteristics of silicon nanowires grown from tin catalyst layers on silicon coated glass

KAUST Repository

Ball, Jeremy; Centeno, Anthony; Mendis, Budhika G.; Reehal, H. S.; Alford, Neil

2012-01-01

The optical characteristics of silicon nanowires grown on Si layers on glass have been modeled using the FDTD (Finite Difference Time Domain) technique and compared with experimental results. The wires were grown by the VLS (vapour-liquid-solid) method using Sn catalyst layers and exhibit a conical shape. The resulting measured and modeled absorption, reflectance and transmittance spectra have been investigated as a function of the thickness of the underlying Si layer and the initial catalyst layer, the latter having a strong influence on wire density. High levels of absorption (>90% in the visible wavelength range) and good agreement between the modeling and experiment have been observed when the nanowires have a relatively high density of ∼4 wires/μ m2. The experimental and modeled results diverge for samples with a lower density of wire growth. The results are discussed along with some implications for solar cell fabrication. © 2012 Optical Society of America.

Silicon microphotonic waveguides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ta'eed, V.; Steel, M.J.; Grillet, C.; Eggleton, B.; Du, J.; Glasscock, J.; Savvides, N.

2004-01-01

Full text: Silicon microphotonic devices have been drawing increasing attention in the past few years. The high index-difference between silicon and its oxide (Δn = 2) suggests a potential for high-density integration of optical functions on to a photonic chip. Additionally, it has been shown that silicon exhibits strong Raman nonlinearity, a necessary property as light interaction can occur only by means of nonlinearities in the propagation medium. The small dimensions of silicon waveguides require the design of efficient tapers to couple light to them. We have used the beam propagation method (RSoft BeamPROP) to understand the principles and design of an inverse-taper mode-converter as implemented in several recent papers. We report on progress in the design and fabrication of silicon-based waveguides. Preliminary work has been conducted by patterning silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafers using optical lithography and reactive ion etching. Thus far, only rib waveguides have been designed, as single-mode ridge-waveguides are beyond the capabilities of conventional optical lithography. We have recently moved to electron beam lithography as the higher resolutions permitted will provide the flexibility to begin fabricating sub-micron waveguides

Recent Optical and SEM Characterization of Genesis Solar Wind Concentrator Diamond on Silicon Collector

Science.gov (United States)

Allton, Judith H.; Rodriquez, M. C.; Burkett, P. J.; Ross, D. K.; Gonzalez, C. P.; McNamara, K. M.

2013-01-01

One of the 4 Genesis solar wind concentrator collectors was a silicon substrate coated with diamond-like carbon (DLC) in which to capture solar wind. This material was designed for analysis of solar nitrogen and noble gases [1, 2]. This particular collector fractured during landing, but about 80% of the surface was recovered, including a large piece which was subdivided in 2012 [3, 4, 5]. The optical and SEM imaging and analysis described below supports the subdivision and allocation of the diamond-on-silicon (DOS) concentrator collector.

CO2 laser-induced directional recrystallization to produce single crystal silicon-core optical fibers with low loss

OpenAIRE

Healy, Noel; Fokine, Michael; Franz, Yohann; Hawkins, Thomas; Jones, Maxwell; Ballato, John; Peacock, Anna C.; Gibson, Ursula J.

2016-01-01

Reduced losses in silicon-core fibers are obtained using CO2 laser directional recrystallization of the core. Single crystals with aspect ratios up to 1500:1 are reported, limited by the scan range of the equipment. This processing technique holds promise for bringing crystalline silicon-core fibers to a central role in nonlinear optics and signal processing applications.

Optical simulations for design, alignment, and performance prediction of silicon pore optics for the ATHENA x-ray telescope

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Spiga, D.; Della Monica Ferreira, Desiree; Shortt, B.

2017-01-01

of these aspects is required in order to assess the fabrication and alignment tolerances; moreover, the achievable effective area and angular resolution depend on the mirror module design. Therefore, guaranteeing these optical performances requires: a fast design tool to find the most performing solution in terms...

Optical design of ultrashort throw liquid crystal on silicon projection system

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Jiun-Woei

2017-05-01

An ultrashort throw liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS) projector for home cinema, virtual reality, and automobile heads-up display has been designed and fabricated. To achieve the best performance and highest-quality image, this study aimed to design wide-angle projection optics and optimize the illumination for LCoS. Based on the telecentric lens projection system and optimized Koehler illumination, the optical parameters were calculated. The projector's optical system consisted of a conic aspheric mirror and image optics using either symmetric double Gauss or a large-angle eyepiece to achieve a full projection angle larger than 155 deg. By applying Koehler illumination, image resolution was enhanced and the modulation transfer function of the image in high spatial frequency was increased to form a high-quality illuminated image. The partial coherence analysis verified that the design was capable of 2.5 lps/mm within a 2 m×1.5 m projected image. The throw ratio was less than 0.25 in HD format.

An integrated nonlinear optical loop mirror in silicon photonics for all-optical signal processing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zifei Wang

2018-02-01

Full Text Available The nonlinear optical loop mirror (NOLM has been studied for several decades and has attracted considerable attention for applications in high data rate optical communications and all-optical signal processing. The majority of NOLM research has focused on silica fiber-based implementations. While various fiber designs have been considered to increase the nonlinearity and manage dispersion, several meters to hundreds of meters of fiber are still required. On the other hand, there is increasing interest in developing photonic integrated circuits for realizing signal processing functions. In this paper, we realize the first-ever passive integrated NOLM in silicon photonics and demonstrate its application for all-optical signal processing. In particular, we show wavelength conversion of 10 Gb/s return-to-zero on-off keying (RZ-OOK signals over a wavelength range of 30 nm with error-free operation and a power penalty of less than 2.5 dB, we achieve error-free nonreturn to zero (NRZ-to-RZ modulation format conversion at 10 Gb/s also with a power penalty of less than 2.8 dB, and we obtain error-free all-optical time-division demultiplexing of a 40 Gb/s RZ-OOK data signal into its 10 Gb/s tributary channels with a maximum power penalty of 3.5 dB.

Planar Silicon Optical Waveguide Light Modulators

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Leistiko, Otto; Bak, H.

1994-01-01

that values in the nanosecond region should be possible, however, the measured values are high, 20 microseconds, due to the large area of the injector junctions, 1× 10¿2 cm2, and the limitations imposed by the detection circuit. The modulating properties of these devices are impressive, measurements......The results of an experimental investigation of a new type of optical waveguide based on planar technology in which the liglht guiding and modulation are achieved by exploiting free carrier effects in silicon are presented. Light is guided between the n+ substrate and two p+ regions, which also...... serve as carrier injectors for controling absorption. Light confinement of single mode devices is good, giving spot sizes of 9 ¿m FWHM. Insertion loss measurements indicate that the absorption losses for these waveguides are extremely low, less 1 dB/cm. Estimates of the switching speed indicate...

Silicon Photonics: All-Optical Devices for Linear and Nonlinear Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Driscoll, Jeffrey B.

Silicon photonics has grown rapidly since the first Si electro-optic switch was demonstrated in 1987, and the field has never grown more quickly than it has over the past decade, fueled by milestone achievements in semiconductor processing technologies for low loss waveguides, high-speed Si modulators, Si lasers, Si detectors, and an enormous toolbox of passive and active integrated devices. Silicon photonics is now on the verge of major commercialization breakthroughs, and optical communication links remain the force driving integrated and Si photonics towards the first commercial telecom and datacom transceivers; however other potential and future applications are becoming uncovered and refined as researchers reveal the benefits of manipulating photons on the nanoscale. This thesis documents an exploration into the unique guided-wave and nonlinear properties of deeply-scaled high-index-contrast sub-wavelength Si waveguides. It is found that the tight confinement inherent to single-mode channel waveguides on the silicon-on-insulator platform lead to a rich physics, which can be leveraged for new devices extending well beyond simple passive interconnects and electro-optic devices. The following chapters will concentrate, in detail, on a number of unique physical features of Si waveguides and extend these attributes towards new and interesting devices. Linear optical properties and nonlinear optical properties are investigated, both of which are strongly affected by tight optical confinement of the guided waveguide modes. As will be shown, tight optical confinement directly results in strongly vectoral modal components, where the electric and magnetic fields of the guided modes extend into all spatial dimensions, even along the axis of propagation. In fact, the longitudinal electric and magnetic field components can be just as strong as the transverse fields, directly affecting the modal group velocity and energy transport properties since the longitudinal fields

A Photostable Silicon Rhodamine Platform for Optical Voltage Sensing

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Yi-Lin; Walker, Alison S.; Miller, Evan W.

2015-01-01

This paper describes the design and synthesis of a photostable, far-red to near-infrared (NIR) platform for optical voltage sensing. We developed a new, sulfonated silicon rhodamine fluorophore and integrated it with a phenylenevinylene molecular wire to create a Berkeley Red Sensor of Transmembrane potential, or BeRST 1 (“burst”). BeRST 1 is the first member of a class of farred to NIR voltage sensitive dyes that make use of a photoinduced electron transfer (PeT) trigger for optical interrogation of membrane voltage. We show that BeRST 1 displays bright, membrane-localized fluorescence in living cells, high photostability, and excellent voltage sensitivity in neurons. Depolarization of the plasma membrane results in rapid fluorescence increases (24% ΔF/F per 100 mV). BeRST 1 can be used in conjunction with fluorescent stains for organelles, Ca2+ indicators, and voltage-sensitive fluorescent proteins. In addition, the red-shifted spectral profile of BeRST 1, relative to commonly employed optogenetic actuators like ChannelRhodopsin2 (ChR2), which require blue light, enables optical electrophysiology in neurons. The high speed, sensitivity, photostability and long-wavelength fluorescence profiles of BeRST 1 make it a useful platform for the non-invasive, optical dissection of neuronal activity. PMID:26237573

Temperature dependent investigation on optically active process of higher-order bands in irradiated silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shi Yi; Nanjing Univ., JS; Wu Fengmei; Nanjing Univ., JS; Zheng Youdou; Nanjing Univ., JS; Suezawa, M.; Imai, M.; Sumino, K.

1996-01-01

Optically active processes of the higher-order bands (HOB) are investigated at different temperatures in fast neutron irradiated silicon using Fourier transform infrared absorption measurement. It is shown that the optically active process is nearly temperature independent below 80 K, the slow decay process remains up to a heating temperature of 180 K. The observations are analyzed in terms of the relaxation behavior of photoexcited carriers governed by fast neutron radiation induced defect clusters. (orig.)

Tailoring the Optical Properties of Silicon with Ion Beam Created Nanostructures for Advanced Photonics Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Akhter, Perveen

In today's fast life, energy consumption has increased more than ever and with that the demand for a renewable and cleaner energy source as a substitute for the fossil fuels has also increased. Solar radiations are the ultimate source of energy but harvesting this energy in a cost effective way is a challenging task. Si is the dominating material for microelectronics and photovoltaics. But owing to its indirect band gap, Si is an inefficient light absorber, thus requiring a thickness of solar cells beyond tens of microns which increases the cost of solar energy. Therefore, techniques to increase light absorption in thin film Si solar cells are of great importance and have been the focus of research for a few decades now. Another big issue of technology in this fast-paced world is the computing rate or data transfer rate between components of a chip in ultra-fast processors. Existing electronic interconnects suffering from the signal delays and heat generation issues are unable to handle high data rates. A possible solution to this problem is in replacing the electronic interconnects with optical interconnects which have large data carrying capacity. However, optical components are limited in size by the fundamental laws of diffraction to about half a wavelength of light and cannot be combined with nanoscale electronic components. Tremendous research efforts have been directed in search of an advanced technology which can bridge the size gap between electronic and photonic worlds. An emerging technology of "plasmonics'' which exploits the extraordinary optical properties of metal nanostructures to tailor the light at nanoscale has been considered a potential solution to both of the above-mentioned problems. Research conducted for this dissertation has an overall goal to investigate the optical properties of silicon with metal nanostructures for photovoltaics and advanced silicon photonics applications. The first part of the research focuses on achieving enhanced

Porous silicon: Synthesis and optical properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naddaf, M.; Awad, F.

2006-01-01

Formation of porous silicon by electrochemical etching method of both p and n-type single crystal silicon wafers in HF based solutions has been performed by using three different modes. In addition to DC and pulsed voltage, a novel etching mode is developed to prepare light-emitting porous silicon by applying and holding-up a voltage in gradient steps form periodically, between the silicon wafer and a graphite electrode. Under same equivalent etching conditions, periodic gradient steps voltage etching can yield a porous silicon layer with stronger photoluminescence intensity and blue shift than the porous silicon layer prepared by DC or pulsed voltage etching. It has been found that the holding-up of the applied voltage during the etching process for defined interval of time is another significant future of this method, which highly affects the blue shift. This can be used for tailoring a porous layer with novel properties. The actual mechanism behind the blue shift is not clear exactly, even the experimental observation of atomic force microscope and purist measurements in support with quantum confinement model. It has been seen also from Fourier Transform Infrared study that interplays between O-Si-H and Si-H bond intensities play key role in deciding the efficiency of photoluminescence emission. Study of relative humidity sensing and photonic crystal properties of pours silicon samples has confirmed the advantages of the new adopted etching mode. The sensitivity at room temperature of porous silicon prepared by periodic gradient steps voltage etching was found to be about 70% as compared to 51% and 45% for the porous silicon prepared by DC and pulsed voltage etching, respectively. (author)

Porous silicon: Synthesis and optical properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naddaf, M.; Awad, F.

2006-06-01

Formation of porous silicon by electrochemical etching method of both p and n-type single crystal silicon wafers in HF based solutions has been performed by using three different modes. In addition to DC and pulsed voltage, a novel etching mode is developed to prepare light-emitting porous silicon by applying and holding-up a voltage in gradient steps form periodically, between the silicon wafer and a graphite electrode. Under same equivalent etching conditions, periodic gradient steps voltage etching can yield a porous silicon layer with stronger photoluminescence intensity and blue shift than the porous silicon layer prepared by DC or pulsed voltage etching. It has been found that the holding-up of the applied voltage during the etching process for defined interval of time is another significant future of this method, which highly affects the blue shift. This can be used for tailoring a porous layer with novel properties. The actual mechanism behind the blue shift is not clear exactly, even the experimental observation of atomic force microscope and purist measurements in support with quantum confinement model. It has been seen also from Fourier Transform Infrared study that interplays between O-Si-H and Si-H bond intensities play key role in deciding the efficiency of photoluminescence emission. Study of relative humidity sensing and photonic crystal properties of pours silicon samples has confirmed the advantages of the new adopted etching mode. The sensitivity at room temperature of porous silicon prepared by periodic gradient steps voltage etching was found to be about 70% as compared to 51% and 45% for the porous silicon prepared by DC and pulsed voltage etching, respectively. (author)

Optical Gaps in Pristine and Heavily Doped Silicon Nanocrystals: DFT versus Quantum Monte Carlo Benchmarks.

Science.gov (United States)

Derian, R; Tokár, K; Somogyi, B; Gali, Á; Štich, I

2017-12-12

We present a time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) study of the optical gaps of light-emitting nanomaterials, namely, pristine and heavily B- and P-codoped silicon crystalline nanoparticles. Twenty DFT exchange-correlation functionals sampled from the best currently available inventory such as hybrids and range-separated hybrids are benchmarked against ultra-accurate quantum Monte Carlo results on small model Si nanocrystals. Overall, the range-separated hybrids are found to perform best. The quality of the DFT gaps is correlated with the deviation from Koopmans' theorem as a possible quality guide. In addition to providing a generic test of the ability of TDDFT to describe optical properties of silicon crystalline nanoparticles, the results also open up a route to benchmark-quality DFT studies of nanoparticle sizes approaching those studied experimentally.

Characterization of electrical and optical properties of silicon based materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jia, Guobin

2009-12-04

characteristic DRL lines D1 to D4 has been detected, indicating the dislocations in the Alile sample are relatively clean. Test p-n junction diodes with dislocation networks (DNs) produced by silicon wafer direct bonding have been investigated by EBIC technique. Charge carriers collection and electrical conduction phenomena by the DNs were observed. Inhomogeneities in the charge collection were detected in n- and p-type samples under appropriate beam energy. The diffusion lengths in the thin top layer of silicon-on-insulator (SOI) have been measured by EBIC with full suppression of the surface recombination at the buried oxide (BOX) layer and at surface of the top layer by biasing method. The measured diffusion length is several times larger than the layer thickness. Silicon nanostructures are another important subject of this work. Electrical and optical properties of various silicon based materials like silicon nanowires, silicon nano rods, porous silicon, and Si/SiO{sub 2} multi quantum wells (MQWs) samples were investigated in this work. Silicon sub-bandgap infrared (IR) luminescence around 1570 nm was found in silicon nanowires, nano rods and porous silicon. PL measurements with samples immersed in different liquid media, for example, in aqueous HF (50%), concentrated H{sub 2}SO{sub 4} (98%) and H{sub 2}O{sub 2} established that the subbandgap IR luminescence originated from the Si/SiO{sub x} interface. EL in the sub-bandgap IR range has been observed in simple devices prepared on porous silicon and MQWs at room temperature. (orig.)

The development and characterization of sol-gel substrates for chemical and optical applications

Science.gov (United States)

Powers, Kevin William

1998-12-01

The sol gel process can be used to make monolithic porous glass for various scientific and engineering uses. The porosity of the material imparts a large surface area which is advantageous in applications such as catalyst supports or in the study of surface mediated chemical reactions. The chemical stability and transparency of the porous glass also make it suitable for use in the emerging field of optical sensors. In this study fluoride catalysis is used to produce sol gel monoliths with pore radii of up to 400 Angstroms, four times larger than any previously reported using conventional drying techniques. Gel monoliths with pore radii of 200 Angstroms were found to have the best combination of surface area, pore volume and optical transparency. Typical monoliths have surface areas of 150 m2/g and pore volumes of 1.60 cm3/g with good transparency. The monoliths are chemically stable, have good mechanical strength and can be easily rehydrated without cracking. The substrates are also suitable for sintering into dense high purity silica glass with little tendency towards foaming. An in-depth study of the catalytic effect of fluoride on the sol gel process is also included. It has been theorized that fluoride serves to expand the coordination sphere of the silicon center making it more subject to nucleophilic attack. In this work an ion-specific fluoride electrode is used to monitor free fluoride concentrations in HF catalyzed sols while silicic acid is added in the form of tetramethoxysilane (TMOS). It is found that fluoride is rapidly bound by the silicic acid in a ratio of four to one, indicating the formation of silicon tetrafluoride. A concurrent decrease in pH suggests that a pentacoordinate species is formed that is more stable than previously thought. A polymerization mechanism is proposed that explains the hydrophobicity of fluoride catalyzed gels and the difficulty in retaining structural fluoride in fluoride catalyzed sol gel glasses. Finally, several

High-speed all-optical logic inverter based on stimulated Raman scattering in silicon nanocrystal.

Science.gov (United States)

Sen, Mrinal; Das, Mukul K

2015-11-01

In this paper, we propose a new device architecture for an all-optical logic inverter (NOT gate), which is cascadable with a similar device. The inverter is based on stimulated Raman scattering in silicon nanocrystal waveguides, which are embedded in a silicon photonic crystal structure. The Raman response function of silicon nanocrystal is evaluated to explore the transfer characteristic of the inverter. A maximum product criterion for the noise margin is taken to analyze the cascadability of the inverter. The time domain response of the inverter, which explores successful inversion operation at 100 Gb/s, is analyzed. Propagation delay of the inverter is on the order of 5 ps, which is less than the delay in most of the electronic logic families as of today. Overall dimension of the device is around 755  μm ×15  μm, which ensures integration compatibility with the matured silicon industry.

High-speed 2 × 2 silicon-based electro-optic switch with nanosecond switch time

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xue-Jun, Xu; Shao-Wu, Chen; Hai-Hua, Xu; Yang, Sun; Yu-De, Yu; Jin-Zhong, Yu; Qi-Ming, Wang

2009-01-01

A 2 × 2 electro-optic switch is experimentally demonstrated using the optical structure of a Mach–Zehnder interferometer (MZI) based on a submicron rib waveguide and the electrical structure of a PIN diode on silicon-on-insulator (SOI). The switch behaviour is achieved through the plasma dispersion effect of silicon. The device has a modulation arm of 1 mm in length and cross-section of 400 nm×340 nm. The measurement results show that the switch has a V π L π figure of merit of 0.145 V·cm and the extinction ratios of two output ports and cross talk are 40 dB, 28 dB and −28 dB, respectively. A 3 dB modulation bandwidth of 90 MHz and a switch time of 6.8 ns for the rise edge and 2.7 ns for the fall edge are also demonstrated

Electroluminescence analysis for spatial characterization of parasitic optical losses in silicon heterojunction solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmed, Nuha; Zhang, Lei; Sriramagiri, Gowri; Das, Ujjwal; Hegedus, Steven

2018-04-01

Electroluminescence (EL) coupled with reflection measurements are used to spatially quantify optical losses in silicon heterojunction solar cells due to plasmonic absorption in the metal back contacts. The effect of indium tin oxide back reflector in decreasing this plasmonic absorption is found to increase the reflection from the back nickel (Ni)-aluminum (Al) and Al metals by ˜12% and ˜41%, respectively, in both bifacial and front junction silicon solar cells. Losses due to back reflection are calculated by comparison between the EL emission signals in high and low back reflection samples and are shown to be in agreement with standard reflection measurements. We conclude that the optical properties of the back contact can significantly influence the EL intensity which complicates the interpretation of EL as being primarily due to recombination especially when comparing two different devices with spatially varying back surface structures.

Large-aperture focusing of x rays with micropore optics using dry etching of silicon wafers.

Science.gov (United States)

Ezoe, Yuichiro; Moriyama, Teppei; Ogawa, Tomohiro; Kakiuchi, Takuya; Mitsuishi, Ikuyuki; Mitsuda, Kazuhisa; Aoki, Tatsuhiko; Morishita, Kohei; Nakajima, Kazuo

2012-03-01

Large-aperture focusing of Al K(α) 1.49 keV x-ray photons using micropore optics made from a dry-etched 4 in. (100 mm) silicon wafer is demonstrated. Sidewalls of the micropores are smoothed with high-temperature annealing to work as x-ray mirrors. The wafer is bent to a spherical shape to collect parallel x rays into a focus. Our result supports that this new type of optics allows for the manufacturing of ultralight-weight and high-performance x-ray imaging optics with large apertures at low cost. © 2012 Optical Society of America

Effective antireflection properties of porous silicon nanowires for photovoltaic applications

KAUST Repository

Najar, Adel; Al-Jabr, Ahmad; Alsunaidi, Mohammad; Anjum, Dalaver H.; Ng, Tien Khee; Ooi, Boon S.; Ben Slimane, Ahmed; Sougrat, Rachid

2013-01-01

Porous silicon nanowires (PSiNWs) have been prepared by metal-assisted chemical etching method on the n-Si substrate. The presence of nano-pores with pore size ranging between 10-50nm in SiNWs was confirmed by electron tomography (ET

Optical waveform sampling and error-free demultiplexing of 1.28 Tbit/s serial data in a silicon nanowire

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ji, Hua; Hu, Hao; Galili, Michael

2010-01-01

We experimentally demonstrate 640 Gbit/s and 1.28 Tbit/s serial data optical waveform sampling and 640-to-10 Gbit/s and 1.28 Tbit/s-to-10 Gbit/s error-free demultiplexing using four-wave mixing in a 300nm$$450nm$$5mm silicon nanowire.......We experimentally demonstrate 640 Gbit/s and 1.28 Tbit/s serial data optical waveform sampling and 640-to-10 Gbit/s and 1.28 Tbit/s-to-10 Gbit/s error-free demultiplexing using four-wave mixing in a 300nm$$450nm$$5mm silicon nanowire....

Mesoporous Bragg reflectors: block-copolymer self-assembly leads to building blocks with well defined continuous pores and high control over optical properties

KAUST Repository

Guldin, S.; Kolle, M.; Stefik, M.; Wiesner, U.; Steiner, U.

2011-01-01

dened. Following a 30 min annealing protocol after each layer deposition enables the fast and reliable stacking of MDBRs which exhibit a continuous TiO2 network with large accessible pores and high optical quality.

Comparison of confinement characters between porous silicon and silicon nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tit, Nacir; Yamani, Zain H.; Pizzi, Giovanni; Virgilio, Michele

2011-01-01

Confinement character and its effects on photoluminescence (PL) properties are theoretically investigated and compared between porous silicon (p-Si) and silicon nanowires (Si-NWs). The method is based on the application of the tight-binding technique using the minimal sp 3 -basis set, including the second-nearest-neighbor interactions. The results show that the quantum confinement (QC) is not entirely controlled by the porosity, rather it is mainly affected by the average distance between pores (d). The p-Si is found to exhibit weaker confinement character than Si-NWs. The confinement energy of charge carriers decays against d exponentially for p-Si and via a power-law for Si-NWs. This latter type of QC is much stronger and is somewhat similar to the case of a single particle in a quantum box. The excellent fit to the PL data demonstrates that the experimental samples of p-Si do exhibit strong QC character and thus reveals the possibility of silicon clustering into nano-crystals and/or nanowires. Furthermore, the results show that the passivation of the surface dangling bonds by the hydrogen atoms plays an essential role in preventing the appearance of gap states and consequently enhances the optical qualities of the produced structures. The oscillator strength (OS) is found to increase exponentially with energy in Si-NWs confirming the strong confinement character of carriers. Our theoretical findings suggest the existence of Si nanocrystals (Si-NCs) of sizes 1-3 nm and/or Si-NWs of cross-sectional sizes in the 1-3 nm range inside the experimental p-Si samples. The experimentally-observed strong photoluminescence from p-Si should be in favor of an exhibition of 3D-confinement character. The favorable comparison of our theoretical results with the experimental data consolidates our above claims. -- Highlights: → Tight-binding is used to study quantum-confinement (QC) effects in p-Si and Si-NWs. → QC is not entirely controlled by the porosity but also by the d

12.5 Gb/s carrier-injection silicon Mach—Zehnder optical modulator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Hongtao; Ding Jianfeng; Yang Lin

2012-01-01

We demonstrate a 12.5 Gb/s carrier-injection silicon Mach—Zehnder optical modulator. Under a nonreturn-zero (NRZ) pre-emphasized electrical drive signal with voltage swing of 6.3 V and forward bias of 0.7 V, the eye is clearly opened with an extinction ratio of 8.4 dB. The device exhibits high modulation efficiency, with a figure of merit V π L of 0.036 V·mm. (semiconductor devices)

Piezoelectric photothermal study of the optical properties of microcrystalline silicon near the bandgap

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fukuyama, A.; Sakamoto, S.; Sonoda, S.; Wang, P.; Sakai, K.; Ikari, T.

2006-01-01

The optical absorption spectra of hydrogenated microcrystalline silicon (μc-Si:H) films deposited on glass and transparent conductive oxide (TCO) covered glass substrates were measured by using the piezoelectric photothermal (PPT) technique. The effects of the deposition rate on the optical absorption of μc-Si:H thin films were investigated from the nonradiative transition point of view. It was found that increasing the deposition rate resulted in a decrease of optical absorption and a shift of effective energy gap to the higher photon energy side. These changes in the optical properties of μc-Si:H cause the decrease of the number of carriers optically generated by absorbing sunlight, and results in a reduction in the photovoltaic conversion efficiency of the solar cells for high deposition rate samples. The usefulness of the PPT method for investigating the optical properties of thin and transparent μc-Si:H films was also demonstrated

Second-harmonic generation in substoichiometric silicon nitride layers

Science.gov (United States)

Pecora, Emanuele; Capretti, Antonio; Miano, Giovanni; Dal Negro, Luca

2013-03-01

Harmonic generation in optical circuits offers the possibility to integrate wavelength converters, light amplifiers, lasers, and multiple optical signal processing devices with electronic components. Bulk silicon has a negligible second-order nonlinear optical susceptibility owing to its crystal centrosymmetry. Silicon nitride has its place in the microelectronic industry as an insulator and chemical barrier. In this work, we propose to take advantage of silicon excess in silicon nitride to increase the Second Harmonic Generation (SHG) efficiency. Thin films have been grown by reactive magnetron sputtering and their nonlinear optical properties have been studied by femtosecond pumping over a wide range of excitation wavelengths, silicon nitride stoichiometry and thermal processes. We demonstrate SHG in the visible range (375 - 450 nm) using a tunable 150 fs Ti:sapphire laser, and we optimize the SH emission at a silicon excess of 46 at.% demonstrating a maximum SHG efficiency of 4x10-6 in optimized films. Polarization properties, generation efficiency, and the second order nonlinear optical susceptibility are measured for all the investigated samples and discussed in terms of an effective theoretical model. Our findings show that the large nonlinear optical response demonstrated in optimized Si-rich silicon nitride materials can be utilized for the engineering of nonlinear optical functions and devices on a Si chip.

Porous silicon: some new applications of this material with astonishing properties; Le silicium poreux: nouvelles applications de ce materiau aux proprietes remarquables

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gauthier-Manuel, B. [Laboratoire FEMTO-ST, Dept. MN2S, CNRS UMR 6174, 25 - Besancon (France)

2009-02-15

Anodic oxidation of silicon wafer in fluor-hydric acid solution leads to a porous material with surprising properties. Structures at nano-metric scale are source of deep photoluminescence. The very large scale of pore size available and the high specific surface obtained allows optical and microfabrication applications. This paper describes the electrochemical process of this material, some characterization methods, and some new applications in the fields of micro-energy and molecular separation. (author)

Optical characterization of RTV615 silicone rubber compound

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, W; Huber, G M

2014-01-01

Room Temperature Vulcanized (RTV) silicone compounds are commonly used to bond optical components. For our application, we needed to identify an adhesive with good ultraviolet transmission characteristics, to couple photomultipliers to quartz windows in a Heavy Gas Čerenkov detector that is being constructed for Experimental Hall C of Jefferson Lab to provide π/K separation up to 11 GeV/c. To this end, we present the light transmission results for Momentive RTV615 silicone rubber compound for wavelengths between 195-400 nm, obtained with an adapted reflectivity apparatus at Jefferson Lab. All samples cured at room temperature have transmissions ∼ 93% for wavelengths between 360-400 nm and fall sharply below 230 nm. Wavelength dependent absorption coefficients were extracted with four samples of different thicknesses cured at normal temperature (25° C for 7 days). The absorption coefficient drops approximately two orders in magnitude from 220-400 nm, exhibiting distinct regions of flattening near 250 nm and 330 nm. We also investigated the effect of a high temperature curing method (100° C for 1 hour) and found 5-10% better transmission than with the normal method. The effect was more significant with larger sample thickness (3.35 mm) over the wavelength range of 220-280 nm

Optical microcavities based on surface modes in two-dimensional photonic crystals and silicon-on-insulator photonic crystals

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Xiao, Sanshui; Qiu, M.

2007-01-01

Surface-mode optical microcavities based on two-dimensional photonic crystals and silicon-on-insulator photonic crystals are studied. We demonstrate that a high-quality-factor microcavity can be easily realized in these structures. With an increasing of the cavity length, the quality factor is gr...... is gradually enhanced and the resonant frequency converges to that of the corresponding surface mode in the photonic crystals. These structures have potential applications such as sensing.......Surface-mode optical microcavities based on two-dimensional photonic crystals and silicon-on-insulator photonic crystals are studied. We demonstrate that a high-quality-factor microcavity can be easily realized in these structures. With an increasing of the cavity length, the quality factor...

Strained Silicon Photonics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ralf B. Wehrspohn

2012-05-01

Full Text Available A review of recent progress in the field of strained silicon photonics is presented. The application of strain to waveguide and photonic crystal structures can be used to alter the linear and nonlinear optical properties of these devices. Here, methods for the fabrication of strained devices are summarized and recent examples of linear and nonlinear optical devices are discussed. Furthermore, the relation between strain and the enhancement of the second order nonlinear susceptibility is investigated, which may enable the construction of optically active photonic devices made of silicon.

Ultrafast Silicon Photonics with Visible to Mid-Infrared Pumping of Silicon Nanocrystals.

Science.gov (United States)

Diroll, Benjamin T; Schramke, Katelyn S; Guo, Peijun; Kortshagen, Uwe R; Schaller, Richard D

2017-10-11

Dynamic optical control of infrared (IR) transparency and refractive index is achieved using boron-doped silicon nanocrystals excited with mid-IR optical pulses. Unlike previous silicon-based optical switches, large changes in transmittance are achieved without a fabricated structure by exploiting strong light coupling of the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) produced from free holes of p-type silicon nanocrystals. The choice of optical excitation wavelength allows for selectivity between hole heating and carrier generation through intraband or interband photoexcitation, respectively. Mid-IR optical pumping heats the free holes of p-Si nanocrystals to effective temperatures greater than 3500 K. Increases of the hole effective mass at high effective hole temperatures lead to a subpicosecond change of the dielectric function, resulting in a redshift of the LSPR, modulating mid-IR transmission by as much as 27%, and increasing the index of refraction by more than 0.1 in the mid-IR. Low hole heat capacity dictates subpicosecond hole cooling, substantially faster than carrier recombination, and negligible heating of the Si lattice, permitting mid-IR optical switching at terahertz repetition frequencies. Further, the energetic distribution of holes at high effective temperatures partially reverses the Burstein-Moss effect, permitting the modulation of transmittance at telecommunications wavelengths. The results presented here show that doped silicon, particularly in micro- or nanostructures, is a promising dynamic metamaterial for ultrafast IR photonics.

Etched ion tracks in silicon oxide and silicon oxynitride as charge injection or extraction channels for novel electronic structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fink, D.; Petrov, A.V.; Hoppe, K.; Fahrner, W.R.; Papaleo, R.M.; Berdinsky, A.S.; Chandra, A.; Chemseddine, A.; Zrineh, A.; Biswas, A.; Faupel, F.; Chadderton, L.T.

2004-01-01

The impact of swift heavy ions onto silicon oxide and silicon oxynitride on silicon creates etchable tracks in these insulators. After their etching and filling-up with highly resistive matter, these nanometric pores can be used as charge extraction or injection paths towards the conducting channel in the underlying silicon. In this way, a novel family of electronic structures has been realized. The basic characteristics of these 'TEMPOS' (=tunable electronic material with pores in oxide on silicon) structures are summarized. Their functionality is determined by the type of insulator, the etch track diameters and lengths, their areal densities, the type of conducting matter embedded therein, and of course by the underlying semiconductor and the contact geometry. Depending on the TEMPOS preparation recipe and working point, the structures may resemble gatable resistors, condensors, diodes, transistors, photocells, or sensors, and they are therefore rather universally applicable in electronics. TEMPOS structures are often sensitive to temperature, light, humidity and organic gases. Also light-emitting TEMPOS structures have been produced. About 37 TEMPOS-based circuits such as thermosensors, photosensors, humidity and alcohol sensors, amplifiers, frequency multipliers, amplitude modulators, oscillators, flip-flops and many others have already been designed and successfully tested. Sometimes TEMPOS-based circuits are more compact than conventional electronics

Composition and optical properties tunability of hydrogenated silicon carbonitride thin films deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering

Science.gov (United States)

Bachar, A.; Bousquet, A.; Mehdi, H.; Monier, G.; Robert-Goumet, C.; Thomas, L.; Belmahi, M.; Goullet, A.; Sauvage, T.; Tomasella, E.

2018-06-01

Radiofrequency reactive magnetron sputtering was used to deposit hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbonitride (a-SiCxNy:H) at 400 °C by sputtering a silicon target under CH4 and N2 reactive gas mixture. Rutherford backscattering spectrometry revealed that the change of reactive gases flow rate (the ratio R = FN2/(FN2+FCH4)) induced a smooth chemical composition tunability from a silicon carbide-like film for R = 0 to a silicon nitride-like one at R = 1 with a large area of silicon carbonitrides between the two regions. The deconvolution of Fourier Transform InfraRed and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy spectrum highlighted a shift of the chemical environment of the deposited films corresponding to the changes seen by RBS. The consequence of these observations is that a control of refractive index in the range of [1.9-2.5] at λ = 633 nm and optical bandgap in the range [2 eV-3.8 eV] have been obtained which induces that these coatings can be used as antireflective coatings in silicon photovoltaic cells.

Hydrogen in amorphous silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peercy, P.S.

1980-01-01

The structural aspects of amorphous silicon and the role of hydrogen in this structure are reviewed with emphasis on ion implantation studies. In amorphous silicon produced by Si ion implantation of crystalline silicon, the material reconstructs into a metastable amorphous structure which has optical and electrical properties qualitatively similar to the corresponding properties in high-purity evaporated amorphous silicon. Hydrogen studies further indicate that these structures will accomodate less than or equal to 5 at.% hydrogen and this hydrogen is bonded predominantly in a monohydride (SiH 1 ) site. Larger hydrogen concentrations than this can be achieved under certain conditions, but the excess hydrogen may be attributed to defects and voids in the material. Similarly, glow discharge or sputter deposited amorphous silicon has more desirable electrical and optical properties when the material is prepared with low hydrogen concentration and monohydride bonding. Results of structural studies and hydrogen incorporation in amorphous silicon were discussed relative to the different models proposed for amorphous silicon

All-Optical dc Nanotesla Magnetometry Using Silicon Vacancy Fine Structure in Isotopically Purified Silicon Carbide

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. Simin

2016-07-01

Full Text Available We uncover the fine structure of a silicon vacancy in isotopically purified silicon carbide (4H-^{28}SiC and reveal not yet considered terms in the spin Hamiltonian, originated from the trigonal pyramidal symmetry of this spin-3/2 color center. These terms give rise to additional spin transitions, which would be otherwise forbidden, and lead to a level anticrossing in an external magnetic field. We observe a sharp variation of the photoluminescence intensity in the vicinity of this level anticrossing, which can be used for a purely all-optical sensing of the magnetic field. We achieve dc magnetic field sensitivity better than 100  nT/sqrt[Hz] within a volume of 3×10^{-7}mm^{3} at room temperature and demonstrate that this contactless method is robust at high temperatures up to at least 500 K. As our approach does not require application of radio-frequency fields, it is scalable to much larger volumes. For an optimized light-trapping waveguide of 3  mm^{3}, the projection noise limit is below 100  fT/sqrt[Hz].

Ultra-compact and wide-spectrum-range thermo-optic switch based on silicon coupled photonic crystal microcavities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Xingyu; Chung, Chi-Jui; Pan, Zeyu; Yan, Hai; Chakravarty, Swapnajit; Chen, Ray T.

2015-01-01

We design, fabricate, and experimentally demonstrate a compact thermo-optic gate switch comprising a 3.78 μm-long coupled L0-type photonic crystal microcavities on a silicon-on-insulator substrate. A nanohole is inserted in the center of each individual L0 photonic crystal microcavity. Coupling between identical microcavities gives rise to bonding and anti-bonding states of the coupled photonic molecules. The coupled photonic crystal microcavities are numerically simulated and experimentally verified with a 6 nm-wide flat-bottom resonance in its transmission spectrum, which enables wider operational spectrum range than microring resonators. An integrated micro-heater is in direct contact with the silicon core to efficiently drive the device. The thermo-optic switch is measured with an optical extinction ratio of 20 dB, an on-off switching power of 18.2 mW, a thermo-optic tuning efficiency of 0.63 nm/mW, a rise time of 14.8 μs, and a fall time of 18.5 μs. The measured on-chip loss on the transmission band is as low as 1 dB

Porous silicon nanoparticles for target drag delivery: structure and morphology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spivak, Yu M; Belorus, A O; Somov, P A; Bespalova, K A; Moshnikov, V A; Tulenin, S S

2015-01-01

Nanoparticles of porous silicon were obtained by electrochemical anodic etching. Morphology and structure of the particles was investigated by means dynamic light scattering and scanning electron microscopy. The influence of technological conditions of preparation on geometrical parameters of the porous silicon particles (particle size distribution, pore shape and size, the specific surface area of the porous silicon) is discussed. (paper)

Silicon photonics fundamentals and devices

CERN Document Server

Deen, M Jamal

2012-01-01

The creation of affordable high speed optical communications using standard semiconductor manufacturing technology is a principal aim of silicon photonics research. This would involve replacing copper connections with optical fibres or waveguides, and electrons with photons. With applications such as telecommunications and information processing, light detection, spectroscopy, holography and robotics, silicon photonics has the potential to revolutionise electronic-only systems. Providing an overview of the physics, technology and device operation of photonic devices using exclusively silicon and related alloys, the book includes: * Basic Properties of Silicon * Quantum Wells, Wires, Dots and Superlattices * Absorption Processes in Semiconductors * Light Emitters in Silicon * Photodetectors , Photodiodes and Phototransistors * Raman Lasers including Raman Scattering * Guided Lightwaves * Planar Waveguide Devices * Fabrication Techniques and Material Systems Silicon Photonics: Fundamentals and Devices outlines ...

Silicon photonics for multicore fiber communication

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ding, Yunhong; Kamchevska, Valerija; Dalgaard, Kjeld

2016-01-01

We review our recent work on silicon photonics for multicore fiber communication, including multicore fiber fan-in/fan-out, multicore fiber switches towards reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexers. We also present multicore fiber based quantum communication using silicon devices.......We review our recent work on silicon photonics for multicore fiber communication, including multicore fiber fan-in/fan-out, multicore fiber switches towards reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexers. We also present multicore fiber based quantum communication using silicon devices....

Ultrafast spontaneous emission of copper-doped silicon enhanced by an optical nanocavity.

Science.gov (United States)

Sumikura, Hisashi; Kuramochi, Eiichi; Taniyama, Hideaki; Notomi, Masaya

2014-05-23

Dopants in silicon (Si) have attracted attention in the fields of photonics and quantum optics. However, the optical characteristics are limited by the small spontaneous emission rate of dopants in Si. This study demonstrates a large increase in the spontaneous emission rate of copper isoelectronic centres (Cu-IECs) doped into Si photonic crystal nanocavities. In a cavity with a quality factor (Q) of ~16,000, the photoluminescence (PL) lifetime of the Cu-IECs is 1.1 ns, which is 30 times shorter than the lifetime of a sample without a cavity. The PL decay rate is increased in proportion to Q/Vc (Vc is the cavity mode volume), which indicates the Purcell effect. This is the first demonstration of a cavity-enhanced ultrafast spontaneous emission from dopants in Si, and it may lead to the development of fast and efficient Si light emitters and Si quantum optical devices based on dopants with efficient optical access.

Data Transmission and Thermo-Optic Tuning Performance of Dielectric-Loaded Plasmonic Structures Hetero-Integrated on a Silicon Chip

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Giannoulis, G.; Kalavrouziotis, D.; Apostolopoulos, D.

2012-01-01

We demonstrate experimental evidence of the data capture and the low-energy thermo-optic tuning credentials of dielectric-loaded plasmonic structures integrated on a silicon chip. We show 7-nm thermo-optical tuning of a plasmonic racetrack-resonator with less than 3.3 mW required electrical power...

Third-harmonic generation in silicon and photonic crystals of macroporous silicon in the spectral intermediate-IR range; Erzeugung der Dritten Harmonischen in Silizium und Photonischen Kristallen aus makroporoesem Silizium im spektralen mittleren IR-Bereich

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mitzschke, Kerstin

2007-11-01

Nonlinear optical spectroscopy is a powerful method to study surface or bulk properties of condensed matter. In centrosymmetric materials like silicon even order nonlinear optical processes are forbidden. Besides self-focussing or self phase modulation third-harmonic-generation (THG) is the simplest process that can be studied. This work demonstrates that THG is a adapted non-contact and non-invasive optical method to get information about bulk structures of silicon and Photonic crystals (PC), consisting of silicon. Until now most studies are done in the visible spectral range being limited by the linear absorption losses. So the extension of THG to the IR spectral range is extremely useful. This will allow the investigation of Photonic Crystals, where frequencies near a photonic bandgap are of special interest. 2D- photonic structures under investigation were fabricated via photoelectrochemical etching of the Si (100) wafer (thickness 500 {mu}m) receiving square and hexagonal arranged pores. The typical periodicity of the structures used is 2 {mu}m and the length of the pores reached to 400 {mu}m. Because of stability the photonic structures were superimposed on silicon substrate. The experimental set-up used for the THG experiments generates tuneable picosecond IR pulses (tuning range 1500-4000 cm{sup -1}). The IR-pulse hit the sample either perpendicular to the sample surface or under an angle {theta}. The sample can be rotated (f) around the surface normal. The generated third harmonic is analysed by a polarizer, spectrally filtered by a polychromator and registered by a CCD camera. The setup can be used either in transmission or in reflection mode. Optical transmission and reflection spectra of the Si bulk correspond well with the theoretical description, a 4-fold and a 8-fold dependencies of the azimuth angle resulting in the structure of the x{sup (3)}-tensor of (100)-Si. The situation changes dramatically if the PC with hexagonal structure is investigated

Amphotericin B channels in phospholipid membrane-coated nanoporous silicon surfaces: implications for photovoltaic driving of ions across membranes.

Science.gov (United States)

Yilma, Solomon; Liu, Nangou; Samoylov, Alexander; Lo, Ting; Brinker, C Jeffrey; Vodyanoy, Vitaly

2007-03-15

The antimycotic agent amphotericin B (AmB) functions by forming complexes with sterols to form ion channels that cause membrane leakage. When AmB and cholesterol mixed at 2:1 ratio were incorporated into phospholipid bilayer membranes formed on the tip of patch pipettes, ion channel current fluctuations with characteristic open and closed states were observed. These channels were also functional in phospholipid membranes formed on nanoporous silicon surfaces. Electrophysiological studies of AmB-cholesterol mixtures that were incorporated into phospholipid membranes formed on the surface of nanoporous (6.5 nm pore diameter) silicon plates revealed large conductance ion channels ( approximately 300 pS) with distinct open and closed states. Currents through the AmB-cholesterol channels on nanoporous silicon surfaces can be driven by voltage applied via conventional electrical circuits or by photovoltaic electrical potential entirely generated when the nanoporous silicon surface is illuminated with a narrow laser beam. Electrical recordings made during laser illumination of AmB-cholesterol containing membrane-coated nanoporous silicon surfaces revealed very large conductance ion channels with distinct open and closed states. Our findings indicate that nanoporous silicon surfaces can serve as mediums for ion-channel-based biosensors. The photovoltaic properties of nanoporous silicon surfaces show great promise for making such biosensors addressable via optical technologies.

Real-time monitoring of enzyme activity in a mesoporous silicon double layer

Science.gov (United States)

Orosco, Manuel M.; Pacholski, Claudia; Sailor, Michael J.

2009-04-01

The activity of certain proteolytic enzymes is often an indicator of disease states such as cancer, stroke and neurodegeneracy, so there is a need for rapid assays that can characterize the kinetics and substrate specificity of enzymatic reactions. Nanostructured membranes can efficiently separate biomolecules, but coupling a sensitive detection method to such a membrane remains difficult. Here, we demonstrate a single mesoporous nanoreactor that can isolate and quantify in real time the reaction products of proteases. The reactor consists of two layers of porous films electrochemically prepared from crystalline silicon. The upper layer, with large pore sizes (~100 nm in diameter), traps the protease and acts as the reactor. The lower layer, with smaller pore sizes (~6 nm), excludes the proteases and other large proteins and captures the reaction products. Infiltration of the digested fragments into the lower layer produces a measurable change in optical reflectivity, and this allows label-free quantification of enzyme kinetics in real time within a volume of ~5 nl.

Study of optical absorbance in porous silicon nanowires for photovoltaic applications

KAUST Repository

Charrier, Joël

2013-10-01

Porous silicon nanowires (PSiNWs) layers fabrication was reported. Reflectance spectra were measured as a function of the nanowire length and were inferior to 0.1% and a strong photoluminescence (PL) signal was measured from samples. Models based on cone shape of nanowires located in circular and rectangular bases were used to calculate the reflectance using the transfer matrix formalism (TMF) of PSiNWs layer. The modeling of the reflectance permits to explain this value by taking account into the shape of the nanowires and its porosity. Optical absorbance and transmission were also theoretically studied. The absorbance was superior to that obtained with silicon nanowires and the ultimate efficiency was about equal to 25% for normal incidence angle. These results could be applied to the potential application in low-cost and high efficiency PSiNWs based solar cells. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

On-chip photonic microsystem for optical signal processing based on silicon and silicon nitride platforms

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yu; Li, Jiachen; Yu, Hongchen; Yu, Hai; Chen, Hongwei; Yang, Sigang; Chen, Minghua

2018-04-01

The explosive growth of data centers, cloud computing and various smart devices is limited by the current state of microelectronics, both in terms of speed and heat generation. Benefiting from the large bandwidth, promising low power consumption and passive calculation capability, experts believe that the integrated photonics-based signal processing and transmission technologies can break the bottleneck of microelectronics technology. In recent years, integrated photonics has become increasingly reliable and access to the advanced fabrication process has been offered by various foundries. In this paper, we review our recent works on the integrated optical signal processing system. We study three different kinds of on-chip signal processors and use these devices to build microsystems for the fields of microwave photonics, optical communications and spectrum sensing. The microwave photonics front receiver was demonstrated with a signal processing range of a full-band (L-band to W-band). A fully integrated microwave photonics transceiver without the on-chip laser was realized on silicon photonics covering the signal frequency of up 10 GHz. An all-optical orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) de-multiplier was also demonstrated and used for an OFDM communication system with the rate of 64 Gbps. Finally, we show our work on the monolithic integrated spectrometer with a high resolution of about 20 pm at the central wavelength of 1550 nm. These proposed on-chip signal processing systems potential applications in the fields of radar, 5G wireless communication, wearable devices and optical access networks.

Performance of multilayer coated silicon pore optics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ackermann, M. D.; Collon, M. J.; Cooper-Jensen, Carsten P.

2010-01-01

simultaneously requirements for effective area of 2.5 m2 at 1.25 keV, 0.65 m2 at 6 keV and 150 cm2 at 30 keV. The reflectivity of the bare mirror substrate materials does not allow these requirements to be met. As such the IXO baseline design contains a coating layout that varies as a function of mirror radius...

The all-optical modulator in dielectric-loaded waveguide with graphene-silicon heterojunction structure

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Feiying; Xia, Liangping; Nie, Changbin; Shen, Jun; Zou, Yixuan; Cheng, Guiyu; Wu, Hao; Zhang, Yong; Wei, Dongshan; Yin, Shaoyun; Du, Chunlei

2018-04-01

All-optical modulators based on graphene show great promise for on-chip optical interconnects. However, the modulation performance of all-optical modulators is usually based on the interaction between graphene and the fiber, limiting their potential in high integration. Based on this point, an all-optical modulator in a dielectric-loaded waveguide (DLW) with a graphene-silicon heterojunction structure (GSH) is proposed. The DLW raises the waveguide mode, which provides a strong light-graphene interaction. Sufficient tuning of the graphene Fermi energy beyond the Pauli blocking effect is obtained with the presented GSH structure. Under the modulation light with a wavelength of 532 nm and a power of 60 mW, a modulation efficiency of 0.0275 dB µm-1 is achieved for light with a communication wavelength of 1.55 µm in the experiment. This modulator has the advantage of having a compact footprint, which may make it a candidate for achieving a highly integrated all-optical modulator.

Silicon photonics for telecommunications and biomedicine

CERN Document Server

Fathpour, Sasan

2011-01-01

Given silicon's versatile material properties, use of low-cost silicon photonics continues to move beyond light-speed data transmission through fiber-optic cables and computer chips. Its application has also evolved from the device to the integrated-system level. A timely overview of this impressive growth, Silicon Photonics for Telecommunications and Biomedicine summarizes state-of-the-art developments in a wide range of areas, including optical communications, wireless technologies, and biomedical applications of silicon photonics. With contributions from world experts, this reference guides

3D silicon neural probe with integrated optical fibers for optogenetic modulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Eric G R; Tu, Hongen; Luo, Hao; Liu, Bin; Bao, Shaowen; Zhang, Jinsheng; Xu, Yong

2015-07-21

Optogenetics is a powerful modality for neural modulation that can be useful for a wide array of biomedical studies. Penetrating microelectrode arrays provide a means of recording neural signals with high spatial resolution. It is highly desirable to integrate optics with neural probes to allow for functional study of neural tissue by optogenetics. In this paper, we report the development of a novel 3D neural probe coupled simply and robustly to optical fibers using a hollow parylene tube structure. The device shanks are hollow tubes with rigid silicon tips, allowing the insertion and encasement of optical fibers within the shanks. The position of the fiber tip can be precisely controlled relative to the electrodes on the shank by inherent design features. Preliminary in vivo rat studies indicate that these devices are capable of optogenetic modulation simultaneously with 3D neural signal recording.

High-density oxidized porous silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gharbi, Ahmed; Souifi, Abdelkader; Remaki, Boudjemaa; Halimaoui, Aomar; Bensahel, Daniel

2012-01-01

We have studied oxidized porous silicon (OPS) properties using Fourier transform infraRed (FTIR) spectroscopy and capacitance–voltage C–V measurements. We report the first experimental determination of the optimum porosity allowing the elaboration of high-density OPS insulators. This is an important contribution to the research of thick integrated electrical insulators on porous silicon based on an optimized process ensuring dielectric quality (complete oxidation) and mechanical and chemical reliability (no residual pores or silicon crystallites). Through the measurement of the refractive indexes of the porous silicon (PS) layer before and after oxidation, one can determine the structural composition of the OPS material in silicon, air and silica. We have experimentally demonstrated that a porosity approaching 56% of the as-prepared PS layer is required to ensure a complete oxidation of PS without residual silicon crystallites and with minimum porosity. The effective dielectric constant values of OPS materials determined from capacitance–voltage C–V measurements are discussed and compared to FTIR results predictions. (paper)

Influence of Pore Size on the Optical and Electrical Properties of Screen Printed TiO2 Thin Films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dinfa Luka Domtau

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Influence of pore size on the optical and electrical properties of TiO2 thin films was studied. TiO2 thin films with different weight percentages (wt% of carbon black were deposited by screen printing method on fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO coated on glass substrate. Carbon black decomposed on annealing and artificial pores were created in the films. All the films were 3.2 µm thick as measured by a surface profiler. UV-VIS-NIR spectrophotometer was used to study transmittance and reflectance spectra of the films in the photon wavelength of 300–900 nm while absorbance was studied in the range of 350–900 nm. Band gaps and refractive index of the films were studied using the spectra. Reflectance, absorbance, and refractive index were found to increase with concentrations of carbon black. There was no significant variation in band gaps of films with change in carbon black concentrations. Transmittance reduced as the concentration of carbon black in TiO2 increased (i.e., increase in pore size. Currents and voltages (I-V characteristics of the films were measured by a 4-point probe. Resistivity (ρ and conductivity (σ of the films were computed from the I-V values. It was observed that resistivity increased with carbon black concentrations while conductivity decreased as the pore size of the films increased.

Effect of UV irradiations on the structural and optical features of porous silicon: application in silicon solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aouida, S.; Saadoun, M.; Boujmil, M.F.; Ben Rabha, M.; Bessaies, B.

2004-01-01

The aim of this paper is to investigate the structural and optical stability of porous silicon layers (PSLs) planned to be used in silicon solar cells technology. The PSLs were prepared by a HNO 3 /HF vapor etching (VE) based method. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy shows that fresh VE-based PSLs contain N-H and Si-F bonds related to a ammonium hexafluorosilicate (NH 4 ) 2 SiF 6 minor phase, and conventional Si-H x and Si-O x bonds. Free air exposures of PSLs without and with UV irradiation lead to oxidation or photo-oxidation of the porous layer, respectively. FT-IR characterisation of the PSLs shows that UV irradiations modify the transformation kinetics replacing instable Si-H x by Si-O x or Si-O-H bonds. When fresh PSLs undergo free air oxidation within 7 days, the surface reflectivity decreases from 10 to about 8%, while it drops to about 4% when a 10 min free air UV irradiation is applied. Long periods of free air oxidation do not ensure the reflectivity to be stable, whereas it becomes stable after only 10 min of UV irradiation. This behaviour was explained taking into account the kinetic differences between oxidation with and without UV irradiation. Fresh VE-based PSLs were found to improve efficiently the photovoltaic (PV) characteristics of crystalline silicon solar cells. The passivating action of VE-based PSLs was discussed. An improvement of the PV performances was observed solely for stable oxidized porous silicon (PS) structures obtained from UV irradiations

Synthesis and characterization of porous silicon as hydroxyapatite host matrix of biomedical applications.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A Dussan

Full Text Available In this work, porous-silicon samples were prepared by electrochemical etching on p-type (B-doped Silicon (Si wafers. Hydrofluoric acid (HF-ethanol (C2H5OH [HF:Et] and Hydrofluoric acid (HF-dimethylformamide (DMF-C3H7NO [HF:DMF] solution concentrations were varied between [1:2]-[1:3] and [1:7]-[1:9], respectively. Effects of synthesis parameters, like current density, solution concentrations, reaction time, on morphological properties were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM and atomic force microscopy (AFM measurements. Pore sizes varying from 20 nm to micrometers were obtained for long reaction times and [HF:Et] [1:2] concentrations; while pore sizes in the same order were observed for [HF:DMF] [1:7], but for shorter reaction time. Greater surface uniformity and pore distribution was obtained for a current density of around 8 mA/cm2 using solutions with DMF. A correlation between reflectance measurements and pore size is presented. The porous-silicon samples were used as substrate for hydroxyapatite growth by sol-gel method. X-ray diffraction (XRD and SEM were used to characterize the layers grown. It was found that the layer topography obtained on PS samples was characterized by the evidence of Hydroxyapatite in the inter-pore regions and over the surface.

Synthesis and characterization of porous silicon as hydroxyapatite host matrix of biomedical applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Dussan, A; Bertel, S D; Melo, S F; Mesa, F

2017-01-01

In this work, porous-silicon samples were prepared by electrochemical etching on p-type (B-doped) Silicon (Si) wafers. Hydrofluoric acid (HF)-ethanol (C2H5OH) [HF:Et] and Hydrofluoric acid (HF)-dimethylformamide (DMF-C3H7NO) [HF:DMF] solution concentrations were varied between [1:2]-[1:3] and [1:7]-[1:9], respectively. Effects of synthesis parameters, like current density, solution concentrations, reaction time, on morphological properties were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements. Pore sizes varying from 20 nm to micrometers were obtained for long reaction times and [HF:Et] [1:2] concentrations; while pore sizes in the same order were observed for [HF:DMF] [1:7], but for shorter reaction time. Greater surface uniformity and pore distribution was obtained for a current density of around 8 mA/cm2 using solutions with DMF. A correlation between reflectance measurements and pore size is presented. The porous-silicon samples were used as substrate for hydroxyapatite growth by sol-gel method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and SEM were used to characterize the layers grown. It was found that the layer topography obtained on PS samples was characterized by the evidence of Hydroxyapatite in the inter-pore regions and over the surface.

Pore collapse and regrowth in silicon electrodes for rechargeable batteries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

DeCaluwe, S. C. [Department of Mechanical Engineering; Colorado School of Mines; USA; Center for Neutron Research; National Institute of Standards and Technology; Dhar, B. M. [Institute for Materials Research and Dept. of Mechanical Engineering; State University of New York; Binghamton; USA; Material Measurement Laboratory; Huang, L. [Institute for Materials Research and Dept. of Mechanical Engineering; State University of New York; Binghamton; USA; He, Y. [Institute for Materials Research and Dept. of Mechanical Engineering; State University of New York; Binghamton; USA; Department of Physics and Astronomy; Yang, K. [Institute for Materials Research and Dept. of Mechanical Engineering; State University of New York; Binghamton; USA; Owejan, J. P. [Department of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Technology; State University of New York; Alfred; USA; Zhao, Y. [Department of Physics and Astronomy; University of Georgia; Athens; USA; Talin, A. A. [Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology; National Institute of Standards and Technology; Gaithersburg; USA; Sandia National Laboratories; Dura, J. A. [Center for Neutron Research; National Institute of Standards and Technology; Gaithersburg; USA; Wang, H. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering; University of Maryland; College Park; USA; Institute for Materials Research and Dept. of Mechanical Engineering

2015-01-01

In-operando Neutron Reflectometry establishes the pore collapse and regrowth (PCRG) mechanism in amorphous Si. Upon lithiation, porosity is first consumed by expansion of solid Si domains, with little thickness increase. After, the whole film expands. Porosity returns upon delithiation.

Emerging heterogeneous integrated photonic platforms on silicon

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fathpour Sasan

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Silicon photonics has been established as a mature and promising technology for optoelectronic integrated circuits, mostly based on the silicon-on-insulator (SOI waveguide platform. However, not all optical functionalities can be satisfactorily achieved merely based on silicon, in general, and on the SOI platform, in particular. Long-known shortcomings of silicon-based integrated photonics are optical absorption (in the telecommunication wavelengths and feasibility of electrically-injected lasers (at least at room temperature. More recently, high two-photon and free-carrier absorptions required at high optical intensities for third-order optical nonlinear effects, inherent lack of second-order optical nonlinearity, low extinction ratio of modulators based on the free-carrier plasma effect, and the loss of the buried oxide layer of the SOI waveguides at mid-infrared wavelengths have been recognized as other shortcomings. Accordingly, several novel waveguide platforms have been developing to address these shortcomings of the SOI platform. Most of these emerging platforms are based on heterogeneous integration of other material systems on silicon substrates, and in some cases silicon is integrated on other substrates. Germanium and its binary alloys with silicon, III–V compound semiconductors, silicon nitride, tantalum pentoxide and other high-index dielectric or glass materials, as well as lithium niobate are some of the materials heterogeneously integrated on silicon substrates. The materials are typically integrated by a variety of epitaxial growth, bonding, ion implantation and slicing, etch back, spin-on-glass or other techniques. These wide range of efforts are reviewed here holistically to stress that there is no pure silicon or even group IV photonics per se. Rather, the future of the field of integrated photonics appears to be one of heterogenization, where a variety of different materials and waveguide platforms will be used for

Evolution of optical constants of silicon dioxide on silicon from ultrathin films to thick films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cai Qingyuan; Zheng Yuxiang; Mao Penghui; Zhang Rongjun; Zhang Dongxu; Liu Minghui; Chen Liangyao, E-mail: yxzheng@fudan.edu.c [Key Laboratory of Micro and Nano Photonic Structures, Ministry of Education, Department of Optical Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433 (China)

2010-11-10

A series of SiO{sub 2} films with thickness range 1-600 nm have been deposited on crystal silicon (c-Si) substrates by electron beam evaporation (EBE) method. Variable-angle spectroscopic ellipsometry (VASE) in combination with a two-film model (ambient-oxide-interlayer substrate) was used to determine the optical constants and thicknesses of the investigated films. The refractive indices of SiO{sub 2} films thicker than 60 nm are close to those of bulk SiO{sub 2}. For the thin films deposited at the rate of {approx}1.0 nm s{sup -1}, the refractive indices increase with decreasing thickness from {approx}60 to {approx}10 nm and then drop sharply with decreasing thickness below {approx}10 nm. However, for thin films deposited at the rates of {approx}0.4 and {approx}0.2 nm s{sup -1}, the refractive indices monotonically increase with decreasing thickness below 60 nm. The optical constants of the ultrathin film depend on the morphology of the film, the stress exerted on the film, as well as the stoichiometry of the oxide film.

Evolution of optical constants of silicon dioxide on silicon from ultrathin films to thick films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cai Qingyuan; Zheng Yuxiang; Mao Penghui; Zhang Rongjun; Zhang Dongxu; Liu Minghui; Chen Liangyao

2010-01-01

A series of SiO 2 films with thickness range 1-600 nm have been deposited on crystal silicon (c-Si) substrates by electron beam evaporation (EBE) method. Variable-angle spectroscopic ellipsometry (VASE) in combination with a two-film model (ambient-oxide-interlayer substrate) was used to determine the optical constants and thicknesses of the investigated films. The refractive indices of SiO 2 films thicker than 60 nm are close to those of bulk SiO 2 . For the thin films deposited at the rate of ∼1.0 nm s -1 , the refractive indices increase with decreasing thickness from ∼60 to ∼10 nm and then drop sharply with decreasing thickness below ∼10 nm. However, for thin films deposited at the rates of ∼0.4 and ∼0.2 nm s -1 , the refractive indices monotonically increase with decreasing thickness below 60 nm. The optical constants of the ultrathin film depend on the morphology of the film, the stress exerted on the film, as well as the stoichiometry of the oxide film.

Observation of an optical event horizon in a silicon-on-insulator photonic wire waveguide.

Science.gov (United States)

Ciret, Charles; Leo, François; Kuyken, Bart; Roelkens, Gunther; Gorza, Simon-Pierre

2016-01-11

We report on the first experimental observation of an optical analogue of an event horizon in integrated nanophotonic waveguides, through the reflection of a continuous wave on an intense pulse. The experiment is performed in a dispersion-engineered silicon-on-insulator waveguide. In this medium, solitons do not suffer from Raman induced self-frequency shift as in silica fibers, a feature that is interesting for potential applications of optical event horizons. As shown by simulations, this also allows the observation of multiple reflections at the same time on fundamental solitons ejected by soliton fission.

Electro-optical modulator in a polymerinfiltrated silicon slotted photonic crystal waveguide heterostructure resonator.

Science.gov (United States)

Wülbern, Jan Hendrik; Petrov, Alexander; Eich, Manfred

2009-01-05

We present a novel concept of a compact, ultra fast electro-optic modulator, based on photonic crystal resonator structures that can be realized in two dimensional photonic crystal slabs of silicon as core material employing a nonlinear optical polymer as infiltration and cladding material. The novel concept is to combine a photonic crystal heterostructure cavity with a slotted defect waveguide. The photonic crystal lattice can be used as a distributed electrode for the application of a modulation signal. An electrical contact is hence provided while the optical wave is kept isolated from the lossy metal electrodes. Thereby, well known disadvantages of segmented electrode designs such as excessive scattering are avoided. The optical field enhancement in the slotted region increases the nonlinear interaction with an external electric field resulting in an envisaged switching voltage of approximately 1 V at modulation speeds up to 100 GHz.

Structural, optical and electrical properties of silicon nanocrystals embedded in SixC1−x/SiC multilayer systems for photovoltaic applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

López-Vidrier, J.; Hernández, S.; Samà, J.; Canino, M.; Allegrezza, M.; Bellettato, M.; Shukla, R.; Schnabel, M.; Löper, P.; López-Conesa, L.; Estradé, S.; Peiró, F.; Janz, S.; Garrido, B.

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► We study the structural, optical and electrical properties of Si x C 1−x /SiC multilayers with different Si excess. ► Multilayer structure is destroyed after annealing at 1100 °C. ► Energy filtered TEM confirmed the Si NC formation. ► Sample thickness values from optical simulations are in agreement with TEM observations. ► The crystallization degree of the NCs was evaluated by Raman scattering and R and T techniques. ► The system conductivity depends on the NC size. ► The presence of a defective oxycarbide layer on top did not allow for obtaining useful electrical information. -- Abstract: In this work we present a structural, optical and electrical characterization of Si x C 1−x /SiC multilayer systems with different silicon content. After the deposition process, an annealing treatment was carried out in order to induce the silicon nanocrystals formation. By means of energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy (EFTEM) we observed the structural morphology of the multilayers and the presence of crystallized silicon nanoprecipitates for samples annealed up to 1100 °C. We discuss the suitability of optical techniques such as Raman scattering and reflectance and transmittance (R and T) for the evaluation of the crystalline fraction of our samples at different silicon excess ranges. In addition, the combination of R and T measurements with simulation has proved to be a useful instrument to confirm the structural properties observed by EFTEM. Finally, we explore the origin of the extremely high current density revealed by electrical measurements, probably due to the presence of an undesired defective SiC y O z ternary compound layer, already supported by the structural and optical results. Nevertheless, the variation of the electrical measurements with the silicon amount indicates a small but significant contribution from the multilayers

Drug delivery via porous silicon: a focused patent review.

Science.gov (United States)

Kulyavtsev, Paulina A; Spencer, Roxanne P

2017-03-01

Although silicon is more commonly associated with computer chips than with drug delivery, with the discovery that porous silicon is a viable biocompatible material, mesoporous silicon with pores between 2 and 50 nm has been loaded with small molecule and biomolecule therapeutics and safely implanted for controlled release. As porous silicon is readily oxidized, porous silica must also be considered for drug delivery applications. Since 2010, only a limited number of US patents have been granted, primarily for ophthalmologic and immunotherapy applications, in contrast to the growing body of technical literature in this area.

Full Field X-Ray Fluorescence Imaging Using Micro Pore Optics for Planetary Surface Exploration

Science.gov (United States)

Sarrazin, P.; Blake, D. F.; Gailhanou, M.; Walter, P.; Schyns, E.; Marchis, F.; Thompson, K.; Bristow, T.

2016-01-01

Many planetary surface processes leave evidence as small features in the sub-millimetre scale. Current planetary X-ray fluorescence spectrometers lack the spatial resolution to analyse such small features as they only provide global analyses of areas greater than 100 mm(exp 2). A micro-XRF spectrometer will be deployed on the NASA Mars 2020 rover to analyse spots as small as 120m. When using its line-scanning capacity combined to perpendicular scanning by the rover arm, elemental maps can be generated. We present a new instrument that provides full-field XRF imaging, alleviating the need for precise positioning and scanning mechanisms. The Mapping X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometer - "Map-X" - will allow elemental imaging with approximately 100µm spatial resolution and simultaneously provide elemental chemistry at the scale where many relict physical, chemical and biological features can be imaged in ancient rocks. The arm-mounted Map-X instrument is placed directly on the surface of an object and held in a fixed position during measurements. A 25x25 mm(exp 2) surface area is uniformly illuminated with X-rays or alpha-particles and gamma-rays. A novel Micro Pore Optic focusses a fraction of the emitted X-ray fluorescence onto a CCD operated at a few frames per second. On board processing allows measuring the energy and coordinates of each X-ray photon collected. Large sets of frames are reduced into 2d histograms used to compute higher level data products such as elemental maps and XRF spectra from selected regions of interest. XRF spectra are processed on the ground to further determine quantitative elemental compositions. The instrument development will be presented with an emphasis on the characterization and modelling of the X-ray focussing Micro Pore Optic. An outlook on possible alternative XRF imaging applications will be discussed.

Integration of lateral porous silicon membranes into planar microfluidics.

Science.gov (United States)

Leïchlé, Thierry; Bourrier, David

2015-02-07

In this work, we present a novel fabrication process that enables the monolithic integration of lateral porous silicon membranes into single-layer planar microchannels. This fabrication technique relies on the patterning of local electrodes to guide pore formation horizontally within the membrane and on the use of silicon-on-insulator substrates to spatially localize porous silicon within the channel depth. The feasibility of our approach is studied by current flow analysis using the finite element method and supported by creating 10 μm long mesoporous membranes within 20 μm deep microchannels. The fabricated membranes are demonstrated to be potentially useful for dead-end microfiltration by adequately retaining 300 nm diameter beads while macromolecules such as single-stranded DNA and immunoglobulin G permeate the membrane. The experimentally determined fluidic resistance is in accordance with the theoretical value expected from the estimated pore size and porosity. The work presented here is expected to greatly simplify the integration of membranes capable of size exclusion based separation into fluidic devices and opens doors to the use of porous silicon in planar lab on a chip devices.

Surface wave photonic device based on porous silicon multilayers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guillermain, E.; Lysenko, V.; Benyattou, T.

2006-01-01

Porous silicon is widely studied in the field of photonics due to its interesting optical properties. In this work, we present theoretical and first experimental studies of a new kind of porous silicon photonic device based on optical surface wave. A theoretical analysis of the device is presented using plane-wave approximation. The porous silicon multilayered structures are realized using electrochemical etching of p + -type silicon. Morphological and optical characterizations of the realized structures are reported

Thermally promoted addition of undecylenic acid on thermally hydrocarbonized porous silicon optical reflectors

OpenAIRE

Jalkanen, Tero; Mäkilä, Ermei; Sakka, Tetsuo; Salonen, Jarno; Ogata, Yukio H

2012-01-01

Thermally promoted addition of undecylenic acid is studied as a method for modifying porous silicon optical reflectors that have been pre-treated with thermal hydrocarbonization. Successful derivatization of undecylenic acid is demonstrated and confirmed with Fourier transform infrared and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies. The results indicate that the hydrocarbonization pre-treatment considerably improves stability against oxidation and chemical dissolution in basic environments. The two-s...

Irradiation effects of swift heavy ions on gallium arsenide, silicon and silicon diodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhoraskar, V.N.

2001-01-01

The irradiation effects of high energy lithium, boron, oxygen and silicon ions on crystalline silicon, gallium arsenide, porous silicon and silicon diodes were investigated. The ion energy and fluence were varied over the ranges 30 to 100 MeV and 10 11 to 10 14 ions/cm 2 respectively. Semiconductor samples were characterized with the x-ray fluorescence, photoluminescence, thermally stimulated exo-electron emission and optical reflectivity techniques. The life-time of minority carriers in crystalline silicon was measured with a pulsed electron beam and the lithium depth distribution in GaAs was measured with the neutron depth profiling technique. The diodes were characterized through electrical measurements. The results of optical reflectivity, life-time of minority carriers and photoluminescence show that swift heavy ions induce defects in the surface region of crystalline silicon. In the ion-irradiated GaAs, migration of silicon, oxygen and lithium atoms from the buried region towards the surface was observed, with orders of magnitude enhancement in the diffusion coefficients. Enhancement in the photoluminescence intensity was observed in the GaAs and porous silicon samples that, were irradiated with silicon ions. The trade-off between the turn-off time and the voltage, drop in diodes irradiated with different swift heavy ions was also studied. (author)

Conciliating surface superhydrophobicities and mechanical strength of porous silicon films

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Fuguo; Zhao, Kun; Cheng, Jinchun; Zhang, Junyan

2011-01-01

Hydrophobic surfaces on Mechanical stable macroporous silicon films were prepared by electrochemical etching with subsequent octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) modification. The surface morphologies were controlled by current densities and the mechanical properties were adjusted by their corresponding porosities. Contrast with the smooth macroporous silicon films with lower porosities (34.1%) and microporous silicon with higher porosities (97%), the macroporous film with a rough three-dimension (3D) surface and a moderate pore to cross-section area ratio (37.8%, PSi2‧) exhibited both good mechanical strength (Yong' modulus, shear modulus and collapse strength are 64.2, 24.1 and 0.32 GPa, respectively) and surface superhydrophobicity (water contact angle is 158.4 ± 2° and sliding angle is 2.7 ± 1°). This result revealed that the surface hydrophobicities (or the surface roughness) and mechanical strength of porous films could be conciliated by pore to cross-section area ratios control and 3D structures construction. Thus, the superhydrophobic surfaces on mechanical stable porous films could be obtained by 3D structures fabrication on porous film with proper pore to cross-section area ratios.

Application of quantum-dot multi-wavelength lasers and silicon photonic ring resonators to data-center optical interconnects

Science.gov (United States)

Beckett, Douglas J. S.; Hickey, Ryan; Logan, Dylan F.; Knights, Andrew P.; Chen, Rong; Cao, Bin; Wheeldon, Jeffery F.

2018-02-01

Quantum dot comb sources integrated with silicon photonic ring-resonator filters and modulators enable the realization of optical sub-components and modules for both inter- and intra-data-center applications. Low-noise, multi-wavelength, single-chip, laser sources, PAM4 modulation and direct detection allow a practical, scalable, architecture for applications beyond 400 Gb/s. Multi-wavelength, single-chip light sources are essential for reducing power dissipation, space and cost, while silicon photonic ring resonators offer high-performance with space and power efficiency.

CH(3)NH(3)PbI(3) perovskite / silicon tandem solar cells: characterization based optical simulations.

Science.gov (United States)

Filipič, Miha; Löper, Philipp; Niesen, Bjoern; De Wolf, Stefaan; Krč, Janez; Ballif, Christophe; Topič, Marko

2015-04-06

In this study we analyze and discuss the optical properties of various tandem architectures: mechanically stacked (four-terminal) and monolithically integrated (two-terminal) tandem devices, consisting of a methyl ammonium lead triiodide (CH(3)NH(3)PbI(3)) perovskite top solar cell and a crystalline silicon bottom solar cell. We provide layer thickness optimization guidelines and give estimates of the maximum tandem efficiencies based on state-of-the-art sub cells. We use experimental complex refractive index spectra for all involved materials as input data for an in-house developed optical simulator CROWM. Our characterization based simulations forecast that with optimized layer thicknesses the four-terminal configuration enables efficiencies over 30%, well above the current single-junction crystalline silicon cell record of 25.6%. Efficiencies over 30% can also be achieved with a two-terminal monolithic integration of the sub-cells, combined with proper selection of layer thicknesses.

Optical characterization of luminescent silicon nanocrystals embedded in glass matrices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Debieu, Olivier

2008-12-16

Interstellar dust in nebulae and in the Diffuse Interstellar Medium (DISM) of galaxies contains a component which exhibits efficient visible-near infrared luminescence ranging from 500 to 1000 nm, known as Extended Red Emission (ERE). Silicon nanocrystals (nc-Si) are discussed as possible carriers of the ERE. We employed the accelerator facilities of the Institute of Solid State Physics of the University of Jena to implant Si ions into fused silica windows. An excess concentration of silicon atoms is thus produced in the host SiO{sub 2} matrix which, by applying an annealing at 1100 C, condensates to silicon nanoparticles and crystallizes. Although the condensation and crystallization occur after an annealing of one minute,10, 15 the samples were annealed during one hour in order to well-passivate the nc-Si, that means, to reduce effectively the number of Si-dangling bonds at the nc-Si surface that are efficient non-radiative recombination centers. 10, 16 Upon excitation with UV light, most of our nc-Si/SiO{sub 2} samples revealed strong PL. We implanted into our luminescent nc-Si/SiO{sub 2} systems other atomic elements, as for instance magnesium and calcium, which form silicates if their oxide is combined with SiO{sub 2}. The purpose is to simulate the conditions for silicates containing nc-Si. In order to understand the effect of the incorporation of foreign atoms on the PL properties of our nc-Si/SiO{sub 2} systems, we proceeded to similar experiments with Er and Ge. As has been demonstrated by several authors, 17, 18 the presence of nc-Si in a glass matrix enhances considerably the emission of Er{sup 3+} ions at 1.536{mu}m. At the same time, the PL of nc-Si is considerably quenched. Since the solubility of Er in crystalline silicon is about 2 orders of magnitude lower than in SiO{sub 2}, the optically active Er{sup 3+} ions are believed to be localized outside the nc-Si core, demonstrating that ions present in the host SiO{sub 2} matrix influence the PL

Optical properties of metal nanoparticles embedded in amorphous silicon analysed using discrete dipole approximation

Science.gov (United States)

Fantoni, Alessandro; Fernandes, Miguel; Vygranenko, Yuri; Vieira, Manuela; Oliveira-Silva, Rui P.; Prazeres, D. M. F.; Ribeiro, Ana P. C.; Alegria, Elisabete C. B. A.

2018-02-01

Localized surface plasmons (LSP) can be excited in metal nanoparticles (NP) by UV, visible or NIR light and are described as coherent oscillation of conduction electrons. Taking advantage of the tunable optical properties of NPs, we propose the realization of a plasmonic structure, based on the LSP interaction of NP with an embedding matrix of amorphous silicon. This study is directed to define the characteristics of NP and substrate necessary to the development of a LSP proteomics sensor that, once provided immobilized antibodies on its surface, will screen the concentration of selected antigens through the determination of LSPR spectra and peaks of light absorption. Metals of interest for NP composition are: Aluminium and Gold. Recent advances in nanoparticle production techniques allow almost full control over shapes and size, permitting full control over their optical and plasmonic properties and, above all, over their responsive spectra. Analytical solution is only possible for simple NP geometries, therefore our analysis, is realized recurring to computer simulation using the Discrete Dipole Approximation method (DDA). In this work we use the free software DDSCAT to study the optical properties of metal nanoparticles embedded in an amorphous silicon matrix, as a function of size, shape, aspect-ratio and metal type. Experimental measurements realized with arrays of metal nanoparticles are compared with the simulations.

Design and modelling of a silicon optical MEMS switch controlled by magnetic field generated by a plain coil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Golebiowski, J; Milcarz, Sz

2014-01-01

Optical switches can be made as a silicon cantilever with a magnetic layer. Such a structure is placed in a magnetic field of a planar coil. There is a torque deflecting the silicon beam with NiFe layer depending on a flux density of the magnetic field. The study shows an analysis of ferromagnetic layer parameters, beam's dimensions on optical switch characteristics. Different constructions of the beams were simulated for a range of values of magnetic field strength from 100 to 1000 A/m. An influence of the actuators parameters on characteristics was analysed. The loss of stiffness of the beam caused by specific constructions effected in displacements reaching 85 nm. Comsol Multiphysics 4.3b was used for the simulations.

X-ray pencil beam facility for optics characterization

Science.gov (United States)

Krumrey, Michael; Cibik, Levent; Müller, Peter; Bavdaz, Marcos; Wille, Eric; Ackermann, Marcelo; Collon, Maximilien J.

2010-07-01

The Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) has used synchrotron radiation for the characterization of optics and detectors for astrophysical X-ray telescopes for more than 20 years. At a dedicated beamline at BESSY II, a monochromatic pencil beam is used by ESA and cosine Research since the end of 2005 for the characterization of novel silicon pore optics, currently under development for the International X-ray Observatory (IXO). At this beamline, a photon energy of 2.8 keV is selected by a Si channel-cut monochromator. Two apertures at distances of 12.2 m and 30.5 m from the dipole source form a pencil beam with a typical diameter of 100 μm and a divergence below 1". The optics to be investigated is placed in a vacuum chamber on a hexapod, the angular positioning is controlled by means of autocollimators to below 1". The reflected beam is registered at 5 m distance from the optics with a CCD-based camera system. This contribution presents design and performance of the upgrade of this beamline to cope with the updated design for IXO. The distance between optics and detector can now be 20 m. For double reflection from an X-ray Optical Unit (XOU) and incidence angles up to 1.4°, this corresponds to a vertical translation of the camera by 2 m. To achieve high reflectance at this angle even with uncoated silicon, a lower photon energy of 1 keV is available from a pair of W/B4C multilayers. For coated optics, a high energy option can provide a pencil beam of 7.6 keV radiation.

Application of resonant backscattering spectrometry for determination of pore structure changes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Paszti, F. E-mail: paszti@rmki.kfki.hu; Szilagyi, E.; Manuaba, A.; Battistig, G

2000-03-01

In the present work slightly oxidised porous silicon samples of columnar type were investigated by resonant elastic scattering using the 3045 keV resonance in the {sup 16}O({alpha},{alpha}){sup 16}O reaction. If the incident energy is slightly above the resonance energy, a characteristic peak appears in the energy spectra of the backscattered particles. In porous material the individual ions travel fluctuating distance in pores, hence, the peak width depends on the structure of the sample. When changing the direction of the analysing beam to the sample, the width of the resonance peak changes in a special way characterising the angular distribution of the pore walls. This resonance method was applied to columnar type porous Si samples implanted by 4 MeV N ions at various tilt angles and fluences. It was shown that the beam tilts the pore walls by an angle proportional to the fluence and the sine of the angle between the beam and the pore walls. Meantime, the angular divergence of the pore walls also increases. The underlying mechanism is briefly discussed.

Semiconductor nanostructures on silicon. Carrier dynamics, optical amplification and lasing; Halbleiternanostrukturen auf Silizium. Ladungstraegerdynamik, optischer Verstaerker und Laser

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lange, Christoph

2008-12-11

Two material systems that can be grown epitaxially on a silicon substrate are experimentally investigated with respect to their optical properties. Quantum wells (qw) of Germanium were experimentally investigated by spectrally resolved white-light pump-probe-absorption spectroscopy at room temperature. A second material class is Ga(NAsP), which was grown as quantum wells on a silicon substrate matching the lattice constant of the substrate. The basic optical properties were determined using the variable stripe-length method. In order to relate the results to those of established materials, a selection of comparable III/V semiconductors were measured in the same setups. The pump-probe measurements on (GaIn)As quantum wells exhibited a much more rapid scattering. In these material systems, quite similar optical gain values of 10{sup -3}/QW were found with decay times of several 100 ps. For (GaIn)(NAs), slightly higher values were determined. Using the variable stripe-length method, GaSb quantum wells with dot-like morphology were investigated. (orig.)

Lithium ion batteries based on nanoporous silicon

Science.gov (United States)

Tolbert, Sarah H.; Nemanick, Eric J.; Kang, Chris Byung-Hwa

2015-09-22

A lithium ion battery that incorporates an anode formed from a Group IV semiconductor material such as porous silicon is disclosed. The battery includes a cathode, and an anode comprising porous silicon. In some embodiments, the anode is present in the form of a nanowire, a film, or a powder, the porous silicon having a pore diameters within the range between 2 nm and 100 nm and an average wall thickness of within the range between 1 nm and 100 nm. The lithium ion battery further includes, in some embodiments, a non-aqueous lithium containing electrolyte. Lithium ion batteries incorporating a porous silicon anode demonstrate have high, stable lithium alloying capacity over many cycles.

Fiber optic sensor and method for making

Science.gov (United States)

Vartuli, James Scott; Bousman, Kenneth Sherwood; Deng, Kung-Li; McEvoy, Kevin Paul; Xia, Hua

2010-05-18

A fiber optic sensor including a fiber having a modified surface integral with the fiber wherein the modified surface includes an open pore network with optical agents dispersed within the open pores of the open pore network. Methods for preparing the fiber optic sensor are also provided. The fiber optic sensors can withstand high temperatures and harsh environments.

Synthesis of highly integrated optical network based on microdisk-resonator add-drop filters in silicon-on-insulator technology

Science.gov (United States)

Kaźmierczak, Andrzej; Dortu, Fabian; Giannone, Domenico; Bogaerts, Wim; Drouard, Emmanuel; Rojo-Romeo, Pedro; Gaffiot, Frederic

2009-10-01

We analyze a highly compact optical add-drop filter topology based on a pair of microdisk resonators and a bus waveguide intersection. The filter is further assessed on an integrated optical 4×4 network for optical on-chip communication. The proposed network structure, as compact as 50×50 μm, is fabricated in a CMOS-compatible process on a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate. Finally, the experimental results demonstrate the proper operation of the fabricated devices.

Towards a subcutaneous optical biosensor based on thermally hydrocarbonised porous silicon.

Science.gov (United States)

Tong, Wing Yin; Sweetman, Martin J; Marzouk, Ezzat R; Fraser, Cara; Kuchel, Tim; Voelcker, Nicolas H

2016-01-01

Advanced biosensors in future medicine hinge on the evolvement of biomaterials. Porous silicon (pSi), a generally biodegradable and biocompatible material that can be fabricated to include environment-responsive optical characteristics, is an excellent candidate for in vivo biosensors. However, the feasibility of using this material as a subcutaneously implanted optical biosensor has never been demonstrated. Here, we investigated the stability and biocompatibility of a thermally-hydrocarbonised (THC) pSi optical rugate filter, and demonstrated its optical functionality in vitro and in vivo. We first compared pSi films with different surface chemistries and observed that the material was cytotoxic despite the outstanding stability of the THC pSi films. We then showed that the cytotoxicity correlates with reactive oxygen species levels, which could be mitigated by pre-incubation of THC pSi (PITHC pSi). PITHC pSi facilitates normal cellular phenotypes and is biocompatible in vivo. Importantly, the material also possesses optical properties capable of responding to microenvironmental changes that are readable non-invasively in cell culture and subcutaneous settings. Collectively, we demonstrate, for the first time, that PITHC pSi rugate filters are both biocompatible and optically functional for lab-on-a-chip and subcutaneous biosensing scenarios. We believe that this study will deepen our understanding of cell-pSi interactions and foster the development of implantable biosensors. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Scattering characteristics from porous silicon

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Sabet-Dariani

2000-12-01

Full Text Available   Porous silicon (PS layers come into existance as a result of electrochemical anodization on silicon. Although a great deal of research has been done on the formation and optical properties of this material, the exact mechanism involved is not well-understood yet.   In this article, first, the optical properties of silicon and porous silicon are described. Then, previous research and the proposed models about reflection from PS and the origin of its photoluminescence are reveiwed. The reflecting and scattering, absorption and transmission of light from this material, are then investigated. These experiments include,different methods of PS sample preparation their photoluminescence, reflecting and scattering of light determining different characteristics with respect to Si bulk.

Periodically poled silicon

Science.gov (United States)

Hon, Nick K.; Tsia, Kevin K.; Solli, Daniel R.; Khurgin, Jacob B.; Jalali, Bahram

2010-02-01

Bulk centrosymmetric silicon lacks second-order optical nonlinearity χ(2) - a foundational component of nonlinear optics. Here, we propose a new class of photonic device which enables χ(2) as well as quasi-phase matching based on periodic stress fields in silicon - periodically-poled silicon (PePSi). This concept adds the periodic poling capability to silicon photonics, and allows the excellent crystal quality and advanced manufacturing capabilities of silicon to be harnessed for devices based on χ(2)) effects. The concept can also be simply achieved by having periodic arrangement of stressed thin films along a silicon waveguide. As an example of the utility, we present simulations showing that mid-wave infrared radiation can be efficiently generated through difference frequency generation from near-infrared with a conversion efficiency of 50% based on χ(2) values measurements for strained silicon reported in the literature [Jacobson et al. Nature 441, 199 (2006)]. The use of PePSi for frequency conversion can also be extended to terahertz generation. With integrated piezoelectric material, dynamically control of χ(2)nonlinearity in PePSi waveguide may also be achieved. The successful realization of PePSi based devices depends on the strength of the stress induced χ(2) in silicon. Presently, there exists a significant discrepancy in the literature between the theoretical and experimentally measured values. We present a simple theoretical model that produces result consistent with prior theoretical works and use this model to identify possible reasons for this discrepancy.

Annealing effect on thermodynamic and physical properties of mesoporous silicon: A simulation and nitrogen sorption study

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Pushpendra; Huber, Patrick

2016-04-01

Discovery of porous silicon formation in silicon substrate in 1956 while electro-polishing crystalline Si in hydrofluoric acid (HF), has triggered large scale investigations of porous silicon formation and their changes in physical and chemical properties with thermal and chemical treatment. A nitrogen sorption study is used to investigate the effect of thermal annealing on electrochemically etched mesoporous silicon (PS). The PS was thermally annealed from 200˚C to 800˚C for 1 hr in the presence of air. It was shown that the pore diameter and porosity of PS vary with annealing temperature. The experimentally obtained adsorption / desorption isotherms show hysteresis typical for capillary condensation in porous materials. A simulation study based on Saam and Cole model was performed and compared with experimentally observed sorption isotherms to study the physics behind of hysteresis formation. We discuss the shape of the hysteresis loops in the framework of the morphology of the layers. The different behavior of adsorption and desorption of nitrogen in PS with pore diameter was discussed in terms of concave menisci formation inside the pore space, which was shown to related with the induced pressure in varying the pore diameter from 7.2 nm to 3.4 nm.

Quantum Properties of Dichroic Silicon Vacancies in Silicon Carbide

Science.gov (United States)

Nagy, Roland; Widmann, Matthias; Niethammer, Matthias; Dasari, Durga B. R.; Gerhardt, Ilja; Soykal, Öney O.; Radulaski, Marina; Ohshima, Takeshi; Vučković, Jelena; Son, Nguyen Tien; Ivanov, Ivan G.; Economou, Sophia E.; Bonato, Cristian; Lee, Sang-Yun; Wrachtrup, Jörg

2018-03-01

Although various defect centers have displayed promise as either quantum sensors, single photon emitters, or light-matter interfaces, the search for an ideal defect with multifunctional ability remains open. In this spirit, we study the dichroic silicon vacancies in silicon carbide that feature two well-distinguishable zero-phonon lines and analyze the quantum properties in their optical emission and spin control. We demonstrate that this center combines 40% optical emission into the zero-phonon lines showing the contrasting difference in optical properties with varying temperature and polarization, and a 100% increase in the fluorescence intensity upon the spin resonance, and long spin coherence time of their spin-3 /2 ground states up to 0.6 ms. These results single out this defect center as a promising system for spin-based quantum technologies.

Optical property of silicon quantum dots embedded in silicon nitride by thermal annealing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Baek Hyun, E-mail: bhkim@andrew.cmu.ed [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, United Sates (United States); Davis, Robert F. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, United Sates (United States); Park, Seong-Ju [Nanophotonic Semiconductors Laboratory, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju, 500-712 (Korea, Republic of)

2010-01-01

We present the effects on the thermal annealing of silicon quantum dots (Si QDs) embedded in silicon nitride. The improved photoluminescence (PL) intensities and the red-shifted PL spectra were obtained with annealing treatment in the range of 700 to 1000 {sup o}C. The shifts of PL spectra were attributed to the increase in the size of Si QDs. The improvement of the PL intensities was also attributed to the reduction of point defects at Si QD/silicon nitride interface and in the silicon nitride due to hydrogen passivation effects.

10 Gb/s operation of photonic crystal silicon optical modulators.

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, Hong C; Sakai, Yuya; Shinkawa, Mizuki; Ishikura, Norihiro; Baba, Toshihiko

2011-07-04

We report the first experimental demonstration of 10 Gb/s modulation in a photonic crystal silicon optical modulator. The device consists of a 200 μm-long SiO2-clad photonic crystal waveguide, with an embedded p-n junction, incorporated into an asymmetric Mach-Zehnder interferometer. The device is integrated on a SOI chip and fabricated by CMOS-compatible processes. With the bias voltage set at 0 V, we measure a V(π)L pseudo-random bit sequence signal. An open eye pattern is observed at bitrates of 10 Gb/s and 2 Gb/s, with and without pre-emphasis of the drive signal, respectively.

All-optically tunable waveform synthesis by a silicon nanowaveguide ring resonator coupled with a photonic-crystal fiber frequency shifter

KAUST Repository

Savvin, Aleksandr D.

2011-03-01

A silicon nanowaveguide ring resonator is combined with a photonic-crystal fiber (PCF) frequency shifter to demonstrate an all-optically tunable synthesis of ultrashort pulse trains, modulated by ultrafast photoinduced free-carrier generation in the silicon resonator. Pump-probe measurements performed with a 50-fs, 625-nm second-harmonic output of a Cr:forsterite laser, used as a carrier-injecting pump, and a 1.50-1.56-μm frequency-tunable 100-fs soliton output of a photonic-crystal fiber, serving as a probe, resolve tunable ultrafast oscillatory features in the silicon nanowaveguide resonator response. © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

All-optically tunable waveform synthesis by a silicon nanowaveguide ring resonator coupled with a photonic-crystal fiber frequency shifter

KAUST Repository

Savvin, Aleksandr D.; Melnikov, Vasily; Fedotov, Il'ya V.; Fedotov, Andrei B.; Perova, Tatiana S.; Zheltikov, Aleksei M.

2011-01-01

A silicon nanowaveguide ring resonator is combined with a photonic-crystal fiber (PCF) frequency shifter to demonstrate an all-optically tunable synthesis of ultrashort pulse trains, modulated by ultrafast photoinduced free-carrier generation in the silicon resonator. Pump-probe measurements performed with a 50-fs, 625-nm second-harmonic output of a Cr:forsterite laser, used as a carrier-injecting pump, and a 1.50-1.56-μm frequency-tunable 100-fs soliton output of a photonic-crystal fiber, serving as a probe, resolve tunable ultrafast oscillatory features in the silicon nanowaveguide resonator response. © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Response of murine bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells to dry-etched porous silicon scaffolds.

Science.gov (United States)

Hajj-Hassan, Mohamad; Khayyat-Kholghi, Maedeh; Wang, Huifen; Chodavarapu, Vamsy; Henderson, Janet E

2011-11-01

Porous silicon shows great promise as a bio-interface material due to its large surface to volume ratio, its stability in aqueous solutions and to the ability to precisely regulate its pore characteristics. In the current study, porous silicon scaffolds were fabricated from single crystalline silicon wafers by a novel xenon difluoride dry etching technique. This simplified dry etch fabrication process allows selective formation of porous silicon using a standard photoresist as mask material and eliminates the post-formation drying step typically required for the wet etching techniques, thereby reducing the risk of damaging the newly formed porous silicon. The porous silicon scaffolds supported the growth of primary cultures of bone marrow derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) plated at high density for up to 21 days in culture with no significant loss of viability, assessed using Alamar Blue. Scanning electron micrographs confirmed a dense lawn of cells at 9 days of culture and the presence of MSC within the pores of the porous silicon scaffolds. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Anomalous optical surface absorption in nominally pure silicon samples at 1550 nm

Science.gov (United States)

Bell, Angus S.; Steinlechner, Jessica; Martin, Iain W.; Craig, Kieran; Cunningham, William; Rowan, Sheila; Hough, Jim; Schnabel, Roman; Khalaidovski, Alexander

2017-10-01

The announcement of the direct detection of gravitational waves (GW) by the LIGO and Virgo collaboration in February 2016 has removed any uncertainty around the possibility of GW astronomy. It has demonstrated that future detectors with sensitivities ten times greater than the Advanced LIGO detectors would see thousands of events per year. Many proposals for such future interferometric GW detectors assume the use of silicon test masses. Silicon has low mechanical loss at low temperatures, which leads to low displacement noise for a suspended interferometer mirror. In addition to the low mechanical loss, it is a requirement that the test masses have a low optical loss. Measurements at 1550 nm have indicated that material with a low enough bulk absorption is available; however there have been suggestions that this low absorption material has a surface absorption of  >100 ppm which could preclude its use in future cryogenic detectors. We show in this paper that this surface loss is not intrinsic but is likely to be a result of particular polishing techniques and can be removed or avoided by the correct polishing procedure. This is an important step towards high gravitational wave detection rates in silicon based instruments.

Anomalous optical surface absorption in nominally pure silicon samples at 1550 nm

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bell, Angus S; Steinlechner, Jessica; Martin, Iain W; Craig, Kieran; Cunningham, William; Rowan, Sheila; Hough, Jim; Schnabel, Roman; Khalaidovski, Alexander

2017-01-01

The announcement of the direct detection of gravitational waves (GW) by the LIGO and Virgo collaboration in February 2016 has removed any uncertainty around the possibility of GW astronomy. It has demonstrated that future detectors with sensitivities ten times greater than the Advanced LIGO detectors would see thousands of events per year. Many proposals for such future interferometric GW detectors assume the use of silicon test masses. Silicon has low mechanical loss at low temperatures, which leads to low displacement noise for a suspended interferometer mirror. In addition to the low mechanical loss, it is a requirement that the test masses have a low optical loss. Measurements at 1550 nm have indicated that material with a low enough bulk absorption is available; however there have been suggestions that this low absorption material has a surface absorption of  >100 ppm which could preclude its use in future cryogenic detectors. We show in this paper that this surface loss is not intrinsic but is likely to be a result of particular polishing techniques and can be removed or avoided by the correct polishing procedure. This is an important step towards high gravitational wave detection rates in silicon based instruments. (paper)

Microstructural characterization and pore structure analysis of nuclear graphite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kane, J.; Karthik, C.; Butt, D.P.; Windes, W.E.; Ubic, R.

2011-01-01

Graphite will be used as a structural and moderator material in next-generation nuclear reactors. While the overall nature of the production of nuclear graphite is well understood, the historic nuclear grades of graphite are no longer available. This paper reports the virgin microstructural characteristics of filler particles and macro-scale porosity in virgin nuclear graphite grades of interest to the Next Generation Nuclear Plant program. Optical microscopy was used to characterize filler particle size and shape as well as the arrangement of shrinkage cracks. Computer aided image analysis was applied to optical images to quantitatively determine the variation of pore structure, area, eccentricity, and orientation within and between grades. The overall porosity ranged between ∼14% and 21%. A few large pores constitute the majority of the overall porosity. The distribution of pore area in all grades was roughly logarithmic in nature. The average pore was best fit by an ellipse with aspect ratio of ∼2. An estimated 0.6-0.9% of observed porosity was attributed to shrinkage cracks in the filler particles. Finally, a preferred orientation of the porosity was observed in all grades.

Material properties that predict preservative uptake for silicone hydrogel contact lenses.

Science.gov (United States)

Green, J Angelo; Phillips, K Scott; Hitchins, Victoria M; Lucas, Anne D; Shoff, Megan E; Hutter, Joseph C; Rorer, Eva M; Eydelman, Malvina B

2012-11-01

To assess material properties that affect preservative uptake by silicone hydrogel lenses. We evaluated the water content (using differential scanning calorimetry), effective pore size (using probe penetration), and preservative uptake (using high-performance liquid chromatography with spectrophotometric detection) of silicone and conventional hydrogel soft contact lenses. Lenses grouped similarly based on freezable water content as they did based on total water content. Evaluation of the effective pore size highlighted potential differences between the surface-treated and non-surface-treated materials. The water content of the lens materials and ionic charge are associated with the degree of preservative uptake. The current grouping system for testing contact lens-solution interactions separates all silicone hydrogels from conventional hydrogel contact lenses. However, not all silicone hydrogel lenses interact similarly with the same contact lens solution. Based upon the results of our research, we propose that the same material characteristics used to group conventional hydrogel lenses, water content and ionic charge, can also be used to predict uptake of hydrophilic preservatives for silicone hydrogel lenses. In addition, the hydrophobicity of silicone hydrogel contact lenses, although not investigated here, is a unique contact lens material property that should be evaluated for the uptake of relatively hydrophobic preservatives and tear components.

Electrical trapping mechanism of single-microparticles in a pore sensor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Akihide Arima

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Nanopore sensing via resistive pulse technique are utilized as a potent tool to characterize physical and chemical property of single –molecules and –particles. In this article, we studied the influence of particle trajectory to the ionic conductance through a pore. We performed the optical/electrical simultaneous sensing of electrophoretic capture dynamics of single-particles at a pore using a microchannel/nanopore system. We detected ionic current drops synchronous to a fluorescently dyed particle being electrophoretically drawn and become immobilized at a pore in the optical imaging. We also identified anomalous trapping events wherein particles were captured at nanoscale pin-holes formed unintentionally in a SiN membrane that gave rise to relatively small current drops. This method is expected to be a useful platform for testing novel nanopore sensor design wherein current behaves in unpredictable manner.

Silicon photonic integration in telecommunications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christopher Richard Doerr

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Silicon photonics is the guiding of light in a planar arrangement of silicon-based materials to perform various functions. We focus here on the use of silicon photonics to create transmitters and receivers for fiber-optic telecommunications. As the need to squeeze more transmission into a given bandwidth, a given footprint, and a given cost increases, silicon photonics makes more and more economic sense.

Photoluminescence studies on porous silicon/polymer heterostructure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mishra, J.K.; Bhunia, S.; Banerjee, S.; Banerji, P.

2008-01-01

Hybrid devices formed by filling porous silicon with MEH-PPV or poly [2-methoxy-5(2-ethylhexyloxy-p-phenylenevinylene)] have been investigated in this work. Analyses of the structures by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) demonstrated that the porous silicon layer was filled by the polymer with no significant change of the structures except that the polymer was infiltrated in the pores. The photoluminescence (PL) of the structures at 300 K showed that the emission intensity was very high as compared with that of the MEH-PPV films on different substrates such as crystalline silicon (c-Si) and indium tin oxide (ITO). The PL peak in the MEH-PPV/porous silicon composite structure is found to be shifted towards higher energy in comparison with porous silicon PL. A number of possibilities are discussed to explain the observations

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticle attachment on array of micro test tubes and microbeakers formed on p-type silicon substrate for biosensor applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raja Sufi

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract A uniformly distributed array of micro test tubes and microbeakers is formed on a p-type silicon substrate with tunable cross-section and distance of separation by anodic etching of the silicon wafer in N, N-dimethylformamide and hydrofluoric acid, which essentially leads to the formation of macroporous silicon templates. A reasonable control over the dimensions of the structures could be achieved by tailoring the formation parameters, primarily the wafer resistivity. For a micro test tube, the cross-section (i.e., the pore size as well as the distance of separation between two adjacent test tubes (i.e., inter-pore distance is typically approximately 1 μm, whereas, for a microbeaker the pore size exceeds 1.5 μm and the inter-pore distance could be less than 100 nm. We successfully synthesized superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs, with average particle size approximately 20 nm and attached them on the porous silicon chip surface as well as on the pore walls. Such SPION-coated arrays of micro test tubes and microbeakers are potential candidates for biosensors because of the biocompatibility of both silicon and SPIONs. As acquisition of data via microarray is an essential attribute of high throughput bio-sensing, the proposed nanostructured array may be a promising step in this direction.

Optical and electronic properties of HWCVD and PECVD silicon films irradiated using excimer and Nd:Yag lasers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shaikh, M.Z.; O'Neill, K.A.; Anthony, S.; Persheyev, S.K.; Rose, M.J.

2006-01-01

Thin silicon film samples were deposited using HWCVD and PECVD techniques to study the influence of laser annealing on their optical and electronic properties. Samples were annealed in air using a XeCl excimer and Nd:Yag lasers. Excimer laser annealing (ELA) at 50 to 222 mJ/cm 2 increased conductivity in PECVD films by 2 to 3 orders of magnitude and in HWCVD films by 1 to 2 orders of magnitude. ELA was also seen to decrease the optical gap in PECVD films by 0.5 eV and HWCVD films by 0.15 eV. Silicon-oxygen bond content was higher in as-deposited HWCVD films than PECVD films. Hydrogen content (at.%) in PECVD films was higher than HWCVD for higher H dilution ratios. A Nd:Yag laser 3-beam interference pattern was used to produce a periodic array of crystals in both PECVD and HWCVD films

Highly stable porous silicon-carbon composites as label-free optical biosensors.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsang, Chun Kwan; Kelly, Timothy L; Sailor, Michael J; Li, Yang Yang

2012-12-21

A stable, label-free optical biosensor based on a porous silicon-carbon (pSi-C) composite is demonstrated. The material is prepared by electrochemical anodization of crystalline Si in an HF-containing electrolyte to generate a porous Si template, followed by infiltration of poly(furfuryl) alcohol (PFA) and subsequent carbonization to generate the pSi-C composite as an optically smooth thin film. The pSi-C sensor is significantly more stable toward aqueous buffer solutions (pH 7.4 or 12) compared to thermally oxidized (in air, 800 °C), hydrosilylated (with undecylenic acid), or hydrocarbonized (with acetylene, 700 °C) porous Si samples prepared and tested under similar conditions. Aqueous stability of the pSi-C sensor is comparable to related optical biosensors based on porous TiO(2) or porous Al(2)O(3). Label-free optical interferometric biosensing with the pSi-C composite is demonstrated by detection of rabbit IgG on a protein-A-modified chip and confirmed with control experiments using chicken IgG (which shows no affinity for protein A). The pSi-C sensor binds significantly more of the protein A capture probe than porous TiO(2) or porous Al(2)O(3), and the sensitivity of the protein-A-modified pSi-C sensor to rabbit IgG is found to be ~2× greater than label-free optical biosensors constructed from these other two materials.

Optical gain at 1.53 {mu}m in Er{sup 3+}-Yb{sup 3+} co-doped porous silicon waveguides

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Najar, A. [Laboratoire d' Optronique UMR 6082-FOTON, Universite de Rennes 1, 6 rue de Kerampont, BP 80518, 22305 Lannion Cedex (France); Laboratoire de Spectroscopie Raman, Faculte des Sciences de Tunis, 2092 El Manar, Tunis (Tunisia)], E-mail: najar.adel@laposte.net; Charrier, J. [Laboratoire d' Optronique UMR 6082-FOTON, Universite de Rennes 1, 6 rue de Kerampont, BP 80518, 22305 Lannion Cedex (France); Ajlani, H. [Laboratoire de Spectroscopie Raman, Faculte des Sciences de Tunis, 2092 El Manar, Tunis (Tunisia); Lorrain, N.; Haesaert, S. [Laboratoire d' Optronique UMR 6082-FOTON, Universite de Rennes 1, 6 rue de Kerampont, BP 80518, 22305 Lannion Cedex (France); Oueslati, M. [Laboratoire de Spectroscopie Raman, Faculte des Sciences de Tunis, 2092 El Manar, Tunis (Tunisia); Haji, L. [Laboratoire d' Optronique UMR 6082-FOTON, Universite de Rennes 1, 6 rue de Kerampont, BP 80518, 22305 Lannion Cedex (France)

2008-01-15

Erbium-ytterbium (Er-Yb)-co-doped porous silicon planar waveguides were prepared from P{sup +}-type (1 0 0) oriented silicon wafer. Erbium and ytterbium ions were electrochemically introduced into the porous structure of the waveguide core. The doping profiles of erbium and ytterbium ions were determined by EDX analysis performed on sample cross-section. The mean concentration in the guiding layer is of about 1 x 10{sup 20} cm{sup -3}. The refractive indices were measured from co-doped porous silicon and undoped waveguides after the thermal treatments. The photoluminescence (PL) peak of optically activated erbium ions at 1.53 {mu}m was recorded. The PL enhancement is the result of the energy transfer from the excited state of Yb to the state of Er. Optical losses at 1.55 {mu}m were measured on these waveguides and were of about 2 dB/cm. An internal gain at 1.53 {mu}m of 5.8 dB/cm has been measured with a pump power of 65 mW at 980 nm.

High-End Silicon PDICs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. Zimmermann

2008-05-01

Full Text Available An overview on integrated silicon photodiodes and photodiode integrated circuits (PDICs or optoelectronic integrated circuits (OEICs for optical storage systems (OSS and fiber receivers is given. It is demonstrated, that by using low-cost silicon technologies high-performance OEICs being true competitors for some III/V-semiconductor OEICs can be realized. OSS-OEICs with bandwidths of up to 380 MHz and fiber receivers with maximum data rates of up to 11 Gbps are described. Low-cost data comm receivers for plastic optical fibers (POF as well as new circuit concepts for OEICs and highly parallel optical receivers are described also in the following.

Will silicon be the photonic material of the third millenium?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pavesi, L

2003-01-01

Silicon microphotonics, a technology which merges photonics and silicon microelectronic components, is rapidly evolving. Many different fields of application are emerging: transceiver modules for optical communication systems, optical bus systems for ULSI circuits, I/O stages for SOC, displays, .... In this review I will give a brief motivation for silicon microphotonics and try to give the state-of-the-art of this technology. The ingredient still lacking is the silicon laser: a review of the various approaches will be presented. Finally, I will try to draw some conclusions where silicon is predicted to be the material to achieve a full integration of electronic and optical devices. (topical review)

Silicon Waveguide with Lateral p-i-n Diode for Nonlinearity Compensation by On-Chip Optical Phase Conjugation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gajda, A.; Da Ros, Francesco; Porto da Silva, Edson

2018-01-01

A 1-dB Q-factor improvement through optical phase conjugation in a silicon waveguide with a lateral p-i-n diode enables BER

Influence of radiation on photo-electric characteristics of silicon photo cells with optical coverings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Madatov, R.S.; Safarov, N.A.; Gasymova, V.G.; Abdurragimov, A.A.; Allahverdiev, A.M.

2003-01-01

In the given work results of measurements volt-ampere and spectral characteristics of silicon photo cells with optical coverings ZnS+Nd 2 O 3 irradiated accelerated electrons with energy 4.5 MeV are carried out. Elements have been made by diffusion of phosphorus in p-silicon with specific resistance 2 Ω·cm. Under condition of illumination from source AMI the photocurrent of short circuit made 40 mA/cm 2 , and a photo voltage of idling 0.52 V, efficiency made 15 %. To receive low reflection in wide area of spectral sensitivity and by that as much as possible to increase efficiency of elements with the help of two-layer coverings. The irradiation of samples was made on linear accelerator EL4-6 at room temperature. It is received, that with increase in a dose of an irradiation the Photocurrent and photo voltage decreases, and speed reduction of a photo-current is stronger, than photo voltage. The critical integrated stream for these elements makes 4·10 12 el/cm 2 . In all researched samples radiating reduction of a voltage of idling in an interval of 10 10 -10 14 el/cm 2 makes 8-10 %. The analysis of spectral characteristics of the irradiated samples show, that reduction of a photocurrent in long-wave areas of a spectrum is connected by creation of radiating defects in a base part of an element. The increase in a critical stream in silicon solar elements with optical a covering in comparison with elements without a covering is connected with low concentration of defects in the base, created with electron. Thus, on the basis of complex research of influence on radiating stability silicon solar elements us it is established, that two-layer coverings not only increases efficiency of photo cells, but also considerably raise value of an integrated stream electrons, that is equivalent to increase in service life of the elements working in conditions of radiation

Formation of photoluminescent n-type macroporous silicon: Effect of magnetic field and lateral electric potential

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Antunez, E.E. [Centro de Investigación en Ingeniería y Ciencias Aplicadas, UAEM, Av. Universidad 1001, Col. Chamilpa, Cuernavaca, Morelos, CP 62210 (Mexico); Estevez, J.O. [Instituto de Física, B. Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, A.P. J-48, Puebla 72570 (Mexico); Campos, J. [Instituto de Energías Renovables, UNAM, Priv. Xochicalco S/N, Temixco, Morelos, CP 62580 (Mexico); Basurto-Pensado, M.A. [Centro de Investigación en Ingeniería y Ciencias Aplicadas, UAEM, Av. Universidad 1001, Col. Chamilpa, Cuernavaca, Morelos, CP 62210 (Mexico); Agarwal, V., E-mail: vagarwal@uaem.mx [Centro de Investigación en Ingeniería y Ciencias Aplicadas, UAEM, Av. Universidad 1001, Col. Chamilpa, Cuernavaca, Morelos, CP 62210 (Mexico)

2014-11-15

Metal electrode-free electrochemical etching of low doped n-type silicon substrates, under the combined effect of magnetic and lateral electric field, is used to fabricate photoluminescent n-type porous silicon structures in dark conditions. A lateral gradient in terms of structural characteristics (i.e. thickness and pore dimensions) along the electric field direction is formed. Enhancement of electric and magnetic field resulted in the increase of pore density and a change in the shape of the macropore structure, from circular to square morphology. Broad photoluminescence (PL) emission from 500 to 800 nm, with a PL peak wavelength ranging from 571 to 642 nm, is attributed to the wide range of microporous features present on the porous silicon layer.

Ultrafast Nonlinear Signal Processing in Silicon Waveguides

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Oxenløwe, Leif Katsuo; Mulvad, Hans Christian Hansen; Hu, Hao

2012-01-01

We describe recent demonstrations of exploiting highly nonlinear silicon waveguides for ultrafast optical signal processing. We describe wavelength conversion and serial-to-parallel conversion of 640 Gbit/s data signals and 1.28 Tbit/s demultiplexing and all-optical sampling.......We describe recent demonstrations of exploiting highly nonlinear silicon waveguides for ultrafast optical signal processing. We describe wavelength conversion and serial-to-parallel conversion of 640 Gbit/s data signals and 1.28 Tbit/s demultiplexing and all-optical sampling....

Analysis of silicon on insulator (SOI) optical microring add-drop filter based on waveguide intersections

Science.gov (United States)

Kaźmierczak, Andrzej; Bogaerts, Wim; Van Thourhout, Dries; Drouard, Emmanuel; Rojo-Romeo, Pedro; Giannone, Domenico; Gaffiot, Frederic

2008-04-01

We present a compact passive optical add-drop filter which incorporates two microring resonators and a waveguide intersection in silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology. Such a filter is a key element for designing simple layouts of highly integrated complex optical networks-on-chip. The filter occupies an area smaller than 10μm×10μm and exhibits relatively high quality factors (up to 4000) and efficient signal dropping capabilities. In the present work, the influence of filter parameters such as the microring-resonators radii and the coupling section shape are analyzed theoretically and experimentally

A porous silicon optical microcavity for sensitive bacteria detection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Sha; Huang Jianfeng; Cai Lintao

2011-01-01

A porous silicon microcavity (PSM) is highly sensitive to subtle interface changes due to its high surface area, capillary condensation ability and a narrow resonance peak (∼10 nm). Based on the well-defined optical properties of a PSM, we successfully fabricated a bacteria detection chip for molecular or subcellular analysis by surface modification using undecylenic acid (UA), and the specific recognition binding of vancomycin to the D-alanyl-D-alanine of bacteria. The red shift of the PSM resonance peak showed a good linear relationship with bacteria concentration ranging from 100 to 1000 bacteria ml -1 at the level of relative standard deviation of 0.994 and detection limit of 20 bacteria ml -1 . The resulting PSM sensors demonstrated high sensitivity, good reproducibility, fast response and low cost for biosensing.

A porous silicon optical microcavity for sensitive bacteria detection

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Sha; Huang, Jianfeng; Cai, Lintao

2011-10-01

A porous silicon microcavity (PSM) is highly sensitive to subtle interface changes due to its high surface area, capillary condensation ability and a narrow resonance peak (~10 nm). Based on the well-defined optical properties of a PSM, we successfully fabricated a bacteria detection chip for molecular or subcellular analysis by surface modification using undecylenic acid (UA), and the specific recognition binding of vancomycin to the D-alanyl-D-alanine of bacteria. The red shift of the PSM resonance peak showed a good linear relationship with bacteria concentration ranging from 100 to 1000 bacteria ml - 1 at the level of relative standard deviation of 0.994 and detection limit of 20 bacteria ml - 1. The resulting PSM sensors demonstrated high sensitivity, good reproducibility, fast response and low cost for biosensing.

A porous silicon optical microcavity for sensitive bacteria detection

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li Sha; Huang Jianfeng; Cai Lintao, E-mail: lt.cai@siat.ac.cn [CAS Key Lab of Health Informatics, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Cancer Nanotechnology, Institute of Biomedical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055 (China)

2011-10-21

A porous silicon microcavity (PSM) is highly sensitive to subtle interface changes due to its high surface area, capillary condensation ability and a narrow resonance peak ({approx}10 nm). Based on the well-defined optical properties of a PSM, we successfully fabricated a bacteria detection chip for molecular or subcellular analysis by surface modification using undecylenic acid (UA), and the specific recognition binding of vancomycin to the D-alanyl-D-alanine of bacteria. The red shift of the PSM resonance peak showed a good linear relationship with bacteria concentration ranging from 100 to 1000 bacteria ml{sup -1} at the level of relative standard deviation of 0.994 and detection limit of 20 bacteria ml{sup -1}. The resulting PSM sensors demonstrated high sensitivity, good reproducibility, fast response and low cost for biosensing.

3D characterisation of tool wear whilst diamond turning silicon

OpenAIRE

Durazo-Cardenas, Isidro Sergio; Shore, Paul; Luo, X.; Jacklin, T.; Impey, S. A.; Cox, A.

2006-01-01

Nanometrically smooth infrared silicon optics can be manufactured by the diamond turning process. Due to its relatively low density, silicon is an ideal optical material for weight sensitive infrared (IR) applications. However, rapid diamond tool edge degradation and the effect on the achieved surface have prevented significant exploitation. With the aim of developing a process model to optimise the diamond turning of silicon optics, a series of experimental trials were devi...

Ultrafast all-optical order-to-chaos transition in silicon photonic crystal chips

KAUST Repository

Bruck, Roman

2016-06-08

The interaction of light with nanostructured materials provides exciting new opportunities for investigating classical wave analogies of quantum phenomena. A topic of particular interest forms the interplay between wave physics and chaos in systems where a small perturbation can drive the behavior from the classical to chaotic regime. Here, we report an all-optical laser-driven transition from order to chaos in integrated chips on a silicon photonics platform. A square photonic crystal microcavity at telecom wavelengths is tuned from an ordered into a chaotic regime through a perturbation induced by ultrafast laser pulses in the ultraviolet range. The chaotic dynamics of weak probe pulses in the near infrared is characterized for different pump-probe delay times and at various positions in the cavity, with high spatial accuracy. Our experimental analysis, confirmed by numerical modelling based on random matrices, demonstrates that nonlinear optics can be used to control reversibly the chaotic behavior of light in optical resonators. (Figure presented.) . © 2016 by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim

Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposited silicon oxynitride films for optical waveguide bridges for use in mechanical sensors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Storgaard-Larsen, Torben; Leistiko, Otto

1997-01-01

In this paper the influence of RF power, ammonia flow, annealing temperature, and annealing time on the optical and mechanical properties of plasma-enhanced chemically vapor deposited silicon oxynitride films, is presented. A low refractive index (1.47 to 1.48) film having tensile stress has been...

The dependence of the Tauc and Cody optical gaps associated with hydrogenated amorphous silicon on the film thickness: αl Experimental limitations and the impact of curvature in the Tauc and Cody plots

Science.gov (United States)

Mok, Tat M.; O'Leary, Stephen K.

2007-12-01

Using a model for the optical spectrum associated with hydrogenated amorphous silicon, explicitly taking into account fundamental experimental limitations encountered, we theoretically determine the dependence of the Tauc and Cody optical gaps associated with hydrogenated amorphous silicon on the thickness of the film. We compare these results with that obtained from experiment. We find that the curvature in the Tauc plot plays a significant role in influencing the determination of the Tauc optical gap associated with hydrogenated amorphous silicon, thus affirming an earlier hypothesis of Cody et al. We also find that the spectral dependence of the refractive index plays an important role in influencing the determination of the Cody optical gap. It is thus clear that care must be exercised when drawing conclusions from the dependence of the Tauc and Cody optical gaps associated with hydrogenated amorphous silicon on the thickness of the film.

The role and effect of residual stress on pore generation during anodization of aluminium thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liao, M.W.; Chung, C.K.

2013-01-01

Highlights: •Al films of varying residual stress were prepared by sputtering. •Variation of the residual stress in the Al films influences pore growth during anodization. •The change in average pore size with residual stress is fairly small. •Interaction of residual stress with oxide growth stress leads to change in structure. •Residual tensile stress increases the pore density of porous alumina. -- Abstract: The role and effect of residual stress on pore generation of anodized aluminium oxide (AAO) have been investigated into anodizing the various-residual-stresses aluminium films. The plane stresses were characterised by X-ray diffraction with sin 2 ψ method. The pore density roughly linearly increased with residual stress from 64.6 (−132.5 MPa) to 90.5 pores/μm 2 (135.9 MPa). However, the average pore size around 40 nm was not changed significantly except for the rougher film. The tensile residual stress lessened the compressive oxide growth stress to reduce AAO plastic deformation for higher pore density. The findings provide new foundations for realizing AAO films on silicon

A new generation of ultra-dense optical I/O for silicon photonics

Science.gov (United States)

Wlodawski, Mitchell S.; Kopp, Victor I.; Park, Jongchul; Singer, Jonathan; Hubner, Eric E.; Neugroschl, Daniel; Chao, Norman; Genack, Azriel Z.

2014-03-01

In response to the optical packaging needs of a rapidly growing silicon photonics market, Chiral Photonics, Inc. (CPI) has developed a new generation of ultra-dense-channel, bi-directional, all-optical, input/output (I/O) couplers that bridge the data transport gap between standard optical fibers and photonic integrated circuits. These couplers, called Pitch Reducing Optical Fiber Arrays (PROFAs), provide a means to simultaneously match both the mode field and channel spacing (i.e. pitch) between an optical fiber array and a photonic integrated circuit (PIC). Both primary methods for optically interfacing with PICs, via vertical grating couplers (VGCs) and edge couplers, can be addressed with PROFAs. PROFAs bring the signal-carrying cores, either multimode or singlemode, of many optical fibers into close proximity within an all-glass device that can provide low loss coupling to on-chip components, including waveguides, gratings, detectors and emitters. Two-dimensional (2D) PROFAs offer more than an order of magnitude enhancement in channel density compared to conventional one-dimensional (1D) fiber arrays. PROFAs can also be used with low vertical profile solutions that simplify optoelectronic packaging while reducing PIC I/O real estate usage requirements. PROFA technology is based on a scalable production process for microforming glass preform assemblies as they are pulled through a small oven. An innovative fiber design, called the "vanishing core," enables tailoring the mode field along the length of the PROFA to meet the coupling needs of disparate waveguide technologies, such as fiber and onchip. Examples of single- and multi-channel couplers fabricated using this technology will be presented.

Superlattice doped layers for amorphous silicon photovoltaic cells

Science.gov (United States)

Arya, Rajeewa R.

1988-01-12

Superlattice doped layers for amorphous silicon photovoltaic cells comprise a plurality of first and second lattices of amorphous silicon alternatingly formed on one another. Each of the first lattices has a first optical bandgap and each of the second lattices has a second optical bandgap different from the first optical bandgap. A method of fabricating the superlattice doped layers also is disclosed.

Effect of cell thickness on the electrical and optical properties of thin film silicon solar cell

Science.gov (United States)

Zaki, A. A.; El-Amin, A. A.

2017-12-01

In this work Electrical and optical properties of silicon thin films with different thickness were measured. The thickness of the Si films varied from 100 to 800 μm. The optical properties of the cell were studied at different thickness. A maximum achievable current density (MACD) generated by a planar solar cell, was measured for different values of the cell thickness which was performed by using photovoltaic (PV) optics method. It was found that reducing the values of the cell thickness improves the open-circuit voltage (VOC) and the fill factor (FF) of the solar cell. The optical properties were measured for thin film Si (TF-Si) at different thickness by using the double beam UV-vis-NIR spectrophotometer in the wavelength range of 300-2000 nm. Some of optical parameters such as refractive index with dispersion relation, the dispersion energy, the oscillator energy, optical band gap energy were calculated by using the spectra for the TF-Si with different thickness.

New dynamic silicon photonic components enabled by MEMS technology

Science.gov (United States)

Errando-Herranz, Carlos; Edinger, Pierre; Colangelo, Marco; Björk, Joel; Ahmed, Samy; Stemme, Göran; Niklaus, Frank; Gylfason, Kristinn B.

2018-02-01

Silicon photonics is the study and application of integrated optical systems which use silicon as an optical medium, usually by confining light in optical waveguides etched into the surface of silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafers. The term microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) refers to the technology of mechanics on the microscale actuated by electrostatic actuators. Due to the low power requirements of electrostatic actuation, MEMS components are very power efficient, making them well suited for dense integration and mobile operation. MEMS components are conventionally also implemented in silicon, and MEMS sensors such as accelerometers, gyros, and microphones are now standard in every smartphone. By combining these two successful technologies, new active photonic components with extremely low power consumption can be made. We discuss our recent experimental work on tunable filters, tunable fiber-to-chip couplers, and dynamic waveguide dispersion tuning, enabled by the marriage of silicon MEMS and silicon photonics.

Study of optical and luminescence properties of silicon — semiconducting silicide — silicon multilayer nanostructures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Galkin, N.G.; Galkin, K.N.; Dotsenko, S.A.; Goroshko, D.L.; Shevlyagin, A.V.; Chusovitin, E.A.; Chernev, I.M.

2017-01-01

By method of in situ differential spectroscopy it was established that at the formation of monolayer Fe, Cr, Ca, Mg silicide and Mg stannide islands on the atomically clean silicon surface an appearance of loss peaks characteristic for these materials in the energy range of 1.1-2.6 eV is observed. An optimization of growth processes permit to grow monolithic double nanoheterostructures (DNHS) with embedded Fe, Cr and Ca nanocrystals, and also polycrystalline DNHS with NC of Mg silicide and Mg stannide and Ca disilicide. By methods of optical spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy it was shown that embedded NC form intensive peaks in the reflectance spectra at energies up to 2.5 eV and Raman peaks. In DNS with β-FeSi2 NC a photoluminescence and electroluminescence at room temperature were firstly observed.

Optical Evaluation of the Rear Contacts of Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells by Coupled Electromagnetic and Statistical Ray-Optics Modeling

KAUST Repository

Dabirian, Ali

2017-02-15

High-efficiency crystalline silicon (c-Si) solar cells increasingly feature sophisticated electron and hole contacts aimed at minimizing electronic losses. At the rear of photovoltaic devices, such contacts—usually consisting of stacks of functional layers—offer opportunities to enhance the infrared response of the solar cells. Here, we propose an accurate and simple modeling procedure to evaluate the infrared performance of rear contacts in c-Si solar cells. Our method combines full-wave electromagnetic modeling of the rear contact with a statistical ray optics model to obtain the fraction of optical energy dissipated from the rear contact relative to that absorbed by the Si wafer. Using this technique, we study the impact of the refractive index, extinction coefficient, and thickness of the rear-passivating layer and establish basic design rules. In addition, we evaluate novel optical structures, including stratified thin films, nanoparticle composites, and conductive nanowires embedded in a low-index dielectric matrix, for integration into advanced rear contacts in c-Si photovoltaic devices. From an optical perspective, nanowire structures preserving low contact resistance appear to be the most effective approach to mitigating dissipation losses from the rear contact.

Embedding and electropolymerization of terthiophene derivatives in porous n-type silicon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Badeva, Diyana, E-mail: diyana.badeva@cnrs-imn.fr [Equipe Physique des Materiaux et Nanostructures, IMN, B.P. 32229, 44322 Nantes cedex 3 (France); Tran-Van, Francois, E-mail: francois.tran@univ-tours.fr [Laboratoire de Physico-Chimie des Materiaux et des Electrolytes pour l' Energie (PCM2E), E.A 6299, Universite de Tours, Faculte des Sciences et Techniques, Parc de Grandmont, 37200 Tours (France); Beouch, Layla, E-mail: layla.beouch@u-cergy.fr [Laboratoire de Physicochimie des Polymeres et des Interfaces, 5, mail Gay-Lussac, F-95031 Cergy-Pontoise Cedex (France); Chevrot, Claude, E-mail: claude.chevrot@u-cergy.fr [Laboratoire de Physicochimie des Polymeres et des Interfaces, 5, mail Gay-Lussac, F-95031 Cergy-Pontoise Cedex (France); Markova, Ivania, E-mail: vania@uctm.edu [Laboratory of Nanomaterials and Nanotechnologies, University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy, 8 St. Kliment Ohridski blvd., 1756 Sofia (Bulgaria); Racheva, Todora, E-mail: todora@uctm.edu [Laboratory of Nanomaterials and Nanotechnologies, University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy, 8 St. Kliment Ohridski blvd., 1756 Sofia (Bulgaria); Froyer, Gerard, E-mail: gerard.froyer@cnrs-imn.fr [Equipe Physique des Materiaux et Nanostructures, IMN, B.P. 32229, 44322 Nantes cedex 3 (France)

2012-04-16

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Development of a mesoporous silicon with special morphological and chemical properties. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Successful embedding of carboxylic-acid terthiophenic monomer in porous silicon. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer In situ electrochemical polymerization. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Polarized IRTF scattering provides the tendency to preferential organization. - Abstract: A mesoporous n-type silicon/poly (3 Prime -acetic acid-2,2 Prime -5 Prime ,2 Prime Prime terthiophene)-(Poly (3TAA) nanocomposite was elaborated in order to realize new components for optoelectronics. Non-oxidized and oxidized porous silicon substrates is used and their physical and chemical properties have been studied by different techniques such as transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Terthiophene based conjugated structure has been successfully incorporated inside the pores by capillarity at the melting temperature of the monomer. The filling of the monomer into the porous volume was probed by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). Polarized infrared absorption spectroscopy results indicated that the monomer molecules show preferential orientation along the pore axis, due to hydrogen bonding, in particular that of the carboxylic groups with silanol-rich oxidized porous silicon surface. The 3TAA monomer molecules embedded in porous silicon matrix were electrochemically polymerized in situ and resonance Raman scattering spectroscopy proved the above-mentioned polymerization.

Silicon photonics at the University of Surrey

Science.gov (United States)

Reed, G. T.; Mashanovich, G.; Gardes, F. Y.; Gwilliam, R. M.; Wright, N. M.; Thomson, D. J.; Timotijevic, B. D.; Litvinenko, K. L.; Headley, W. R.; Smith, A. J.; Knights, A. P.; Jessop, P. E.; Tarr, N. G.; Deane, J. H. B.

2009-05-01

Silicon Photonics is a field that has seen rapid growth and dramatic changes in the past 5 years. According to the MIT Communications Technology Roadmap [1], which aims to establish a common architecture platform across market sectors with a potential $20B in annual revenue, silicon photonics is among the top ten emerging technologies. This has in part been a consequence of the recent involvement of large semiconductor companies around the world, particularly in the USA. Significant investment in the technology has also followed in Japan, Korea, and in the European Union. Low cost is a key driver, so it is imperative to pursue technologies that are mass-producible. Therefore, Silicon Photonics continues to progress at a rapid rate. This paper will describe some of the work of the Silicon Photonics Group at the University of Surrey in the UK. The work is concerned with the sequential development of a series of components for silicon photonic optical circuits, and some of the components are discussed here. In particular the paper will present work on optical waveguides, optical filters, modulators, and lifetime modification of carriers generated by two photon absorption, to improve the performance of Raman amplifiers in silicon.

Lighting emitting microstructures in porous silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Squire, E.

1999-01-01

Experimental and theoretical techniques are used to examine microstructuring effects on the optical properties of single layer, multilayer, single and multiple microcavity structures fabricated from porous silicon. Two important issues regarding the effects of the periodic structuring of this material are discussed. Firstly, the precise role played by this microstructuring, given that the luminescence is distributed throughout the entire structure and the low porosity layers are highly absorbing at short wavelengths. The second issue examined concerns the observed effects on the optical spectra of the samples owing to the emission bandwidth of the material being greater than the optical stopband of the structure. Measurements of the reflectivity and photoluminescence spectra of different porous silicon microstructures are presented and discussed. The results are modelled using a transfer matrix technique. The matrix method has been modified to calculate the optical spectra of porous silicon specifically by accounting for the effects of dispersion, absorption and emission within the material. Layer thickness and porosity gradients have also been included in the model. The dielectric function of the two component layers (i.e. silicon and air) is calculated using the Looyenga formula. This approach can be adapted to suit other porous semiconductors if required. Examination of the experimental results have shown that the emitted light is strongly controlled by the optical modes of the structures. Furthermore, the data display an interplay of a wide variety of effects dependent upon the structural composition. Comparisons made between the experimental and calculated reflectivity and photoluminescence spectra of many different porous silicon microstructures show very good agreement. (author)

Silicon hybrid integration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Xianyao; Yuan Taonu; Shao Shiqian; Shi Zujun; Wang Yi; Yu Yude; Yu Jinzhong

2011-01-01

Recently,much attention has concentrated on silicon based photonic integrated circuits (PICs), which provide a cost-effective solution for high speed, wide bandwidth optical interconnection and optical communication.To integrate III-V compounds and germanium semiconductors on silicon substrates,at present there are two kinds of manufacturing methods, i.e., heteroepitaxy and bonding. Low-temperature wafer bonding which can overcome the high growth temperature, lattice mismatch,and incompatibility of thermal expansion coefficients during heteroepitaxy, has offered the possibility for large-scale heterogeneous integration. In this paper, several commonly used bonding methods are reviewed, and the future trends of low temperature wafer bonding envisaged. (authors)

Optical and microstructural investigations of porous silicon

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Raman scattering and photoluminescence (PL) measurements on (100) oriented -type crystalline silicon (-Si) and porous silicon (PS) samples were carried out. PS samples were prepared by anodic etching of -Si under the illumination of light for different etching times of 30, 60 and 90 min. Raman scattering from the ...

Subwavelength silicon photonics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheben, P.; Bock, P.J.; Schmid, J.H.; Lapointe, J.; Janz, S.; Xu, D.-X.; Densmore, A.; Delage, A.; Lamontagne, B.; Florjanczyk, M.; Ma, R.

2011-01-01

With the goal of developing photonic components that are compatible with silicon microelectronic integrated circuits, silicon photonics has been the subject of intense research activity. Silicon is an excellent material for confining and manipulating light at the submicrometer scale. Silicon optoelectronic integrated devices have the potential to be miniaturized and mass-produced at affordable cost for many applications, including telecommunications, optical interconnects, medical screening, and biological and chemical sensing. We review recent advances in silicon photonics research at the National Research Council Canada. A new type of optical waveguide is presented, exploiting subwavelength grating (SWG) effect. We demonstrate subwavelength grating waveguides made of silicon, including practical components operating at telecom wavelengths: input couplers, waveguide crossings and spectrometer chips. SWG technique avoids loss and wavelength resonances due to diffraction effects and allows for single-mode operation with direct control of the mode confinement by changing the refractive index of a waveguide core over a range as broad as 1.6 - 3.5 simply by lithographic patterning. The light can be launched to these waveguides with a coupling loss as small as 0.5 dB and with minimal wavelength dependence, using coupling structures similar to that shown in Fig. 1. The subwavelength grating waveguides can cross each other with minimal loss and negligible crosstalk which allows massive photonic circuit connectivity to overcome the limits of electrical interconnects. These results suggest that the SWG waveguides could become key elements for future integrated photonic circuits. (authors)

Silicon Optical Modulator Simulation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Soon Thor LIM

2015-04-01

Full Text Available We developed a way of predicting and analyzing high speed optical modulator. Our research adopted a bottom-up approach to consider high-speed optical links using an eye diagram. Our method leverages on modular mapping of electrical characteristics to optical characteristics, while attaining the required accuracy necessary for device footprint approaching sub-micron scales where electrical data distribution varies drastically. We calculate for the bias dependent phase shift (2pi/mm and loss (dB/mm for the optical modulator based on the real and imaginary part of complex effective indices. Subsequently, combine effectively both the electrical and optical profiles to construct the optical eye diagram which is the essential gist of signal integrity of such devices.

Nanoparticle sorting in silicon waveguide arrays

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, H. T.; Zhang, Y.; Chin, L. K.; Yap, P. H.; Wang, K.; Ser, W.; Liu, A. Q.

2017-08-01

This paper presents the optical fractionation of nanoparticles in silicon waveguide arrays. The optical lattice is generated by evanescent coupling in silicon waveguide arrays. The hotspot size is tunable by changing the refractive index of surrounding liquids. In the experiment, 0.2-μm and 0.5-μm particles are separated with a recovery rate of 95.76%. This near-field approach is a promising candidate for manipulating nanoscale biomolecules and is anticipated to benefit the biomedical applications such as exosome purification, DNA optical mapping, cell-cell interaction, etc.

Transparent silicon strip sensors for the optical alignment of particle detector systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blum, W.; Kroha, H.; Widmann, P.

1995-05-01

Modern large-area precision tracking detectors require increasing accuracy for the alignment of their components. A novel multi-point laser alignment system has been developed for such applications. The position of detector components with respect to reference laser beams is monitored by semi-transparent optical position sensors which work on the principle of silicon strip photodiodes. Two types of custom designed transparent strip sensors, based on crystalline and on amorphous silicon as active material, have been studied. The sensors are optimised for the typical diameters of collimated laser beams of 3-5 mm over distances of 10-20 m. They provide very high position resolution, on the order of 1 μm, uniformly over a wide measurement range of several centimeters. The preparation of the sensor surfaces requires special attention in order to achieve high light transmittance and minimum distortion of the traversing laser beams. At selected wavelengths, produced by laser diodes, transmission rates above 90% have been achieved. This allows to position more than 30 sensors along one laser beam. The sensors will be equipped with custom designed integrated readout electronics. (orig.)

Structural and optical properties of surface-hydrogenated silicon nanocrystallites prepared by reactive pulsed laser ablation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Makino, Toshiharu; Inada, Mitsuru; Umezu, Ikurou; Sugimura, Akira

2005-01-01

Pulsed laser ablation (PLA) in an inert background gas is a promising technique for preparing Si nanoparticles. Although an inert gas is appropriate for preparing pure material, a reactive background gas can be used to prepare compound nanoparticles. We performed PLA in hydrogen gas to prepare hydrogenated silicon nanoparticles. The mean diameter of the primary particles measured using transmission electron microscopy was approximately 5 nm. The hydrogen content in the deposits was very high and estimated to be about 20%. The infrared absorption corresponding to Si-H n (n = 1, 2, 3) bonds on the surface were observed at around 2100 cm -1 . The Raman scattering peak corresponding to crystalline Si was observed, and that corresponding to amorphous Si was negligibly small. These results indicate that the Si nanoparticles were not an alloy of Si and hydrogen but Si nanocrystallite (nc-Si) covered by hydrogen or hydrogenated amorphous silicon. This means that PLA in reactive H 2 gas is a promising technique for preparing surface passivated nc-Si. The deposition mechanism and optical properties of the surface passivated silicon nanocrystallites are discussed

Design of an x-ray telescope optics for XEUS

Science.gov (United States)

Graue, Roland; Kampf, Dirk; Wallace, Kotska; Lumb, David; Bavdaz, Marcos; Freyberg, Michael

2017-11-01

The X-ray telescope concept for XEUS is based on an innovative high performance and light weight Silicon Pore Optics technology. The XEUS telescope is segmented into 16 radial, thermostable petals providing the rigid optical bench structure of the stand alone XRay High Precision Tandem Optics. A fully representative Form Fit Function (FFF) Model of one petal is currently under development to demonstrate the outstanding lightweight telescope capabilities with high optically effective area. Starting from the envisaged system performance the related tolerance budgets were derived. These petals are made from ceramics, i.e. CeSiC. The structural and thermal performance of the petal shall be reported. The stepwise alignment and integration procedure on petal level shall be described. The functional performance and environmental test verification plan of the Form Fit Function Model and the test set ups are described in this paper. In parallel to the running development activities the programmatic and technical issues wrt. the FM telescope MAIT with currently 1488 Tandem Optics are under investigation. Remote controlled robot supported assembly, simultaneous active alignment and verification testing and decentralised time effective integration procedures shall be illustrated.

Investigation on nonlinear optical properties of MoS2 nanoflakes grown on silicon and quartz substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Bayesteh, Samaneh; Zahra Mortazavi, Seyedeh; Reyhani, Ali

2018-05-01

In this study, MoS2 nanoflakes were directly grown on different substrates—Si/SiO2 and quartz—by one-step thermal chemical vapor deposition using MoO3 and sulfide powders as precursors. Scanning electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction patterns demonstrated the formation of MoS2 structures on both substrates. Moreover, UV-visible and photoluminescence analysis confirmed the formation of MoS2 few-layer structures. According to Raman spectroscopy, by assessment of the line width and frequency shift differences between the and A 1g, it was inferred that the MoS2 grown on the silicon substrate was monolayer and that grown on the quartz substrate was multilayer. In addition, open-aperture and close-aperture Z-scan techniques were employed to study the nonlinear optical properties including nonlinear absorption and nonlinear refraction of the grown MoS2. All experiments were performed using a diode laser with a wavelength of 532 nm as the light source. It is noticeable that both samples demonstrate obvious self-defocusing behavior. The monolayer MoS2 grown on the silicon substrate displayed considerable two-photon absorption while, the multilayer MoS2 synthesized on the quartz exhibited saturable absorption. In general, few-layered MoS2 would be useful for the development of nanophotonic devices like optical limiters, optical switchers, etc.

Effects of phosphorus doping on structural and optical properties of silicon nanocrystals in a SiO2 matrix

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hao, X.J.; Cho, E.-C.; Scardera, G.; Bellet-Amalric, E.; Bellet, D.; Shen, Y.S.; Huang, S.; Huang, Y.D.; Conibeer, G.; Green, M.A.

2009-01-01

Promise of Si nanocrystals highly depends on tailoring their behaviour through doping. Phosphorus-doped silicon nanocrystals embedded in a silicon dioxide matrix have been realized by a co-sputtering process. The effects of phosphorus-doping on the properties of Si nanocrystals are investigated. Phosphorus diffuses from P-P and/or P-Si to P-O upon high temperature annealing. The dominant X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy P 2p signal attributable to Si-P and/or P-P (130 eV) at 1100 o C indicates that the phosphorus may exist inside Si nanocrystals. It is found that existence of phosphorus enhances phase separation of silicon rich oxide and thereby Si crystallization. In addition, phosphorus has a considerable effect on the optical absorption and photoluminescence properties as a function of annealing temperature.

Investigation of beam effect on porous silicon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kotai, E. E-mail: kotai@rmki.kfki.hu; Paszti, F.; Szilagyi, E

2000-03-01

When performing Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy (RBS) measurements combined with channeling on 'columnar' porous silicon (PS) samples with beam aligned to the direction of the pores, a strong beam effect was observed. The minimum yield as a function of the beam dose for different porous samples was compared with the yield measured on single crystal silicon. It was demonstrated that the beam effect strongly depends on the porosity of the sample. Bombardment in the random direction caused about 10% higher change in the minimum yield than in the channel direction.

Investigation of beam effect on porous silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kotai, E.; Paszti, F.; Szilagyi, E.

2000-01-01

When performing Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy (RBS) measurements combined with channeling on 'columnar' porous silicon (PS) samples with beam aligned to the direction of the pores, a strong beam effect was observed. The minimum yield as a function of the beam dose for different porous samples was compared with the yield measured on single crystal silicon. It was demonstrated that the beam effect strongly depends on the porosity of the sample. Bombardment in the random direction caused about 10% higher change in the minimum yield than in the channel direction

Automated and inexpensive method to manufacture solid- state nanopores and micropores in robust silicon wafers

Science.gov (United States)

Vega, M.; Granell, P.; Lasorsa, C.; Lerner, B.; Perez, M.

2016-02-01

In this work an easy, reproducible and inexpensive technique for the production of solid state nanopores and micropores using silicon wafer substrate is proposed. The technique is based on control of pore formation, by neutralization etchant (KOH) with a strong acid (HCl). Thus, a local neutralization is produced around the nanopore, which stops the silicon etching. The etching process was performed with 7M KOH at 80°C, where 1.23µm/min etching speed was obtained, similar to those published in literature. The control of the pore formation with the braking acid method was done using 12M HCl and different extreme conditions: i) at 25°C, ii) at 80°C and iii) at 80°C applying an electric potential. In these studies, it was found that nanopores and micropores can be obtained automatically and at a low cost. Additionally, the process was optimized to obtain clean silicon wafers after the pore fabrication process. This method opens the possibility for an efficient scale-up from laboratory production.

Automated and inexpensive method to manufacture solid- state nanopores and micropores in robust silicon wafers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vega, M; Lasorsa, C; Lerner, B; Perez, M; Granell, P

2016-01-01

In this work an easy, reproducible and inexpensive technique for the production of solid state nanopores and micropores using silicon wafer substrate is proposed. The technique is based on control of pore formation, by neutralization etchant (KOH) with a strong acid (HCl). Thus, a local neutralization is produced around the nanopore, which stops the silicon etching. The etching process was performed with 7M KOH at 80°C, where 1.23µm/min etching speed was obtained, similar to those published in literature. The control of the pore formation with the braking acid method was done using 12M HCl and different extreme conditions: i) at 25°C, ii) at 80°C and iii) at 80°C applying an electric potential. In these studies, it was found that nanopores and micropores can be obtained automatically and at a low cost. Additionally, the process was optimized to obtain clean silicon wafers after the pore fabrication process. This method opens the possibility for an efficient scale-up from laboratory production. (paper)

Porous Silicon Nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Qu, Yongquan; Zhou, Hailong; Duan, Xiangfeng

2011-01-01

In this minreview, we summarize recent progress in the synthesis, properties and applications of a new type of one-dimensional nanostructures — single crystalline porous silicon nanowires. The growth of porous silicon nanowires starting from both p- and n-type Si wafers with a variety of dopant concentrations can be achieved through either one-step or two-step reactions. The mechanistic studies indicate the dopant concentration of Si wafers, oxidizer concentration, etching time and temperature can affect the morphology of the as-etched silicon nanowires. The porous silicon nanowires are both optically and electronically active and have been explored for potential applications in diverse areas including photocatalysis, lithium ion battery, gas sensor and drug delivery. PMID:21869999

High-frequency conductivity of optically excited charge carriers in hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon investigated by spectroscopic femtosecond pump–probe reflectivity measurements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

He, Wei [University of Birmingham, School of Physics and Astronomy, Birmingham B15 2TT (United Kingdom); Yurkevich, Igor V. [Aston University, Nonlinearity and Complexity Research Group, Birmingham B4 7ET (United Kingdom); Zakar, Ammar [University of Birmingham, School of Physics and Astronomy, Birmingham B15 2TT (United Kingdom); Kaplan, Andrey, E-mail: a.kaplan.1@bham.ac.uk [University of Birmingham, School of Physics and Astronomy, Birmingham B15 2TT (United Kingdom)

2015-10-01

We report an investigation into the high-frequency conductivity of optically excited charge carriers far from equilibrium with the lattice. The investigated samples consist of hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon films grown on a thin film of silicon oxide on top of a silicon substrate. For the investigation, we used an optical femtosecond pump–probe setup to measure the reflectance change of a probe beam. The pump beam ranged between 580 and 820 nm, whereas the probe wavelength spanned 770 to 810 nm. The pump fluence was fixed at 0.6 mJ/cm{sup 2}. We show that at a fixed delay time of 300 fs, the conductivity of the excited electron–hole plasma is described well by a classical conductivity model of a hot charge carrier gas found at Maxwell–Boltzmann distribution, while Fermi–Dirac statics is not suitable. This is corroborated by values retrieved from pump–probe reflectance measurements of the conductivity and its dependence on the excitation wavelength and carrier temperature. The conductivity decreases monotonically as a function of the excitation wavelength, as expected for a nondegenerate charge carrier gas. - Highlights: • We study high‐frequency conductivity of excited hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon. • Reflectance change was measured as a function of pump and probe wavelength. • Maxwell–Boltzmann transport theory was used to retrieve the conductivity. • The conductivity decreases monotonically as a function of the pump wavelength.

Silicon Photonics for Signal Processing of Tbit/s Serial Data Signals

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Oxenløwe, Leif Katsuo; Ji, Hua; Galili, Michael

2012-01-01

In this paper, we describe our recent work on signal processing of terabit per second optical serial data signals using pure silicon waveguides. We employ nonlinear optical signal processing in nanoengineered silicon waveguides to perform demultiplexing and optical waveform sampling of 1.28-Tbit/...

Silicon microspheres for near-IR communication applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Serpengüzel, Ali; Demir, Abdullah

2008-01-01

We have performed transverse electric and transverse magnetic polarized elastic light scattering calculations at 90° and 0° in the o-band at 1.3 µm for a 15 µm radius silicon microsphere with a refractive index of 3.5. The quality factors are on the order of 10 7 and the mode/channel spacing is 7 nm, which correlate well with the refractive index and the optical size of the microsphere. The 90° elastic light scattering can be used to monitor a dropped channel (drop port), whereas the 0° elastic scattering can be used to monitor the transmission channel (through port). The optical resonances of the silicon microspheres provide the necessary narrow linewidths that are needed for high-resolution optical communication applications. Potential telecommunication applications include filters, modulators, switches, wavelength converters, detectors, amplifiers and light sources. Silicon microspheres show promise as potential building blocks for silicon-based electrophotonic integration

Pore Formation Process of Porous Ti3SiC2 Fabricated by Reactive Sintering

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Huibin Zhang

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Porous Ti3SiC2 was fabricated with high purity, 99.4 vol %, through reactive sintering of titanium hydride (TiH2, silicon (Si and graphite (C elemental powders. The reaction procedures and the pore structure evolution during the sintering process were systematically studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD and scanning electron microscope (SEM. Our results show that the formation of Ti3SiC2 from TiH2/Si/C powders experienced the following steps: firstly, TiH2 decomposed into Ti; secondly, TiC and Ti5Si3 intermediate phases were generated; finally, Ti3SiC2 was produced through the reaction of TiC, Ti5Si3 and Si. The pores formed in the synthesis procedure of porous Ti3SiC2 ceramics are derived from the following aspects: interstitial pores left during the pressing procedure; pores formed because of the TiH2 decomposition; pores formed through the reactions between Ti and Si and Ti and C powders; and the pores produced accompanying the final phase synthesized during the high temperature sintering process.

Tunable sustained intravitreal drug delivery system for daunorubicin using oxidized porous silicon.

Science.gov (United States)

Hou, Huiyuan; Nieto, Alejandra; Ma, Feiyan; Freeman, William R; Sailor, Michael J; Cheng, Lingyun

2014-03-28

Daunorubicin (DNR) is an effective inhibitor of an array of proteins involved in neovascularization, including VEGF and PDGF. These growth factors are directly related to retina scar formation in many devastating retinal diseases. Due to the short vitreous half-life and narrow therapeutic window, ocular application of DNR is limited. It has been shown that a porous silicon (pSi) based delivery system can extend DNR vitreous residence from a few days to 3months. In this study we investigated the feasibility of altering the pore size of the silicon particles to regulate the payload release. Modulation of the etching parameters allowed control of the nano-pore size from 15nm to 95nm. In vitro studies showed that degradation of pSiO2 increased with increasing pore size and the degradation of pSiO2 was approximately constant for a given particle type. The degradation of pSiO2 with 43nm pores was significantly greater than the other two particles with smaller pores, judged by observed and normalized mean Si concentration of the dissolution samples (44.2±8.9 vs 25.7±5.6 or 21.2±4.2μg/mL, pporous silicon dioxide with covalent loading of daunorubicin) with large pores (43nm) yielded a significantly higher DNR level than particles with 15 or 26nm pores (13.5±6.9ng/mL vs. 2.3±1.6ng/mL and 1.1±0.9ng/mL, p<0.0001). After two months of in vitro dynamic release, 54% of the pSiO2-CO2H:DNR particles still remained in the dissolution chamber by weight. In vivo drug release study demonstrated that free DNR in the vitreous at post-injection day 14 was 66.52ng/mL for 95nm pore size pSiO2-CO2H:DNR, 10.76ng/mL for 43nm pSiO2-CO2H:DNR, and only 1.05ng/mL for 15nm pSiO2-CO2H:DNR. Pore expansion from 15nm to 95nm led to a 63 fold increase of DNR release (p<0.0001) and a direct correlation between the pore size and the drug levels in the living eye vitreous was confirmed. The present study demonstrates the feasibility of regulating DNR release from pSiO2 covalently loaded with DNR by