Photonic Crystal Nanocavity

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Summary: Stanford researchers have developed a novel technique for electronically pumping photonic crystal membrane nanocavities using a lateral p-i-n junction. The p-i-n junction can be defined by any number of methods, including ion implantation, regrowth, or diffusion doping. The junction is designed so that current flow is directed into the nanocavity region. With this technique the current flow is defined lithographically making it compatible with arbitrary photonic crystal designs. The technology can be used in any photonic crystal device that uses a nanocavity, such as:   electrically pumped photonic crystal LED’s or lasers electrically driven photonic crystal electro-optic devices such as modulators or splitters controllably charging a quantum dot in a photonic crystal cavity This invention provides numerous advantages over the vertical p-i-n junction, including easier fabrication and the ability to be utilized with arbitrary PC design. It enables photonic devices to operate at lower voltage thresholds and higher speeds, but with greater power consumption efficiency. This approach enables integration of many electrically injected photonic crystal devices. This technology allows for high-volume manufacturing of photonic devices, as well as integrating photonic circuits, complex photonic chips, and high performance biomedical sensors.       Applications: LED's or lasers made with photonic crystals Electrically driven photonic crystal electro-optic devices such as modulators, splitters or detectors Photonic devices using multiple integrated components; integrated photonic circuits Controllable charging of a quantum dot in a photonic crystal cavity Biomedical sensors Solar cells Photonic chips Quantum computing   Advantages: Monolithic integration of all optical components interconnected to form an optoelectronic circuit. Ease of fabrication - existing methods for efficiently electrically pumping photonic crystal nanocavities require precise etching times and rates. Compatible with all membrane photonic crystal designs - existing methods only work with specific photonic crystal cavity designs; this method can be used with any cavity design. More efficient - current flow can be lithographically directed to flow only where it is useful in the cavity region, making the devices more efficient. Easier to integrate with other photonic devices - most designs for photonic integrated circuits require that each individual device be electrically independent, which is impossible with other methods that use conductive substrates.