Integrated Silicon-Based Mid-Infrared Optoelectronics

PROJECT COST:

1 905 000 $

PRIMA CONTRIBUTION:

762 000 $

PROJECT DETAILS:

The exponential growth of information technology continues to create an urgent need for new platforms for data transmission and storage. High performance and energy efficiency are two critical factors that will define the information technology of the future. Current platforms continue to rely on copper wires to connect electronic chips. This approach is reaching its physical limits and will not be able to meet the growing demand for bandwidth.
A new paradigm must emerge to break us out of this technological impasse. In this context, this project aims to develop light sources integrated directly onto silicon, the base material of electronic chips. These light sources are designed using silicon-germanium-tin alloys controlled at the atomic scale and incorporated into the fabrication of extremely precise nanostructures and quantum structures. The integration of light sources onto silicon enables the optical interconnection of microchips, allowing information to be transmitted more quickly and with lower energy consumption. Such a development will also open the door to other applications in the fields of infrared imaging and photovoltaic cells.