Nanowire-based opto-electronic device
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsShih-Yuan Wang, M. Saif Islam, Philip J. Kuekes, Nobuhiko Kobayashi
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Abstract
Nanowire-based opto-electronic devices including nanowire lasers, photodetectors and semiconductor optical amplifiers are disclosed. The devices include nanowires grown from single crystal and/or non-single surfaces. The semiconductor optical amplifiers include nanowire arrays that act as ballast lasers to amplify a signal carried by a signal waveguide. Embodiments of the nanowire lasers and photodetectors include horizontal and vertical nanowires that can provide different polarizations.
Claims20
A nanowire-based opto-electronic device, comprising:
- at least one first surface of a single crystal or non-single crystal material;
- at least one second surface of a single crystal or non-single crystal material, each second surface being electrically isolated from a respective first surface;
- and
- at least one first nanowire connecting at least one opposing first pair of the first and second surfaces in a bridging configuration, wherein the first nanowire is grown from the first and second surfaces, and interconnects between the first and second surfaces, of the first pair of the first and second surfaces.
A gain-clamped semiconductor optical amplifier, comprising:
- at least one first surface;
- at least one second surface, each second surface facing and electrically isolated from a respective first surface;
- a plurality of nanowires connecting each opposing pair of the first and second surfaces in a bridging configuration;
- and
- a signal waveguide overlapping the nanowires such that an optical signal traveling along the signal waveguide is amplified by energy provided by electrical excitation of the nanowires.
A nanowire-based opto-electronic device, comprising:
- a first horizontal surface;
- a second horizontal surface electrically isolated from and facing the first horizontal surface;
- at least one vertical nanowire connecting the first and second horizontal surfaces in a bridging configuration, wherein the vertical nanowire (i) is grown from one of the first and second horizontal surfaces or (ii) is grown from, and interconnects between, the first and second horizontal surfaces;
- a first vertical surface;
- a second vertical surface electrically isolated from and facing the first vertical surface;
- and
- at least one horizontal nanowire connecting the first and second vertical surfaces in a bridging configuration, wherein the horizontal nanowire (i) is grown from one of the first and second vertical surfaces or (ii) is grown from, and interconnects between, the first and second vertical surfaces;
- wherein the horizontal nanowire and vertical nanowire are selectively electrically excitable to provide horizontal and vertical polarization, respectively.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.