Earth abundant photonic structures

A solid state device for amplifying one or more incident wavelengths of radiation comprising:

• first and second semiconductor layers;
• and
• an optical gain medium layer separating the first and second semiconductor layers wherein the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer are of composition SiuGevCwSnxPby such that at least one of u or v is greater than zero and 0≦w, x, y, (v or u)≦5;
• and wherein the solid state device is configured such that at least one wavelength of the incident radiation is at a higher intensity exiting the device than entering the device and wherein the optical gain medium layer is of a composition described by [RE1]b[RE2]c[Si]a[O]d wherein 0<b, a, d≦7 and 0≦c≦7 wherein [RE] is chosen from a rare earth;
• is Oxygen (O) and Si is silicon and further comprising
• first and second current spreading layers wherein the first current spreading layer separates the first semiconductor layer from the optical gain medium layer and the second current spreading layer separates the second semiconductor layer from the optical gain medium layer and wherein the current spreading layers are semi-metallic layers lattice matched to the first and second semiconductor contact layers comprising at least one rare earth, RE, and at least one element from the nitrogen group of the periodic table, designated as V;
• described by:
• [RE1mV1n]o[RE2pV2q]r, wherein m, n, o>0 and 0≦p, q, r≦5.