Photonics is an industry which is of critical importance to the communication and transfer of information. The photonic industry today however consists of a multitude of materials and device types. Many of these materials are costly and wafer sizes remain small due to the difficulties associated with crystal growth. The microelectronics industry on the other hand enjoys a huge infrastructure of foundries, consortia, equipment and materials suppliers, all based on the commonality of silicon substrates. Photonic devices, based on quantum wells built on silicon, would be of great national importance for U.S. technical leadership in this key area. This program proposes to develop quantum wells on silicon substrates, consisting of alternating layers of a pseudomorphic insulator and epitaxial silicon. Atomic layer deposition (ALD) will be used to manufacture these films at low process temperatures and provides atomic layer control and highly uniform deposition. Additional commercial uses for this technology include not only new types of photonic devices but also silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology and advanced gate materials for microelectronics. Anticipated Benefits/Commercial Applications: Provides a proof of concept for core technology for deposition of quantam well structures on silicon substrates. This opens the way for photonic devices to be processed and manufactured in a silicon based manufacturing environment.
Keywords: Advanced Photonics, Microelectronics, Epitaxial Silicon, ALD, Atomic Layer Deposition, quantum wells, Silicon Substrates, Silicon-on-Insulator
