Monolithic Silicon Microphotonics

Abstract

The technology evolution of optical interconnection is driven by the distance × product required for a given link. As such optical fiber deployment in telecommunications has become the dominant paradigm since the early 1980s. Today, with excess telecommunications capacity, optical interconnection is driven by data communications needs throughout the interconnection hierarchy, from the network to the chip. Silicon Microphotonics is the only current approach that offers a scalable solution to the anticipated barriers of I/O density, interconnection bandwidth and latency, and electronic/photonic partitioning through monolithic integration. This chapter reviews the drivers, barriers and current solutions for the development and deployment of a monolithic silicon microphotonic technology. Light sources, photodetectors, waveguides, photonic filters, optical amplifiers and photonic crystals are discussed in the contexts of materials design and systems applications.