Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 31, 2026
15:47
Nanofabrication of Gate-defined GaAs/AlGaAs Lateral Quantum Dots
Published on: November 1, 2013
1.3-μm InAs/GaAs quantum-dot lasers monolithically grown on Si substrates
Ting Wang1, Huiyun Liu, Andrew Lee
1Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University College London, London, UK.
Optics Express
|July 1, 2011
Summary
Researchers achieved the first electrically pumped 1.3-μm InAs/GaAs quantum-dot laser on a silicon substrate. This breakthrough demonstrates significant potential for silicon photonics applications.
Area of Science:
- Semiconductor Physics
- Materials Science
- Optoelectronics
Background:
- Quantum-dot lasers offer unique optical properties.
- Integrating lasers on silicon substrates is a key challenge for silicon photonics.
- Previous attempts faced limitations in performance and integration.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate the first electrically pumped 1.3-μm InAs/GaAs quantum-dot laser on a Si (100) substrate.
- To optimize epitaxial growth for improved laser performance on silicon.
Main Methods:
- Epitaxial growth of InAs/GaAs quantum dots directly on Si (100) using molecular beam epitaxy.
- Fabrication and characterization of broad-area lasers.
- Performance testing at room temperature.
Main Results:
- Successful operation of an electrically pumped 1.3-μm quantum-dot laser on a Si substrate.
- Lasing achieved at 1.302 μm.
- Demonstrated threshold current density of 725 A/cm² and output power of ~26 mW at room temperature.
- Results attributed to optimized GaAs nucleation layer growth temperature.
Conclusions:
- Electrically pumped 1.3-μm InAs/GaAs quantum-dot lasers can be successfully grown on Si substrates.
- Optimized growth conditions are crucial for achieving high-performance on-silicon lasers.
- This work paves the way for integrated silicon photonics devices.
