| 1. |
- A. M. Naiini, Maziar, 1980-
(författare)
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Horizontal Slot Waveguides for Silicon Photonics Back-End Integration
- 2014
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This thesis presents the development of integrated silicon photonic devices. These devices are compatible with the present and near future CMOS technology. High-khorizontal grating couplers and waveguides are proposed. This work consists of simulations and device design, as well as the layout for the fabrication process, device fabrication, process development, characterization instrument development and electro-optical characterizations.The work demonstrates an alternative solution to costly silicon-on-insulator photonics. The proposed solution uses bulk silicon wafers and thin film deposited waveguides. Back-end deposited horizontal slot grating couplers and waveguides are realized by multi-layers of amorphous silicon and high-k materials.The achievements of this work include: A theoretical study of fully etched slot grating couplers with Al2O3, HfO2 and AIN, an optical study of the high-k films with spectroscopic ellipsometry, an experimental demonstration of fully etched SiO2 single slot grating couplers and double slot Al2O3 grating couplers, a practical demonstration of horizontal double slot high-k waveguides, partially etched Al2O3 single slot grating couplers, a study of a scheme for integration of the double slot Al2O3 waveguides with selectively grown germanium PIN photodetectors, realization of test chips for the integrated germanium photodetectors, and study of integration with graphene photodetectors through embedding the graphene into a high-k slot layer.From an application point of view, these high-k slot waveguides add more functionality to the current silicon photonics. The presented devices can be used for low cost photonics applications. Also alternative optical materials can be used in the context of this photonics platform.With the robust design, the grating couplers result in improved yield and a more cost effective solution is realized for integration of the waveguides with the germanium and graphene photodetectors.
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| 3. |
- Berrier, Audrey, 1978-
(författare)
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InP-based photonic crystals : Processing, Material properties and Dispersion effects
- 2008
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Photonic crystals (PhCs) are periodic dielectric structures that exhibit a photonic bandgap, i.e., a range of wavelength for which light propagation is forbidden. The special band structure related dispersion properties offer a realm of novel functionalities and interesting physical phenomena. PhCs have been manufactured using semiconductors and other material technologies. However, InP-based materials are the main choice for active devices at optical communication wavelengths. This thesis focuses on two-dimensional PhCs in the InP/GaInAsP/InP material system and addresses their fabrication technology and their physical properties covering both material issues and light propagation aspects. Ar/Cl2 chemically assisted ion beam etching was used to etch the photonic crystals. The etching characteristics including feature size dependent etching phenomena were experimentally determined and the underlying etching mechanisms are explained. For the etched PhC holes, aspect ratios around 20 were achieved, with a maximum etch depth of 5 microns for a hole diameter of 300 nm. Optical losses in photonic crystal devices were addressed both in terms of vertical confinement and hole shape and depth. The work also demonstrated that dry etching has a major impact on the properties of the photonic crystal material. The surface Fermi level at the etched hole sidewalls was found to be pinned at 0.12 eV below the conduction band minimum. This is shown to have important consequences on carrier transport. It is also found that, for an InGaAsP quantum well, the surface recombination velocity increases (non-linearly) by more than one order of magnitude as the etch duration is increased, providing evidence for accumulation of sidewall damage. A model based on sputtering theory is developed to qualitatively explain the development of damage. The physics of dispersive phenomena in PhC structures is investigated experimentally and theoretically. Negative refraction was experimentally demonstrated at optical wavelengths, and applied for light focusing. Fourier optics was used to experimentally explore the issue of coupling to Bloch modes inside the PhC slab and to experimentally determine the curvature of the band structure. Finally, dispersive phenomena were used in coupled-cavity waveguides to achieve a slow light regime with a group index of more than 180 and a group velocity dispersion up to 10^7 times that of a conventional fiber.
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| 4. |
- Buono, Benedetto
(författare)
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Simulation and Characterization of Silicon Carbide Power Bipolar Junction Transistors
- 2012
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The superior characteristics of silicon carbide, compared with silicon, have suggested considering this material for the next generation of power semiconductor devices. Among the different power switches, the bipolar junction transistor (BJT) can provide a very low forward voltage drop, a high current capability and a fast switching speed. However, in order to compete on the market, it is crucial to a have high current gain and a breakdown voltage close to ideal. Moreover, the absence of conductivity modulation and long-term stability has to be solved. In this thesis, these topics are investigated comparing simulations and measurements. Initially, an efficient etched JTE has been simulated and fabricated. In agreement with the simulations, the fabricated diodes exhibit the highest BV of around 4.3 kV when a two-zone JTE is implemented. Furthermore, the simulations and measurements demonstrate a good agreement between the electric field distribution inside the device and the optical luminescence measured at breakdown. Additionally, an accurate model to simulate the forward characteristics of 4H-SiC BJTs is presented. In order to validate the model, the simulated current gains are compared with measurements at different temperatures and different base-emitter geometries. Moreover, the simulations and measurements of the on-resistance are compared at different base currents and different temperatures. This comparison, coupled with a detailed analysis of the carrier concentration inside the BJT, indicates that internal forward biasing of the base-collector junction limits the BJT to operate at high current density and low forward voltage drop simultaneously. In agreement with the measurements, a design with a highly-doped extrinsic base is proposed to alleviate this problem. In addition to the static characteristics, the comparison of measured and simulated switching waveforms demonstrates that the SiC BJT can provide fast switching speed when it acts as a unipolar device. This is crucial to have low power losses during transient. Finally, the long-term stability is investigated. It is observed that the electrical stress of the base-emitter diode produces current gain degradation; however, the degradation mechanisms are still unclear. In fact, the analysis of the measured Gummel plot suggests that the reduction of the carrier lifetime in the base-emitter region might be only one of the causes of this degradation. In addition, the current gain degradation due to ionizing radiation is investigated comparing the simulations and measurements. The simulations suggest that the creation of positive charge in the passivation layer can increase the base current; this increase is also observed in the electrical measurements.
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| 6. |
- Chacinski, Marek
(författare)
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Dynamic Characterization of Semiconductor Lasers and Intensity Modulators
- 2009
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The research work presented in this thesis deals with characterization ofdynamics of active photonic devices that are based on semiconductormaterials. The thesis contains an introduction and a collection of publishedarticles in peer reviewed international journals and conferences.The introduction starts with the physical background and a review of thesemiconductor material properties which both affects the design andfabrication of the devices and determine their performance in applicationssuch as wavelength, optical power and attenuation, drive current andvoltage, temperature sensitivity and modulation bandwidth.The next chapter of the introduction is dedicated to various kinds ofsemiconductor lasers. It describes the physical principles, steady stateoperation and the dynamical response. The laser is essentially an opticalcavity consisting of a material with optical gain inbetween two reflectivemirrors. Special attention is given to the spectral shape of the mirrorreflectivity and its effect on the laser dynamics and how these effects canbe distinguished from those of the gain material.In order to improve dynamic performance, it is common that the laser,instead of being directly modulated by varying the drive current, isconnected to a separate modulator. The next chapter is therefore devotedto electroabsorption modulators for high speed intensity modulation andtheir integration to lasers. In order to fully take advantage of the highintrinsic modulation bandwidth of these devices it is important to havea good microwave design to avoid electrical parasitics. A segmented paddesign to achieve this is briefly described.The last part of the introduction covers measurements techniques that wereimplemented to experimentally investigate above devices. A description ofthe measurement methods, including practical hints and methods forevaluation of the measured results are provided.
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| 7. |
- Chen, Tingsu
(författare)
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CMOS High Frequency Circuits for Spin Torque Oscillator Technology
- 2014
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Licentiatavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Spin torque oscillator (STO) technology has a unique blend of features, including but not limited to octave tunability, GHz operating frequency, and nanoscaled size, which makes it highly suitable for microwave and radar applications. This thesis studies the fundamentals of STOs, utilizes the state-of-art STO's advantages, and proposes two STO-based microwave systems targeting its microwave applications and measurement setup, respectively.First, based on an investigation of possible STO applications, the magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) STO shows a great suitability for microwave oscillator in multi-standard multi-band radios. Yet, it also imposes a large challenge due to its low output power, which limits it from being used as a microwave oscillator. In this regard, different power enhancement approaches are investigated to achieve an MTJ STO-based microwave oscillator. The only possible approach is to use a dedicated CMOS wideband amplifier to boost the output power of the MTJ STO. The dedicated wideband amplifier, containing a novel Balun-LNA, an amplification stage and an output buffer, is proposed, analyzed, implemented, measured and used to achieve the MTJ STO-based microwave oscillator. The proposed amplifier core consumes 25.44 mW from a 1.2 V power supply and occupies an area of 0.16 mm2 in a 65 nm CMOS process. The measurement results show a S21 of 35 dB, maximum NF of 5 dB, bandwidth of 2 GHz - 7 GHz. This performance, as well as the measurement results of the proposed MTJ STO-based microwave oscillator, show that this microwave oscillator has a highly-tunable range and is able to drive a PLL.The second aspect of this thesis, firstly identifies the major difficulties in measuring the giant magnetoresistance (GMR) STO, and hence studying its dynamic properties. Thereafter, the system architecture of a reliable GMR STO measurement setup, which integrates the GMR STO with a dedicated CMOS high frequency IC to overcome these difficulties in precise characterization of GMR STOs, is proposed. An analysis of integration methods is given and the integration method based on wire bonding is evaluated and employed, as a first integration attempt of STO and CMOS technologies. Moreover, a dedicated high frequency CMOS IC, which is composed of a dedicated on-chip bias-tee, ESD diodes, input and output networks, and an amplification stage for amplifying the weak signal generated by the GMR STO, is proposed, analyzed, developed, implemented and measured. The proposed dedicated high frequency circuits for GMR STO consumes 14.3 mW from a 1.2 V power supply and takes a total area of 0.329 mm2 in a 65 nm CMOS process. The proposed on-chip bias-tee presents a maximum measured S12 of -20 dB and a current handling of about 25 mA. Additionally, the proposed dedicated IC gives a measured gain of 13 dB with a bandwidth of 12.5 GHz - 14.5 GHz. The first attempt to measure the (GMR STO+IC) pair presents no RF signal at the output. The possible cause and other identified issues are given.
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| 8. |
- Dentoni Litta, Eugenio, 1986-
(författare)
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Integration of thulium silicate for enhanced scalability of high-k/metal gate CMOS technology
- 2014
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- High-k/metal gate stacks have been introduced in CMOS technology during the last decade in order to sustain continued device scaling and ever-improving circuit performance. Starting from the 45 nm technology node, the stringent requirements in terms of equivalent oxide thickness and gate current density have rendered the replacement of the conventional SiON/poly-Si stack unavoidable. Although Hf-based technology has become the de facto industry standard for high-k/metal gate MOSFETs, problematic long-term scalability has motivated the research of novel materials and solutions to fulfill the target performances expected of gate stacks in future technology nodes.In this work, integration of a high-k interfacial layer has been identified as the most promising approach to improve gate dielectric scalability, since this technology presents the advantage of potential compatibility with both current Hf-based and plausible future higher-k materials. Thulium silicate has been selected as candidate material for integration as interfacial layer, thanks to its unique properties which enabled the development of a straightforward integration process achieving well-controlled and repeatable growth in the sub-nm thickness regime, a contribution of 0.25+-0.15 nm to the total EOT, and high quality of the interface with Si.Compatibility with industry-standard CMOS integration flows has been kept as a top priority in the development of the new technology. To this aim, a novel ALD process has been developed and characterized, and a manufacturable process flow for integration of thulium silicate in a generic gate stack has been designed. The thulium silicate interfacial layer technology has been verified to be compatible with standard integration flows, and fabrication of high-k/metal gate MOSFETs with excellent electrical characteristics has been demonstrated.The possibility to achieve high performance devices by integration of thulium silicate in current Hf-based technology has been specifically demonstrated, and the TmSiO/HfO2 dielectric stack has been shown to be compatible with the industrial requirements of operation in the sub-nm EOT range (down to 0.6 nm), reliable device operation over a 10 year expected lifetime, and compatibility with common threshold voltage control techniques. The thulium silicate interfacial layer technology has been especially demonstrated to be superior to conventional chemical oxidation in terms of channel mobility at sub-nm EOT, since the TmSiO/HfO2 dielectric stack achieved ~20% higher electron and hole mobility compared to state-of-the-art SiOx/HfO2 devices at the same EOT. Such performance enhancement can provide a strong advantage in the EOT-mobility trade-off which is commonly observed in scaled gate stacks, and has been linked by temperature and stress analyses to the higher physical thickness of the high-k interfacial layer, which results in attenuated remote phonon scattering compared to a SiOx interfacial layer achieving the same EOT.
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| 9. |
- Dong, Lin, 1983-
(författare)
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Optical Properties of Nanoparticles in Composite Materials
- 2012
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Nanoparticles are synthetic structures with dimension from 1 to 100 nanometers and are various in types. Some favorable properties peculiar to the nanoparticles (generally owing to size effects) make them prevailing and beneficial for applications in different scientific and engineering fields. A large portion of these properties find their connection to optics and photonics. In the context of optics, the thesis is devoted to study of two specific categories of nanoparticles, gold nanoparticles and CdSe-CdS core-shell quantum dots, aiming at investigating the influence and potential of the particles in applications of lasing and medical diagnosis/treatment.Gold nanoparticles have been widely exploited in radiative decay engineering to achieve fluorescence enhancement or quenching of fluorophores, with the help of a localized surface plasmon resonance band in visible range. As the technique is recently introduced to lasing applications, the influence of the gold nanoparticles on the photostability of the gain medium needs more attention. In this work, the effect of size and concentration of gold nanoparticles on altering the photostability of aqueous solution of Rhodamine 6G in lasing process is demonstrated and analyzed. Energy transfer and nanoparticle induced heat are found to be responsible for the acceleration of photobleaching. It is shown that coating the gold nanoparticles with a 15 nm thick silica layer can effectively diminish the photostability degradation of the gain medium.Gold nanorods are popular for in vivo diagnostic and therapeutic applications due to their strong absorption of near-infrared light. A novel type of multimodal nanoparticles based on gold nanorods is synthesized here and optically characterized. The coating of silica and gadolinium oxide carbonate hydrate renders the nanoparticles superior performance as MRI/CT contrast agents than commercially available products. Meanwhile, the precise temperature control of bio-tissues using the particles under laser irradiation makes them promising for photothermal treatment of cancer cells.The thesis also addresses several open questions with respect to CdSe-CdS core-shell quantum dots. A numerical model is built to study the spatial separation of electrons and holes in the dots with different core/shell sizes. QDs in different geometrical shapes are investigated. It is found that the spherical core-shell QDs can be flexibly tuned between the type-I and the type-II regime by varying the dimensions of the core and the shell. The feature is confirmed by time-resolved photoluminescence measurements, in which the carrier recombinations from different spatial paths can be distinguished. A sign of amplified spontaneous emission is observed with spherical dots of an appropriate combination of core radius and shell thickness, indicating the potential of the QDs for lasing applications.
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| 10. |
- Dzibrou, Dzmitry, 1984-
(författare)
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Complex Oxide Photonic Crystals
- 2009
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Licentiatavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Microphotonics has been offering a body of ideas to prospective applicationsin optics. Among those, the concept of photonic integrated circuits (PIC’s) has recently spurred a substantial excitement into the scientific community. Relisation of the PIC’s becomes feasible as the size shrinkage of the optical elements is accomplished. The elements based on photonic crystals (PCs) represent promising candidacy for manufacture of PIC’s. This thesis is devoted to tailoring of optical properties and advanced modelling of two types of photonic crystals: (Bi3Fe5O12/Sm3Ga5O12)m and (TiO2/Er2O3)m potentially applicable in the role optical isolators and optical amplifiers, respectively. Deposition conditions of titanium dioxide were first investigated to maximise refractive index and minimise absorption as well as surface roughness of titania films. It was done employing three routines: deposition at elevated substrate temperatures, regular annealing in thermodynamically equilibrium conditions and rapid thermal annealing (RTA). RTA at 500 oC was shown to provide the best optical performance giving a refractive index of 2.53, an absorption coefficient of 404 cm−1 and a root-mean-square surface roughness of 0.6 nm. Advanced modelling of transmittance and Faraday rotation for the PCs (Bi3Fe5O12/Sm3Ga5O12)5 and (TiO2/Er2O3)6 was done using the 4 × 4 matrix formalism of Višňovský. The simulations for the constituent materials in the forms of single films were performed using the Swanepoel and Višňovský formulae. This enabled generation of the dispersion relations for diagonal and off-diagonal elements of the permittivity tensors relating to the materials. These dispersion relations were utilised to produce dispersion relations for complex refractive indices of the materials. Integration of the complex refractive indices into the 4 × 4 matrix formalism allowed computation of transmittance and Faraday rotation of the PCs. The simulation results were found to be in a good agreement with the experimental ones proving such a simulation approach is an excellent means of engineering PCs.
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