Background
Modern data transmission based on light signals requires optical amplifiers due to the long distances involved. A particularly powerful design for such amplifiers uses tiny structures in the nanometre range, known as quantum dots. These can amplify light when supplied with electricity. However, previous solutions were limited in their efficiency because the light amplification was not optimally directed in the desired direction.
Technical Description
With this technology, the radiation behavior is precisely aligned in the component by extending the quantum dots in a specific direction. This makes light amplification more effective and easier to control. The result is a more powerful amplifier that is particularly suitable for fast and data-intensive applications. The technology thus enables a significant increase in saturation gain while maintaining excellent high-frequency characteristics. This allows for more powerful, compact, or energy-efficient optical amplifier designs within existing III-V process platforms.
Possible Applications
The technology is particularly suitable for optical systems that require high gain, high saturation power and short recovery times.
• High-frequency and high-bit-rate optical amplifiers
• Amplifier stages with high saturation gain
• Applications with a defined linear amplifier range
• InGaAs quantum dot semiconductor amplifier structures
Schematic representation of the concept according to the invention with elongated, stacked quantum dot columns and beam amplification along SVR. The diamonds symbolize quantum dots elongated along Lv with Lv/Lq = 1.8–2.4, stacked in alignment to form quantum mechanically coupled quantum dot columns. Optical amplification occurs orthogonally to the elongation axis. (© Greif)
