Pixelated non-volatile programmable photonic integrated circuits with 20-level intermediate states

Multi-level programmable photonic integrated circuits(PICs)and optical metasurfaces have gained widespread attention in many fields,such as neuromorphic photonics,opticalcommunications,and quantum information.In this paper,we propose pixelated programmable Si_(3)N_(4)PICs with record-high 20-level intermediate states at 785 nm wavelength.Such flexibility in phase or amplitude modulation is achieved by a programmable Sb_(2)S_(3)matrix,the footprint of whose elements can be as small as 1.2μm,limited only by the optical diffraction limit of anin-house developed pulsed laser writing system.We believe our work lays the foundation for laser-writing ultra-high-level(20 levels and even more)programmable photonic systems and metasurfaces based on phase change materials,which could catalyze diverse applications such as programmable neuromorphic photonics,biosensing,optical computing,photonic quantum computing,and reconfigurable metasurfaces.

Emerging MoS_(2)Wafer-Scale Technique for Integrated Circuits

As an outstanding representative of layered materials,molybdenum disulfide(MoS_(2))has excellent physical properties,such as high carrier mobility,stability,and abundance on earth.Moreover,its reasonable band gap and microelectronic compatible fabrication characteristics makes it the most promising candidate in future advanced integrated circuits such as logical electronics,flexible electronics,and focal-plane photodetector.However,to realize the all-aspects application of MoS_(2),the research on obtaining high-quality and large-area films need to be continuously explored to promote its industrialization.Although the MoS_(2)grain size has already improved from several micrometers to sub-millimeters,the high-quality growth of wafer-scale MoS_(2)is still of great challenge.Herein,this review mainly focuses on the evolution of MoS_(2)by including chemical vapor deposition,metal–organic chemical vapor deposition,physical vapor deposition,and thermal conversion technology methods.The state-of-the-art research on the growth and optimization mechanism,including nucleation,orientation,grain,and defect engineering,is systematically summarized.Then,this review summarizes the wafer-scale application of MoS_(2)in a transistor,inverter,electronics,and photodetectors.Finally,the current challenges and future perspectives are outlined for the wafer-scale growth and application of MoS_(2).

Study on Si-SiGe Three-Dimensional CMOS Integrated Circuits

Based on the physical characteristics of SiGe material,a new three-dimensional （3D） CMOS IC structure is proposed,in which the first device layer is made of Si material for nMOS devices and the second device layer is made of Six Ge1- x material for pMOS. The intrinsic performance of ICs with the new structure is then limited by Si nMOS.The electrical characteristics of a Si-SiGe 3D CMOS device and inverter are all simulated and analyzed by MEDICI. The simulation results indicate that the Si-SiGe 3D CMOS ICs are faster than the Si-Si 3D CMOS ICs. The delay time of the 3D Si-SiGe CMOS inverter is 2-3ps,which is shorter than that of the 3D Si-Si CMOS inverter.

Through-silicon-via crosstalk model and optimization design for three-dimensional integrated circuits

Through-silicon-via （TSV） to TSV crosstalk noise is one of the key factors affecting the signal integrity of three- dimensional integrated circuits （3D ICs）. Based on the frequency dependent equivalent electrical parameters for the TSV channel, an analytical crosstalk noise model is established to capture the TSV induced crosstalk noise. The impact of various design parameters including insulation dielectric, via pitch, via height, silicon conductivity, and terminal impedance on the crosstalk noise is analyzed with the proposed model. Two approaches are proposed to alleviate the TSV noise, namely, driver sizing and via shielding, and the SPICE results show 241 rnV and 379 mV reductions in the peak noise voltage, respectively.

Hybrid material integration in silicon photonic integrated circuits

Hybrid integration ofⅢ-Ⅴand ferroelectric materials is being broadly adopted to enhance functionalities in silicon photonic integrated circuits(PICs).Bonding and transfer printing have been the popular approaches for integration of III–V gain media with silicon PICs.Similar approaches are also being considered for ferroelectrics to enable larger RF modulation bandwidths,higher linearity,lower optical loss integrated optical modulators on chip.In this paper,we review existing integration strategies ofⅢ-Ⅴmaterials and present a route towards hybrid integration of bothⅢ-Ⅴand ferroelectrics on the same chip.We show that adiabatic transformation of the optical mode between hybrid ferroelectric and silicon sections enables efficient transfer of optical modal energies for maximum overlap of the optical mode with the ferroelectric media,similar to approaches adopted to maximize optical overlap with the gain section,thereby reducing lasing thresholds for hybridⅢ-Ⅴintegration with silicon PICs.Preliminary designs are presented to enable a foundry compatible hybrid integration route of diverse functionalities on silicon PICs.

A 330-500 GHz Zero-Biased Broadband Tripler Based on Terahertz Monolithic Integrated Circuits

A 330-500 GHz zero-biased broadband monolithic integrated tripler is reported. The measured results show that the maximum efficiency and the maximum output power are 2% and 194μW at 348 GHz. The saturation characteristic test shows that the output i dB compression point is about -8.5 dBm at 334 GHz and the maximum efficiency is obtained at the point, which is slightly below the 1 dB compression point. Compared with the conventional hybrid integrated circuit, a major advantage of the monolithic integrated circuit is the significant improvement of reliability and consistency. In this work, a terahertz monolithic frequency multiplier at this band is designed and fabricated.

Influence of Tilted Angle on Effective Linear Energy Transfer in Single Event Effect Tests for Integrated Circuits at 130 nm Technology Node

A heavy-ion irradiation experiment is studied in digital storage cells with different design approaches in 130？nm CMOS bulk Si and silicon-on-insulator （SOI） technologies. The effectiveness of linear energy transfer （LET） with a tilted ion beam at the 130？nm technology node is obtained. Tests of tilted angles θ=0 ° , 30 ° and 60 ° with respect to the normal direction are performed under heavy-ion Kr with certain power whose LET is about 40？MeVcm 2 /mg at normal incidence. Error numbers in D flip-flop chains are used to determine their upset sensitivity at different incidence angles. It is indicated that the effective LETs for SOI and bulk Si are not exactly in inverse proportion to cosθ , furthermore the effective LET for SOI is more closely in inverse proportion to cosθ compared to bulk Si, which are also the well known behavior. It is interesting that, if we design the sample in the dual interlocked storage cell approach, the effective LET in bulk Si will look like inversely proportional to cosθ very well, which is also specifically explained.

Device Physics Research for Submicron and Deep Submicron Space Microelectronics Devices and Integrated Circuits

Device physics research for submicron and deep submicron space microelectronics devices and integrated circuits will be described in three topics.1.Thin film submicron and deep submicron SOS / CMOS devices and integrated circuits.2.Deep submicron LDD CMOS devices and integrated circuits.3.C band and Ku band microwave GaAs MESFET and III-V compound hetrojunction HEM T and HBT devices and integrated circuits.

Development of 0.50μm CMOS Integrated Circuits Technology

Submicron CMOS IC technology, including triple layer resist lithography technology, RIE, LDD, Titanium Salicide, shallow junction, thin gate oxide, no bird's beak isolation and channel's multiple implantation doping technology have been developed. 0.50μm. CMOS integrated circuits have been fabricated using this submicron CMOS process.

Development of Physical Library for Short Channel CMOS / SOI Integrated Circuits

An 'Integrated Device and Circuit simulator' for thin film (0.05-0.2μm) submicron (0.5μm) and deep submicron (0.15, 0.25,0.35μm) CMOS/ SOI integrated circuit has been developed. This simulator has been used for design and fabrication and physical library development of thin film submicron and deep submicron CMOS/ SOI integrated circuit.

Some Tools to Model Ground or Supply Bounces Induced in and out of Heterogeneous Integrated Circuits

Electrical ground looks simple on a schematic; unfortunately, the actual performance of a circuit is dictated by its layout （and by its printed-circuit-board）. When the ground node moves, system performance suffers and the system radiates electromagnetic interferences. But the understanding of the physics of ground noise can provide an intuitive sense for reducing the problem. Ground bounce can produce transients with amplitudes of volts; most often changing magnetic flux is the cause; in this work, the authors use a Finite-Difference Time-Domain to begin to understand such phenomena. Additionally, predicting substrate cross-talks in mixed-signal circuits has become a critical issue to preserve signal integrity in future integrated systems. Phenomena that involve parasitic signal propagation into the substrate are discussed. A simple methodology to predict the substrate cross-talk and some associated tools are presented. Finally, the authors indicate a stochastic method which could grasp both outer or inner RF （Radio-Frequency） radiations and substrate parasites.

Advances in Developing Transitions in Microwave Integrated Circuits

Advances in developing transitions in microwave integrated circuits during the last ten years are reviewed. Some typical structures of transition are introduced. Transition structures can be classified into two basic types: one is transition between the same kind of transmission lines on different planes of a common substrate, the other transition between different types of transmission lines. Furthermore, future development of transition structures is discussed.

High density Al2O3/TaN-based metal-insulatormetal capacitors in application to radio equency integrated circuits

Metal-insulator-metal （MIM） capacitors with atomic-layer-deposited Al2O3 dielectric and reactively sputtered TaN electrodes in application to radio frequency integrated circuits have been characterized electrically. The capacitors exhibit a high density of about 6.05 fF/μm^2, a small leakage current of 4.8 × 10^-8 A/cm^2 at 3 V, a high breakdown electric field of 8.61 MV/cm as well as acceptable voltage coefficients of capacitance （VCCs） of 795 ppm/V2 and 268ppm/V at 1 MHz. The observed properties should be attributed to high-quality Al2O3 film and chemically stable TaN electrodes. Further, a logarithmically linear relationship between quadratic VCC and frequency is observed due to the change of relaxation time with carrier mobility in the dielectric. The conduction mechanism in the high field ranges is dominated by the Poole-Frenkel emission, and the leakage current in the low field ranges is likely to be associated with trap-assisted tunnelling. Meanwhile, the Al2O3 dielectric presents charge trapping under low voltage stresses, and defect generation under high voltage stresses, and it has a hard-breakdown performance.

Science Letters:The Moore’s Law for photonic integrated circuits

We formulate a “Moore’s law” for photonic integrated circuits (PICs) and their spatial integration density using two methods. One is decomposing the integrated photonics devices of diverse types into equivalent basic elements, which makes a comparison with the generic elements of electronic integrated circuits more meaningful. The other is making a complex compo- nent equivalent to a series of basic elements of the same functionality, which is used to calculate the integration density for func- tional components realized with different structures. The results serve as a benchmark of the evolution of PICs and we can con- clude that the density of integration measured in this way roughly increases by a factor of 2 per year. The prospects for a continued increase of spatial integration density are discussed.

Digital synthesis of programmable photonic integrated circuits

Programmable photonic waveguide meshes can be programmed into many different circuit topologies and thereby provide a variety of functions.Due to the complexity of the signal routing in a general mesh,a particular synthesis algorithm often only accounts for a specific function with a specific cell configuration.In this paper,we try to synthesize the programmable waveguide mesh to support multiple configurations with a more general digital signal processing platform.To show the feasibility of this technique,photonic waveguide meshes in different configurations(square,triangular and hexagonal meshes)are designed to realize optical signal interleaving with arbitrary duty cycles.The digital signal processing(DSP)approach offers an effective pathway for the establishment of a general design platform for the software-defined programmable photonic integrated circuits.The use of well-developed DSP techniques and algorithms establishes a link between optical and electrical signals and makes it convenient to realize the computer-aided design of optics–electronics hybrid systems.

Matching processing in the design of integrated circuits

In the design of the integrated circuits, in order to ensure that the designed products conform to the presupposed parameters, while designing the schematic diagrams of the circuits, we should also strengthen the layout design. Especially in the design of the analog circuits, in the layout design, there is a high degree of matching requirement for the MOS. It will have an important impact on the performance of the chips. Based on this perspective, the author of this paper analyzes how to realize the matching of the three aspects of the MOS, the resistance and the capacitance in the integrated circuit design, in order to avoid the problem of the mismatch due to the arts and crafts.

Suspended nanomembrane silicon photonic integrated circuits

Leveraging the low linear and nonlinear absorption loss of silicon at mid-infrared(mid-IR)wavelengths,silicon photonic integrated circuits(PICs)have attracted significant attention for mid-IR applications including optical sensing,spectroscopy,and nonlinear optics.However,mid-IR silicon PICs typically show moderate performance compared to state-of-the-art silicon photonic devices operating in the telecommunication band.Here,we proposed and demonstrated suspended nanomembrane silicon(SNS)PICs with light-guiding within deep-subwavelength waveguide thickness for operation in the short-wavelength mid-IR region.We demonstrated key building components,namely,grating couplers,waveguide arrays,micro-resonators,etc.,which exhibit excellent performances in bandwidths,back reflections,quality factors,and fabrication tolerance.Moreover,the results show that the proposed SNS PICs have high compatibility with the multi-project wafer foundry services.Our study provides an unprecedented platform for mid-IR integrated photonics and applications.

Low bend loss,high index,composite morphology ultra-fast laser written waveguides for photonic integrated circuits

We demonstrate a novel,composite laser written 3D waveguide,fabricated in boro-aluminosilicate glass,with a refractive index contrast of 1.12×10^(−2).The waveguide is fabricated using a multi-pass approach which leverages the respective refractive index modification mechanisms of both the thermal and athermal inscription regimes.We present the study and optimisation of inscription parameters for maximising positive refractive index change and ultimately demonstrate a dramatic advancement on the state of the art of bend losses in laser-written waveguides.The 1.0 dB cm−1 bend loss cut-off radius is reduced from 10 mm to 4 mm,at a propagation wavelength of 1550 nm.

Two-dimensional materials in photonic integrated circuits:recent developments and future perspectives[Invited]

The heterogeneous integration of photonic integrated circuits(PICs)with a diverse range of optoelectronic materials has emerged as a transformative approach,propelling photonic chips toward larger scales,superior performance,and advanced integration levels.Notably,two-dimensional(2D)materials,such as graphene,transition metal dichalcogenides(TMDCs),black phosphorus(BP),and hexagonal boron nitride(hBN),exhibit remarkable device performance and integration capabilities,offering promising potential for large-scale implementation in PICs.In this paper,we first present a comprehensive review of recent progress,systematically categorizing the integration of photonic circuits with 2D materials based on their types while also emphasizing their unique advantages.Then,we discuss the integration approaches of 2D materials with PICs.We also summarize the technical challenges in the heterogeneous integration of 2D materials in photonics and envision their immense potential for future applications in PICs.

Wide bandgap semiconductor-based integrated circuits

Wide-bandgap semiconductors exhibit much larger energybandgaps than traditional semiconductors such as silicon,rendering them very promising to be applied in the fields of electronics and optoelectronics.Prominent examples of semiconductors include SiC,GaN,ZnO,and diamond,which exhibitdistinctive characteristics such as elevated mobility and thermalconductivity.These characteristics facilitate the operation of awide range of devices,including energy-efficient bipolar junctiontransistors(BJTs)and metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effecttransistors(MOSFETs),as well as high-frequency high-electronmobility transistors(HEMTs)and optoelectronic components suchas light-emitting diodes(LEDs)and lasers.These semiconductorsare used in building integrated circuits(ICs)to facilitate theoperation of power electronics,computer devices,RF systems,andother optoelectronic advancements.These breakthroughs includevarious applications such as imaging,optical communication,andsensing.Among them,the field of power electronics has witnessedtremendous progress in recent years with the development of widebandgap(WBG)semiconductor devices,which is capable ofswitching large currents and voltages rapidly with low losses.However,it has been proven challenging to integrate these deviceswith silicon complementary metal oxide semiconductor(CMOS)logic circuits required for complex control functions.The monolithic integration of silicon CMOS with WBG devices increases thecomplexity of fabricating monolithically integrated smart integrated circuits(ICs).This review article proposes implementingCMOS logic directly on the WBG platform as a solution.However,achieving the CMOS functionalities with the adoption of WBGmaterials still remains a significant hurdle.This article summarizesthe research progress in the fabrication of integrated circuitsadopting various WBG materials ranging from SiC to diamond,with the goal of building future smart power ICs.