Surface Plasmon Enhanced Emitter for Photonic Interconnects
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing density of microelectronic devices on integrated circuits leads to bottlenecks in metallic signal lines, including high power consumption and synchronization difficulties, which can be mitigated by transmitting information as electromagnetic radiation through waveguides, but requires effective active photonic components like electromagnetic-radiation-emitting devices.
Innovation Solution
The development of surface-plasmon-enhanced electromagnetic-radiation-emitting devices with a multilayer core and metallic device layer, surrounded by a substrate with conducting layers, which emit surface-plasmon-enhanced electromagnetic radiation when a voltage is applied, enhancing speed and efficiency of radiation emission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If metallic signal lines are used to transmit electrical signals, then device interconnection is achieved, but power consumption increases and synchronization difficulties occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces electrical signal transmission through metallic signal lines with electromagnetic radiation transmission through photonic waveguides. This substitution eliminates the need for metallic interconnects, thereby reducing power consumption and avoiding synchronization issues associated with electrical signal propagation delays and signal integrity problems in metallic lines.
2Productivity
If electromagnetic radiation is transmitted through waveguides, then bandwidth and signal degradation are improved, but active photonic components are required which increase device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent embeds the electromagnetic radiation emitting device within the photonic integrated circuit substrate, nesting the active photonic component directly into the waveguide structure. This integration approach reduces the overall device complexity by combining multiple functions into a single compact structure, eliminating the need for separate discrete photonic components while maintaining high bandwidth capabilities.
3Productivity
If traditional electromagnetic radiation sources are used, then device simplicity is maintained, but emission speed and efficiency are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a composite structure consisting of a semiconductor core with embedded metallic nanoparticles. This composite material configuration enables plasmon-enhanced electromagnetic radiation emission, where the metallic nanoparticles interact with the semiconductor to dramatically improve emission speed and efficiency. The composite structure achieves high-performance radiation emission while maintaining compatibility with standard photonic integrated circuit fabrication processes.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
These devices can generate modulated electromagnetic radiation with greater speed and efficiency than traditional sources, supporting high-speed and high-intensity emission suitable for photonic integrated circuits, overcoming limitations of metallic signal lines.
Implementation Method 1
the exposed portion emits surface-plasmon-enhanced electromagnetic radiation when an appropriate voltage is applied between the bottom conducting layer and the top conducting layer
Data Source
AI summary
Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to surface-plasmon-enhanced electromagnetic-radiation-emitting devices and to methods of fabricating these devices. In one embodiment of the present invention, an electromagnetic-radiation-emitting device comprises a multilayer core, a metallic device layer, and a substrate. The multilayer core has an inner layer and an outer layer, wherein the outer layer is configured to surround at least a portion of the inner layer. The metallic device layer is configured to surround at least a portion of the outer layer. The substrate has a bottom conducting layer in electrical communication with the inner layer and a top conducting layer in electrical communication with the metallic device layer such that the exposed portion emits surface-plasmon-enhanced electromagnetic radiation when an appropriate voltage is applied between the bottom conducting layer and the top conducting layer.