Zinc oxide diodes for optical interconnections
The present disclosure includes methods, devices, and systems for zinc oxide diodes for optical interconnections. One system includes a ZnO emitter confined within a circular geometry in an oxide layer on a silicon substrate. An optical waveguide is formed in the oxide layer and has an input coupled to the ZnO emitter. A detector is coupled to an output of the optical waveguide.
1. A method for forming an optical signal interconnect system, comprising:
forming a light emitting diode in an undoped oxide layer on a silicon substrate, wherein forming the diode includes;
forming an circular opening in the undoped oxide layer;
depositing an amorphous buffer layer of Zinc Oxide (ZnO) on the silicon substrate within the circular opening;
growing single crystalline ZnO on the buffer layer with p-type doping and then n-type doping; and
providing a conductive contact to the n-type doping on the undoped oxide layer such that the conductive contact defines a circular opening.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method includes providing a metal conductive contact, wherein the circular opening to the conductive contact has a diameter which is less than a diameter of the circular opening in the undoped oxide layer.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method includes forming a silicon detector on a different substrate and facing the silicon detector opposite the light emitting diode across an air gap
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method includes coupling the light emitting diode to an input of an optical waveguide.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the method includes:
coupling the light emitting diode to an input of a Zinc Magnesium Oxide (ZnMgO) waveguide; and
coupling an output of the ZnMgO waveguide to a silicon photodiode detector.
6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the method includes coupling the light emitting diode to an input of a hollow core photonic bandgap waveguide formed in silicon oxide.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the method includes:
coupling the light emitting diode to a hollow core photonic bandgap waveguide having a ZnO core; and
coupling an output of the hollow core photonic bandgap waveguide to a silicon detector.
8. An optical signal interconnect system, comprising:
an optical waveguide formed in an oxide layer on a silicon substrate;
a single crystalline ZnO emitter confined within a circular geometry in the oxide layer, grown in the circular geometry using a hybrid beam deposition (HBD) process with p-type doping and then n-type doping over an amorphous buffer layer of ZnO in contact with the silicon substrate, and coupled to an input of the optical waveguide; and
a detector coupled to an output of the optical waveguide.
9. The interconnect system of claim 8 , wherein:
the optical waveguide is a Zinc Magnesium Oxide (ZnMgO) waveguide; and
the detector is a silicon photodiode detector.
10. The interconnect system of claim 8 , wherein the optical waveguide is a hollow core photonic bandgap waveguide.
11. The interconnect system of claim 8 , wherein a metal conductive contact, with a circular opening that has a diameter which is less tan a diameter of the circular geometry in the oxide layer, couples the ZnO emitter to the input of the optical waveguide.
12. The interconnect system of claim 8 , wherein the p-type doping includes Arsenic (As) doping and the n-type doping includes Gallium (Ga) doping.
13. The interconnect system of claim 8 , wherein the ZnO emitter emits wavelengths of approximately 380 nm at a photon energy of approximately 3.3 eV.
14. The interconnect system of claim 8 , wherein the detector is a silicon photodiode detector capable of receiving optical signals having a wavelength between 500 and 375 nanometers (nm).
15. An optical signal interconnect system, comprising:
a single crystalline ZnO emitter confined within a circular geometry in an oxide layer on a silicon substrate, grown in the circular geometry using a hybrid beam deposition (HBD) process with p-type doping and then n-type doping over an amorphous buffer layer of ZnO in contact with the silicon substrate;
an optical waveguide formed in the oxide layer and having an input coupled to the ZnO emitter;
a detector coupled to an output of the optical waveguide; and
wherein the ZnO emitter emits a wavelength having a photon energy which is less than a bandgap energy of the optical waveguide but larger than a bandgap energy of the detector.
16. The optical signal interconnect system of claim 15 , wherein the optical waveguide is a Magnesium doped Zinc Oxide (MgZnO) waveguide.
17. A method for operating an optical signal interconnect system, comprising:
operating a single crystalline ZnO emitter confined within a circular geometry in an oxide layer on a silicon substrate grown in the circular geometry using a hybrid beam deposition (HBD) process with p-type doping and then n-type doping over an amorphous buffer layer of ZnO in contact with the silicon substrate to emit optical signals; and
using a silicon photodiode receiver to receive optical signals having a wavelength between 500 and 375 nanometers (nm).
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the method includes operating the ZnO emitter to emit ultraviolet optical signals.
19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the method includes operating the ZnO emitter to emit optical signals having a wavelength of approximately 380 nm and a photon energy of approximately 3.3 eV.
20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the method of operating includes coupling emissions from the ZnO emitter to an input of a MgZnO waveguide.
21. The method of claim 17 , wherein the method of operating includes coupling emissions between the ZnO emitter and the silicon photodiode detector through an air gap.
22. The method of claim 17 , wherein the method of operating includes coupling emissions from the ZnO emitter to an input of a hollow core photonic bandgap waveguide.
23. The method of claim 17 , wherein the method includes using the silicon photodiode detector to detect optical signals optical signals and convert the optical signals to electrical signals.