Patrick Steglich

Silicon-based photonic integrated circuits (PIC) in a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology are essential for next-generation communication systems and neuromorphic computing. Silicon lacks from efficient electro-optical (EO) effects. Since silicon is limiting the performance of current photonic devices, more advanced materials like nonlinear optical polymers are needed to unleash the full potential of PICs. As preliminary proof of concept we demonstrate the quadratic EO and electric field-induced EO effect by employing a Mach-Zehnder interferometer. Following our monolithic integration concept could open a way for next-generation PICs.

Photonic micro-ring resonators (MRR) are widely studied for their high sensitivity across applications like environmental monitoring, healthcare, and chemical analysis. Their evanescent field sensing requires partially unembedded waveguides compatible with CMOS processing. Our approach uses local backside etching with an additional buried oxide (BOX) etch to release waveguides while preserving the back-end of line (BEOL) structure, enabling spatial separation of the sensing area and electronics. The BOX etch critically affects sensor performance, as waveguide surface roughness can alter MRR properties and coupling. We analyzed MRR design variations, comparing wet and dry etching techniques for their effects on optical performance across rib and strip waveguides in quasi-TE and quasi-TM modes. Wafer-level measurements show that backside-released MRR achieve high extinction ratios with slightly reduced quality factors, advancing high-sensitivity photonic sensors.

The development of novel photonic integrated microchips (PIC) is a promising approach to allow for the convenient detection of key biomarkers in complex matrices through multichannel real-time analysis in a highly compact package. This study reports the successful development and application of a backside released CMOS chip designed for the multichannel real-time detection of biomarkers. Operating at the C-band at approx. 1550 nm, the microchip features three dedicated detection sensors in addition to a reference sensor, enabling simultaneous analysis of multiple biomarkers. The compact and highly miniaturized design of this microchip, with a footprint of just 1 mm², positions it as promising candidate for point-of-care diagnostics and personalized medicine applications. This technology opens a path to transform biomarker detection across various medical fields, offering rapid, reliable, and cost-effective diagnostic solutions. In conclusion, the presented multichannel photonic microchips signify a substantial leap forward in real-time biomarker detection, providing a highly capable platform for future research and clinical applications.

The properties of anisotropic materials are used in many optical components such as waveplates or polarizing beamsplitters. In particular, anisotropic materials that possess electro-optical properties allow the realization of actively controllable optical components like optical switches, phase shifters, or modulators. Hence, understanding and computation of light propagation in anisotropic materials with electro-optical effects are crucial in optical science and technology. On the one hand this tutorial stresses the use of eigenvalue problems to explain qualitatively and to compute quantitatively important properties such as polarization. On the other hand it discusses the mathematical model of both electro-optical effects, namely, the Pockels and the DC Kerr effect. This tutorial describes the basic concepts in a consistent tensor language, shows how the tensors are conveniently summarized in matrices, and points out that these matrices do not transform like tensors. The tensor approach clarifies how symmetry arguments affect tensor components. Further, this paper derives the more accurate nonlinear relationship between the refractive index and the externally applied electric field.

Photonic integrated circuits (PIC) are like electronic integrated circuits drivers of communication systems. Moreover, state-of-the-art technologies enable the fabrication of electronic-photonic integrated circuits (ePIC), which allows for example the cointegration of ultra-fast BiCMOS devices with high speed photo detectors. Besides that, this technology provides an attractive platform for biosensors. They open the door for label-free detection of various analytes with high specificity and in real-time. This gives perspective to highly scalable and cost effective technologies for smart system integration of biosensors and electronic readouts to realize a true lab-on-a-chip application. We present the integration of optical biosensors in a Si-based PIC-technology. This comprises a front-end of line with optical waveguides, an integrated Ge-photodiode and a complete back-end of line consisting of three thin and two thick aluminum metal layers. The optical biosensor is integrated by opening the optical waveguide from the backside of the chip. In particular, we released a Si-based slot waveguide, which provides an enhanced evanescent field to interact with the analyte and hence to increase the sensitivity. The slot waveguide is incorporated in a ring resonator and we analyzed the wafer-level performance using the full width at half maximum, which allows us to assess the optical losses. Thermal sensing in a wide temperature range is investigated. In addition, a simple and cost-effective microfluidic is realized and we show initial results of the surface functionalization. Our work demonstrates the compatibility of a photonic biosensor with a photonic integrated circuit technology without any restriction to the standard FEOL and BEOL processing on the wafer front-side, while it keeps the inherent high sensitivity of evanescent-field sensing and opens a route towards smart system integration. Figure 1

New requirements for high-frequency applications in wireless communication and sensor technologies need III-V compound semiconductors such as indium phosphide (InP) to complement silicon (Si)-based technologies. This study establishes the basis for a new approach to heterogeneous integration of III-V on Si aimed at the transfer of single-crystalline InP coupons on Si via micro-transfer printing (μTP). The InP coupons will act as high-quality virtual substrates that allow selective homo-epitaxy. We present the chemical-mechanical polishing-based preparation and structural characterization of µm-thin (001) InP platelets, starting from high-quality 4-inch bulk crystals and micro-patterning into transferable coupons of several hundred µm². The obtained InP platelets exhibit the desired thickness—below 10 ± 1 µm—and low surface roughness—<0.3 nm—on both sides, meeting the precondition for µTP and epitaxy. X-ray rocking curve measurements provide accurate spatial maps of the total strain, which indicate small strain variations in the µm-thin InP sample. Rocking curve mappings of the (0 0 4) reflection reveal half-widths below 16 arcsec in the majority of the sample area after thinning that is similar to commercially available InP bulk substrates. Pole figure measurements show no evidence of stress-induced micro-twinning or stacking faults. Overall, minor indications of crystal quality degradation in the product platelets, compared with the bulk samples, were detected.

The next-generation internet (6G) requires highly functional devices that e.g. realize frequencies in the THz range for higher data rates and lower latencies. Those requirements exceed the physical limits of established CMOS technologies based on silicon (Si). Hence, there is demand for other semiconductor materials with superior electronic and optical properties that complement Si. One of the key candidates is the III-V compound semiconductor, indium phosphide (InP). Due to its high electron mobility and direct band gap, InP-based devices allow access to frequencies >100 GHz and operate at the optical fibre compatible wavelength of 1.55 μm.¹ With the perspective of leveraging the advantages of Si-based CMOS technology and III-V semiconductors, hetero-integration of III-V materials on Si is of great interest. However, existing integration approaches entail certain disadvantages: (i) High dislocation densities due to the lattice mismatch of InP and Si for integration via hetero-epitaxial growth;² (ii) limited integration density and the requirement of accurate alignment for flip-chip integration; and (iii) high process-related losses of Si and III-V materials as well as thermal stress and low thermal conductivity of adhesive layers degrading device performance for wafer/die bonding technologies.³ Another promising approach for III-V-on-Si integration is micro-transfer-printing (μTP) that involves pick-up and transfer of µm-small chips from a source substrate to a target substrate with high alignment accuracy by using an elastomeric stamp. Advantages of μTP are high integration densities and efficient material use. The technique was already implemented for III-V-on-Si photonic integrated circuits by transfer of epitaxial III-V layers.⁴ However, using sacrificial III-V interlayers for release and adhesives for bonding still leads to transfer issues and low operation temperature for the devices, respectively. We pursue a new approach to hetero-integration of III-V on Si that aims at the transfer of single-crystalline InP coupons onto Si via μTP. This will be achieved by obtaining crystalline coupons with a thickness of d ≤ 10 µm and two polished surfaces that attain low roughness, needed i.a. for µTP. If the high structural quality of the single-crystalline InP source material can be maintained, this process will provide high quality templates for subsequent epitaxial growth. Towards this goal, we developed a sophisticated micro-preparation process in cooperation with the Leibniz Institute for High Performance Microelectronics IHP.⁵ Starting from 4-inch single crystals with homogeneous, low dislocation density of 2×10³ cm^{- 2} grown at IKZ,⁶ thinned InP dies were obtained by sawing, grinding and employing an optimized two-step chemical mechanical polishing (CMP). In order to produce µm-sized transfer-printable coupons, the InP dies were micro structured by means of photolithography assisted patterning and wet (under-)etching (Fig. 1). The coupons can then be picked up with a stamp and transferred to the target wafer. Main innovation of this process is the resin which serves as low stress fixing layer for CMP as well as sacrificial layer for later release. The optimized CMP process with abrasive-free final polishing yielded InP platelets of the desired thickness below 10 μm with low thickness deviation < 1 µm and excellent surface roughness of S _q ≈ 0.3 nm (Fig. 2a,b,d). This value even meets the requirements for adhesive-free bonding (S _q ≤ 2 nm) and subsequent epitaxial growth (S _q ≤ 0.5 nm). X-ray rocking curve mapping provides accurate spatial maps of lattice deformations in the material that may be a consequence of the mechanical processing. Rocking curve widths mappings of the 004 reflection of a (001) sample before and after thinning are homogeneous and below 25 arcsec in the majority of the sample area. Overall no signs of systematic crystal quality deterioration in the product platelets compared to bulk samples have been detected. In summary, the feasibility of μm-thin InP platelet fabrication was demonstrated. Final platelets meet the prerequisites of low and uniform thickness, high planarity, low roughness and little crystal quality deterioration. Furthermore, first InP platelets could successfully be patterned to 100–400 µm-sized coupons using optical lithography and wet etching (Fig. 2c). This opens a path to take the next steps towards hetero-integration on Si by means of µTP with high potential for adhesive-free bonding. References [1] J. C. Rode, et al. IEEE Trans. Electron Devices 2015, 62, 2779–2785. [2] Q. Li, K. M. Lau Prog. Cryst. Growth Charact. Mater. 2017, 63, 105–120. [3] X. Guo, et al. J. Semicond. 2019, 40, 101304. [4] J. Zhang, et al. APL Photonics 2019, 4, 110803. [5] IKZ-IHP Patent filed - DE 10 2022 100 661.1. [6] K. Giziewicz, et al. 51st Annual Meeting of the German Association of Crystal Growth, 2021, Berlin. Figure 1

Label-free direct-optical biosensors such as surface-plasmon resonance (SPR) spectroscopy has become a gold standard in biochemical analytics in centralized laboratories. Biosensors based on photonic integrated circuits (PIC) are based on the same physical sensing mechanism: evanescent field sensing. PIC-based biosensors can play an important role in healthcare, especially for point-of-care diagnostics, if challenges for a transfer from research laboratory to industrial applications can be overcome. Research is at this threshold, which presents a great opportunity for innovative on-site analyses in the health and environmental sectors. A deeper understanding of the innovative PIC technology is possible by comparing it with the well-established SPR spectroscopy. In this work, we shortly introduce both technologies and reveal similarities and differences. Further, we review some latest advances and compare both technologies in terms of surface functionalization and sensor performance.

Direct optical detection methods such as surface plasmon resonance imaging (SPRi) and photonic-integrated-circuits (PIC)-based biosensors provide a fast label-free detection of COVID-19 antibodies in real-time. Each technology, i.e., SPRi and PIC, has advantages and disadvantages in terms of throughput, miniaturization, multiplexing, system integration, and cost-effective mass production. However, both technologies share similarities in terms of sensing mechanism and both can be used as high-content diagnostics at or near to point of care, where the analyte is not just quantified but comprehensively characterized. This is significant because recent results suggest that not only the antibody concentration of the three isotypes IgM, IgG, and IgA but also the strength of binding (affinity) gives an indication of potential COVID-19 severity. COVID-19 patients with high titers of low affinity antibodies are associated with disease severity. In this perspective, we provide some insights into how SPR and PIC technologies can be effectively combined and complementarily used for a comprehensive COVID-19 severity monitoring. This opens a route toward an immediate therapy decision to provide patients a treatment in an early stage of the infection, which could drastically lowers the risk of a severe disease course.