Title：Transistor Laser for Photonics Integration

Speaker: Prof. Milton Feng(The Holonyak Chair Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA)

Time: Am 9:30, April 15, 2013

Venue: Academic Conference Center, IOS, CAS

Abstract：The invention of transistor by Bardeen and Brattain in 1947 lead us to realize that the 'magic” of the transistor is intrinsically in the base. And, it is the base that potentially offers more, particularly when we arrive at the direct-gap, high speed, high current density heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) and realize the base although thin (10-100nm), has room for more layering (bandgap and doping) and can be modified.Employing quantum-wells (QWs) and cavity reflection, we can re-invent the base region and its mechanics, reduce the current gain and achieve stimulated recombination, i.e., realize a transistor laser – a novel device with an electrical input, an electrical output and an optical output. The result is unique transistor in form and operation, as well as a unique three-terminal laser. We note that quantum well base region and stimulated recombination, besides yielding a transistor laser, changes the transistor into an active element that can used for nonlinear and switching applications as we recently demonstrated. With two electrical inputs through the base, we demonstrated new mixer with both electrical and optical outputs in nonlinear operation region and signals addition to produce new waveform in linear operation region. High Speed direct modulation of clear eye-diagram @ 20 Gbit/s has been demonstrated. It is a new device opens up new optoelectronics integration frontier.

Aout speaker：Milton Feng received PhD degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign in 1979. Prof. Feng has published over 225 papers, 200 conference talks, and been granted 27 U.S. patents in semiconductor microelectronics. In 2006, his transistor laser research paper was selected as one of the top five papers in the 43 year-history of Applied Physics Letters. In 2013, he received Optical Society R.W. Wood Prize for the co-invention and realization of the transistor laser, delivering simultaneously both an electrical signal and a coherent laser output and providing the basis for a revolutionary new higher speed electronic-photonic integrated circuit.