About the Laboratory

Goals

The Laboratory was created in order to carry out research and development in photonic and nanoelectronic devices based on quantum effects, to look into physical phenomena in device structures, and to conduct experimental and theoretical studies of the optical and structural properties of semiconductor materials and semiconductor nanoheterostructures.

Tasks

• Studying physical phenomena in new types of nanophotonic structures with quantum-dimensional active areas;
• Developing the fundamental foundations for such structures’ application in optical data transmission and creation of key elements for new-generation photonic microcircuits, including impulse neural networks;
• Participating in educational activities, such as development and implementation of programmes in physics.

Research carried out by the laboratory is relevant due to the need to increase the speed of data transmission and processing by means of gradual transition from completely electronic systems to optical or electrooptical systems, as well as the integration of different active and passive optical components and electronic devices in a single optoelectronic microcircuit.

The increased communication between silicon processors in today's information processing systems requires unprecedented bandwidth and low power consumption that are beyond the capabilities of traditional copper interconnects. Optical interconnects on a chip will take advantage of the benefits of high-speed optical communication at the chip level. Ultra-small size is a key parameter for a photonic device designed for this kind of application. For example, the size of a micron-sized device base matches the available area and facilitates device integration. Furthermore, optical micro- and nano-resonators contribute to the achievement of single-mode lasing and high stability of the emission spectra, as required for optical data transmission systems. At the same time, miniaturization of the device entails many problems, both technological and fundamental.

This is why it is essential to look for new materials and nanostructures that can be used in optoelectronic devices, new device designs, and principles of their operation. Nanomaterials, such as semiconductor quantum dots, offer significant opportunities for achieving temperature-stable operation in extremely small devices due to deep localization of charge carriers and modification of the density of states.