Novel Silicon Based Photonic Devices

Silicon s pre-eminence in high-speed digital electronics does not extend to optoelectronics where the demand is for devices that can generate, guide, detect and process light. However, the properties of silicon are dramatically altered when it is reduced to nanometre dimensions. Advances in the understanding of such effects and in the fabrication and application of nanoscale silicon have provided the prospect of new and innovative Si-based photonic devices, and of fully integrated electronic and photonic functionality. This project aims to extend the understanding of nanoscale silicon and to develop and prototype novel Si-based photonic devices based on this material.