Integration of Semiconductor Nanowire Lasers with Polymeric Waveguide Devices on a Mechanically Flexible Substrate

Nanowire lasers are integrated with planar waveguide devices using a high positional accuracy microtransfer printing technique. Direct nanowire to waveguide coupling is demonstrated, with coupling losses as low as -17 dB, dominated by mode mismatch between the structures. Coupling is achieved using both end-fire coupling into a waveguide facet, and from nanowire lasers printed directly onto the top surface of the waveguide. In-waveguide peak powers up to 11.8 μW are demonstrated. Basic photonic integrated circuit functions such as power splitting and wavelength multiplexing are presented. Finally, devices are fabricated on a mechanically flexible substrate to demonstrate robust coupling between the on-chip laser source and waveguides under significant deformation of the system.