Very Small Optoelectronic Modulator and Photodetector Devices Based on Organic Semiconductors
Summary:
Optodot Corporation (Allston, MA) is developing very small optoelectronic modulator and photodetector devices based on organic semiconductor materials. Ultimately, these devices will be placed or fabricated on optical chips that allow faster and denser computing. Optodot is working with a large U.S.-based optoelectronics manufacturer to build prototypes. Together, the two companies plan to commercialize this technology.
Technology Description:
Essentially all of today’s microelectronic devices are made from inorganic semiconductors such as silicon. Organic semiconductors are increasingly drawing interest as a way not only to shrink, but to lower the cost of manufacturing microelectronic devices. Successful applications of organic light-emitting diodes for cellular phones and hand-held video game devices have already been produced.
Optodot is now applying organic semiconductor technology to optoelectronic devices such as modulators and photo detectors. Special features of the organic optoelectronic modulator will include:
Packaged speeds of 40+ Gigabits per second (Gbits/s)
Switching voltage of less than 2 V
An active switching region of less than 1 micron: This very small region is roughly 700-times smaller than that found in indium phosphide modulators and 25,000-times smaller than that found in polymer-based and lithium niobate-based modulators. The small size of the active switching region will allow nanoscale integrated optics manufacturing.
Less than 3 dB insertion loss with no chirp expected
Low cost: Established spin-coating techniques for organic light-emitting diodes can be used to manufacture very uniform thin films of the active organic semiconductor layer. Other inorganic semiconductor materials, such as InP, are more difficult to manufacture.
Special features of the organic optoelectronic photodetector will include:
Picosecond photoresponse
Extremely high efficiency for photoconversion to generate electrons
Picosecond reversibility or return to original detection state
Highly photostable
High level of electrical conductivity
MDA Origins:
MDA awarded Optodot an SBIR Phase I contract in early 2002 and a FasTrack SBIR Phase II contract in 2003. In Phase I, the company tested various organic semiconductors for use in optoelectronic modulator and photodetector device applications. In Phase II, it will build, test, and demonstrate device prototypes. MDA funded this SBIR research because it could lead to optical chips that allow faster and denser computing.
Spinoff Applications:
Organic modulator and photodetector devices would enable board-level optical interconnects that could alleviate the ever-tightening electrical interconnection bottleneck and could provide greater computational power for military and commercial uses. Integrated into a transceiver module, they could be used for free space and waveguide interconnections and for on-chip, inter-chip, inter-board, and inter-box connections.
Organic modulator and photodetector devices also could be used in nonintegrated optical transceivers and optical interconnects for low-cost optical communications, particularly for metro/regional and local optical networks. Currently, over 90 percent of the modulators used are lithium niobate interferometric modulators, and they are much too large and expensive to meet the requirements and industry specifications for 10-GHz communications in metro and local applications.
Other military and commercial products could be developed from this MDA-funded research. These products include laser transmitters; photovoltaic solar cells; electrically driven switchable infrared mirrors with very low absorption for laser optics and directed high-energy laser weapon systems; optical switching networks and routers for integrated optical circuits and for optical communications; and nanoporous sol-gel battery separators.
An unexpected discovery during the SBIR Phase I research led to the development of organic semiconductor-based photochromic ink for security marking applications.
Commercialization:
Optodot is working with a large U.S.-based optoelectronics manufacturer to build organic modulator and photodetector prototypes. Together, the two companies plan to commercialize this technology.
Currently, all of Optodot’s revenues are derived from government contracts. Seed Capital Partners of Buffalo, NY, an early-stage investor affiliated with Japanese Internet investor Softbank, has invested over $1 million. CRE Investments also has made a sizable financial investment.
Company Profile:
Optodot Corporation is a private company that was founded in 2000 by Dr. Steve Carlson and IGNITE!, a hi-tech startup specialist company in Boston, MA. Optodot develops and markets nanoscale materials (photochromic, electrochromic, and microporous) for security marking, energy storage, and optical communication applications. The company has five full-time employees and occupies a facility in Boston with 2,400 square feet of laboratory and office space.
Contact Information:
Dr. Steve Carlson
Optodot Corporation
214 Lincoln Street, Suite 305
Allston, MA 02134
Tel: (617) 562-0800
Fax: (617) 562-0811
email: scarlson@optodot.com
web: www.optodot.com
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