Institut des Nanotechnologies de Lyon

About: Institut des Nanotechnologies de Lyon is a facility organization based out in Lyon, France. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Silicon & Photonic crystal. The organization has 616 authors who have published 1016 publications receiving 13125 citations.

Electrically pumped InP-based microdisk lasers integrated with a nanophotonic silicon-on-insulator waveguide circuit.

Abstract: A compact, electrically driven light source integrated on silicon is a key component for large-scale integration of electronic and photonic integrated circuits. Here we demonstrate electrically injected continuous-wave lasing in InP-based microdisk lasers coupled to a sub-micron silicon wire waveguide, fabricated through heterogeneous integration of InP on silicon-on-insulator (SOI). The InP-based microdisk has a diameter of 7.5 mum and a thickness of 1 mum. A tunnel junction was incorporated to efficiently contact the p-side of the pn-junction. The laser emits at 1.6 mum, with a threshold current as low as 0.5 mA under continuous-wave operation at room temperature, and a threshold voltage of 1.65 V. The SOI-coupled laser slope efficiency was estimated to be 30 muW/mA, with a maximum unidirectional output power of 10 muW.

An ultra-small, low power all-optical flip-flop memory on a silicon chip

Abstract: Ultra-small, low-power, all-optical switching and memory elements, such as all-optical flip-flops, as well as photonic integrated circuits of many such elements, are in great demand for all-optical signal buffering, switching and processing. Silicon-on-insulator is considered to be a promising platform to accommodate such photonic circuits in large-scale configurations. Through heterogeneous integration of InP membranes onto silicon-on-insulator, a single microdisk laser with a diameter of 7.5 µm, coupled to a silicon-on-insulator wire waveguide, is demonstrated here as an all-optical flip-flop working in a continuous-wave regime with an electrical power consumption of a few milliwatts, allowing switching in 60 ps with 1.8 fJ optical energy. The total power consumption and the device size are, to the best of our knowledge, the smallest reported to date at telecom wavelengths. This is also the only electrically pumped, all-optical flip-flop on silicon built upon complementary metal-oxide semiconductor technology. Scientists demonstrate that a single 7.5-μm-diameter microdisk laser coupled to a silicon-on-insulator wire waveguide can work as an all-optical flip-flop memory. Under a continuous bias of 3.5 mA, flip-flop operation is demonstrated using optical triggering pulses of 1.8 fJ and with a switching time of 60 ps. This device is attractive for on-chip all-optical signal buffering, switching, and processing.

High friction on a bubble mattress

Abstract: Reducing the friction of liquid flows on solid surfaces has become an important issue with the development of microfluidics systems, and more generally for the manipulation of fluids at small scales. To achieve high slippage of liquids at walls, the use of gas as a lubricant--such as microbubbles trapped in superhydrophobic surfaces--has been suggested. The effect of microbubbles on the effective boundary condition has been investigated in a number of theoretical studies, which basically show that on flat composite interfaces the magnitude of the slippage is proportional to the periodicity of the gaseous patterns. Recent experiments aiming to probe the effective boundary condition on superhydrophobic surfaces with trapped bubbles have indeed shown high slippage in agreement with these theoretical predictions. Here, we report nanorheology measurements of the boundary flow on a surface with calibrated microbubbles. We show that gas trapped at a solid surface can also act as an anti-lubricant and promote high friction. The liquid-gas menisci have a dramatic influence on the boundary condition, and can turn it from slippery to sticky. It is therefore essential to integrate the control of menisci in fluidic microsystems designed to reduce wall friction.

Subwavelength plasmonic lasing from a semiconductor nanodisk with silver nanopan cavity.

Abstract: We report the experimental demonstration of an optically pumped silver-nanopan plasmonic laser with a subwavelength mode volume of 0.56(λ/2n)3. The lasing mode is clearly identified as a whispering-gallery plasmonic mode confined at the bottom of the silver nanopan from measurements of the spectrum, mode image, and polarization state, as well as agreement with numerical simulations. In addition, the significant temperature-dependent lasing threshold of the plasmonic mode contrasts and distinguishes them from optical modes. Our demonstration and understanding of these subwavelength plasmonic lasers represent a significant step toward faster, smaller coherent light sources.