Reliable micro-transfer printing method for heterogeneous integration of lithium niobate and semiconductor thin films

Abstract

High-speed Pockels modulation and second-order nonlinearities are key components in optical systems, but CMOS-compatible platforms like silicon and silicon nitride lack these capabilities. Micro-transfer printing of thin-film lithium niobate offers a solution, but suspending large areas of thin films for long interaction lengths and high-Q resonators is challenging, resulting in a low transfer yield. We present a new source preparation method that enables reliable transfer printing of thin-film lithium niobate. We demonstrate its versatility by successfully applying it to gallium phosphide and silicon, and provide an estimate of the transfer yield by subsequently printing 25 lithium niobate films without fail.

Micro-transfer Printed Thin Film Lithium Niobate (TFLN)-on-Silicon Ring Modulator

“…This removes current trade-offs existing in the silicon photonics platform for implementing complex integrated systems. As such, we believe fast LN modulators will rapidly become essential for applications like optical communication, − quantum computing and quantum communication, , laser pulse shaping and control, optical signal processing, − etc.…”

“…Heterogeneous integration of TFLN can be realized by wafer bonding ,,− or the newly emerging micro-transfer printing printing technology. − Micro-transfer printing of TFLN outperforms wafer bonding in fabrication complexity, integration density, and cost-effectiveness. The fabrication process of μ-TP involves a source wafer and a target wafer.…”