Bridging the gap between glass and silicon

In collaboration with the Universities of Surrey and Cambridge, the ORC hopes the studies will develop functionality of new materials such amorphous chalcogenides. These materials bridge the gap between glasses such as those that form optical fibre networks and semiconductors. Chalcogenides are already in use for thin film and fibre waveguides, switching, light emission and amplification while electronic applications, such as phase change memory, are leading the way in microelectronics. Professor Dan Hewak, project leader from the ORC, says he expects this project to generate considerable attention in both research and industrial communities. "This research will stimulate interest in further electrical and optical applications of chalcogenides on a local and international scale, particularly as we move towards commercial realisation," he said. "Many of the device goals, such as leds, photodiodes, photovoltaic cells, optical amplifiers, switches, logic gates and memory cells will be of great interest to large electronics companies." The £1.48million Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) funded project forms a component of its Grand Challenge in Microelectronics, Performance Driven Design for Next Generation Chip Design. The grant is initially awarded over two years during which the number and range of collaborations and industrial interest is expected to grow in the new chalcogenide based optoelectronic platform.