Silicon (Si) and germanium (Ge) in optical devices

This chapter describes optical devices which use Si, SiGe, and Ge technologies for electronics. It starts with the optical waveguides and optical resonators which create slow light for microphotonic devices. Then, electro-optical modulation, photo-carrier generation, and photo emission will be discussed on the basis of nano- and micro-structures. Both modulators and detectors are critical components of the on-chip optical interconnections that are expected to enable low-power-dissipation electronics systems. Ultra-small electric capacitance accomplished through silicon photonics and nano-photonics would provide a strong tool for that purpose. Multi-modal sensing is also a promising area for these new optical devices.