{"id":{"repo_id":"mit","oai_identifier":"oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/128418"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/mit/oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/128418","repository":{"repo_id":"mit","name":"MIT","base_url":"https://dspace.mit.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"NIR silicon photodetector enhancement using photonic crystal cavity resonators","abstract":"The growing demand for efficient infrared sensors for light ranging, thermal-cameras, and soon, free-space optical communications has yet to be answered. In this study, we use polycrystalline silicon in conjunction with a photonic crystal cavity (PhCC) to enhance light absorption for efficient sensing. We present a cost-effective alternative to the current III-V detectors. By adding a 2D-PhC resonator layer, surface-illuminated light can be confined within a 10 micron region with great intensity, leading to a higher effective path-length and improved detector responsivity. More than 1000 variants of this detector are designed and implemented in a 65nm CMOS process. Using a nearest neighbor method, we find the optimized designs. We validate experimental findings by simulating mode behavior of the PhCC structures using FDTD models. In addition, a numerical study on cavity parameter optimization for achieving high Q-factors and extinction ratios specifically for surface-illumination is presented. We report polysilicon PhCC-enhanced sensors with Q-factors of 6500 resulting in responsivities at 1300nm up to 0.13mA/W -a 25x improvement over non-resonant surface-illuminated Silicon detectors.","abstract_html":"The growing demand for efficient infrared sensors for light ranging, thermal-cameras, and soon, free-space optical communications has yet to be answered. In this study, we use polycrystalline silicon in conjunction with a photonic crystal cavity (PhCC) to enhance light absorption for efficient sensing. We present a cost-effective alternative to the current III-V detectors. By adding a 2D-PhC resonator layer, surface-illuminated light can be confined within a 10 micron region with great intensity, leading to a higher effective path-length and improved detector responsivity. More than 1000 variants of this detector are designed and implemented in a 65nm CMOS process. Using a nearest neighbor method, we find the optimized designs. We validate experimental findings by simulating mode behavior of the PhCC structures using FDTD models. In addition, a numerical study on cavity parameter optimization for achieving high Q-factors and extinction ratios specifically for surface-illumination is presented. We report polysilicon PhCC-enhanced sensors with Q-factors of 6500 resulting in responsivities at 1300nm up to 0.13mA/W -a 25x improvement over non-resonant surface-illuminated Silicon detectors.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Al Johani, Ebrahim Dakhil."],"institution":"Massachusetts Institute of Technology","degree_name":"Bachelor","degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":"Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Physics","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Rajeev J. Ram and Marin Soljačić."],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2019,"date_issued":"2019","date_published":"2019","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:22:22Z","subjects":["Physics."],"languages":["eng"],"rights":["MIT theses may be protected by copyright. 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We report polysilicon PhCC-enhanced sensors with Q-factors of 6500 resulting in responsivities at 1300nm up to 0.13mA/W -a 25x improvement over non-resonant surface-illuminated Silicon detectors."]},{"key":"dc:description.degree","label":"Dc Description Degree","values":["S.B."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["NIR silicon photodetector enhancement using photonic crystal cavity resonators"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Rajeev J. Ram and Marin Soljačić."],"dc:contributor.department":["Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Physics","Phys"],"dc:contributor.other":["Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 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