AlGaN/AlN heterostructures: an emerging platform for integrated photonics
S. Gündoğdu1,2, S. Pazzagli1, T. Pregnolato1,2, T. Kolbe2, S. Hagedorn2, M. Weyers2 & T. Schröder1,2
Published in:
npj Nanophoton., vol. 2, art. 2, doi:10.1038/s44310-024-00048-z (2025).
Abstract:
We introduce a novel material for integrated photonics and investigate aluminum gallium nitride (AlGaN) on aluminum nitride (AlN) templates as a platform for developing reconfigurable and on-chip nonlinear optical devices. AlGaN combines compatibility with standard photonic fabrication technologies and high electro-optic modulation capabilities with low loss over a broad spectral range, from UVC to long-wave infrared, making it a viable material for complex photonic applications. In this work, we design and grow AlGaN/AlN heterostructures and integrate several photonic components. In particular, we fabricate edge couplers, low-loss waveguides, directional couplers, and tunable high-quality factor ring resonators. These devices will enable nonlinear light-matter interaction and quantum functionality. The comprehensive platform we present in this work paves the way for photon-pair generation applications, on-chip quantum frequency conversion, and fast electro-optic modulation for switching and routing classical and quantum light fields.
1 Department of Physics, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
2 Ferdinand-Braun-Institut (FBH), Berlin, Germany
© The Author(s) 2025
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