Photonics Integrated Circuits and the Challenge of Silicon-Based Light Sources
Date: 2025/09/19 – 2025/09/19
Academic Seminar: Photonics Integrated Circuits and the Challenge of Silicon-Based Light Sources
Speaker: Dr. He Li, Assistant Research Professor, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing
Time: 10:00, September 19, 2025 (Beijing Time)
Location: Room 503, Long Bin Building
Abstract
Photonics integrated circuits, which combine optical devices with microelectronic chips and replace electrical interconnects with optical ones, offer the most promising path to sustaining Moore’s Law and transforming semiconductor technology. However, the inherent indirect bandgap of silicon, which severely limits efficient light emission, remains the final barrier to achieving monolithic optoelectronic integration. As a result, developing practical silicon based light sources has been a persistent global challenge.
This report presents the speaker’s pioneering research on novel silicon-based light emitting materials. The work centers on original experimental efforts (“from 0 to 1”) grounded in the team’s theoretical approach using strain engineered and doped germanium for light emission. The study aims to deliver a breakthrough solution for on-chip silicon based light sources.
Additionally, the report provides an overview of the customized ultrafast annealing system and related equipment developed specifically for fabricating these advanced materials.
Biography
Dr. He Li, Assistant Research Professor at the Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, obtained his Ph.D. from Xi’an Jiaotong University in 2018. In 2019, he joined the research team of Academician Li Shushen at CAS Institute of Semiconductors as a postdoctoral fellow, specializing in silicon-based on-chip light source materials and devices. After completing the postdoctoral program in 2022, he was retained as a faculty member.
As the sole core experimental researcher in the theory group, he has achieved multiple groundbreaking results in silicon-based semiconductor doping and device physics. He has published over 30 first-author/corresponding-author papers in internationally renowned journals, including Applied Physics Letters (3), Journal of Applied Physics (3), IEEE Electron Device Letters (3), IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices (2), etc. Additionally, he has filed 14 international/national invention patents, with 9 already granted. Dr. He has led or contributed to silicon-based light emission projects funded by prestigious programs, such as: The CAS Pioneer Initiative for Outstanding Youth Teams (inaugural cohort); The CAS “From 0 to 1” Original Innovation Program; National Key R&D Program of China; Beijing Municipal Key Projects. He currently serves as Principal Investigator for two National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) projects (Youth Program and Joint Fund), with total secured research funding exceeding 5 million RMB.