Demonstration of a Mid-infrared silicon Raman amplifier

Opt Express. 2007 Oct 29;15(22):14355-62. doi: 10.1364/oe.15.014355.

Abstract

We demonstrate, for the first time, a mid infrared silicon Raman amplifier. Amplification of 12 dB is reported for a signal at 3.39 micron wavelength. The active medium was a 2.5 cm long silicon sample that was pumped with 5ns pulses at 2.88 micron. Such a technology can potentially extend silicon photonics' application beyond data communication in the near IR and into the mid-IR world of remote sensing, biochemical detection and laser medicine. Challenges faced in the mid-IR regime such as a higher free carrier scattering rate longer lifetime in mid-IR waveguides are also discussed.