By reusing pump energy, the chip scale amplifier delivers high optical gain while operating efficiently in space and power constrained environments.
As data rates rise across communications, sensing, and photonic computing, compact optical amplifiers are becoming essential for boosting weak light signals on chip. However, most small scale optical amplifiers require significant power, creating efficiency and thermal challenges that limit their use in portable or densely integrated systems. Improving amplification while keeping power consumption low has remained a major hurdle in integrated photonics.
Researchers at Stanford University have demonstrated a chip sized optical amplifier that delivers up to 100 times signal amplification while operating on only a few hundred milliwatts of power. The device overcomes the efficiency limits of existing designs by reusing, or recycling, the energy that powers the amplifier rather than continuously drawing high input power. In laboratory tests, the amplifier showed low noise performance and a broader bandwidth than current compact alternatives, indicating higher data carrying capacity with reduced interference.
The approach relies on a resonant architecture in which light circulates repeatedly within the device, increasing its intensity without requiring additional power. A light beam acts as a pump, storing energy inside an optical resonator where it travels in a circular loop and builds up strength. This intensified pump light is then used to amplify the target signal more efficiently. By effectively doubling light back on itself, the design delivers stronger amplification from less input energy while preserving signal quality.
Because the amplifier is both compact and power efficient, it can be manufactured at scale and operated using small power sources, including batteries. This makes it suitable for a wide range of on chip photonic applications where space and energy budgets are tightly constrained.
Key points of the amplifiers include:
- Chip sized design with up to 100× optical gain
- Operation using only a few hundred milliwatts of power
- Low noise and broad bandwidth for higher data capacity
- Resonant architecture that recycles pump energy
- Scalable fabrication for integrated photonics
Devin Dean, co first author of the study, says, “The possibilities are really quite broad because they are so small that you can mass produce them and power them with batteries. They could be used potentially for data communications, biosensing, making new light sources, or a host of different things.”
