Integrated Photonic Circuits in Gallium Nitride and Aluminum Nitride

Integrated optics is a promising optical platform both for its enabling role in optical interconnects and applications in on-chip optical signal processing. In this paper, we discuss the use of group III-nitride (GaN, AlN) as a new material system for integrated photonics compatible with silicon substrates. Exploiting their inherent second-order nonlinearity we demonstrate and second, third harmonic generation in GaN nanophotonic circuits and high-speed electro-optic modulation in AlN nanophotonic circuits.