An electrically-pumped surface acoustic waves (SAWs) phonon laser has been achieved on a single chip, exhibiting superior performance compared to traditional devices.
Surface acoustic wave (SAW) generators are essential for modern wireless communications, sensing, and microfluidics, yet conventional designs face limitations in high-frequency operation and low size, weight, and power (SWaP) applications.
Researchers from University of Arizona, Sandia National Laboratories, and University of Colorado Boulder have now created a fully integrated, solid-state “SAW phonon laser” that generates coherent SAWs directly on-chip using only electrical injection [
1].
The device heterogeneously integrates an InGaAs semiconductor film onto a lithium niobate acoustic resonator. This structure leverages the acoustoelectric effect, where a DC electrical bias injects energy directly into the semiconductor, creating gain for specific phonon modes within the cavity. Upon exceeding a threshold bias of 36 V, the device achieves self-sustained phonon oscillation, emitting coherent acoustic waves at 1 GHz with a remarkably narrow linewidth of <77 Hz and an on-chip output power of –6.1 dBm.
This compact, electrically-pumped design eliminates the need for an external radiofrequency source, opening a path toward highly miniaturized SAW-based systems in future communications and ultra-sensitive sensors.
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