Metal–insulator–metal waveguides with lateral electrical pumping

Metal–insulator–metal (MIM) waveguides are demonstrated which have electrically pumped semiconductor gain medium at their core. In particular electrical contacts made well away from the optical mode and carriers transported to via pathways a few tens of nanometers thick. Wet chemical etching is employed form cores, can widths on order 150 (nm). Total thickness layers between metal sheets in MIM structure approximately 260 nm. Spectra obtained devices with wider core operating low temperatures wavelengths near 1550 nm examined. The nanowire like cores an rectangular cross section. Key process steps these waveguide structures also described.