Multiple quantum dot waveguides

Abstract

The present invention relates to an assembly of multiple waveguides which includes a substrate and a plurality of waveguides positioned on said substrate at locations effective to suppress cross-talk between different waveguides. The plurality of waveguides each comprise an elongate array of quantum dots extending between sets of first and second locations on the substrate. The waveguides are positioned to receive: (1) pumped light uniformly applied to the array to produce electron-hole pairs and to enable optical gain and (2) signal light at the first location to trigger an emission from the quantum dot at the first location and transmission of photons along the array to the second location. A light transmission system which includes this assembly as well as methods of making and using the assembly are also disclosed.

1 . An assembly of multiple waveguides, said assembly comprising:
 a substrate and   a plurality of waveguides positioned on said substrate at locations effective to suppress cross-talk between different waveguides, said plurality of waveguides each comprising:
 an elongate array of quantum dots extending between a set of first and second locations on the substrate and positioned to receive: (1) pumped light applied to the array to produce electron-hole pairs and to enable optical gain and (2) signal light at the first location to trigger an emission from the quantum dot at the first location and transmission of photons along the array to the second location. 
   
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each of the waveguides are straight. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each of the waveguides are bent. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each array of said substrate contains quantum dots that are the same as one another but are different than those in other arrays on the substrate. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said substrate is made of a material capable of being functionalized with hydroxyl groups. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said substrate is made of silicon dioxide on silicon. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said substrate is functionalized with hydroxyl groups. 
     
     
         8 . The assembly of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a linker coupling the quantum dots to said substrate.   
     
     
         9 . The assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the linker is a silane chain with amine or mercapto/thiol terminations. 
     
     
         10 . The assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the linker is aminopropyltriethoxysilane or mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane. 
     
     
         11 . The assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the linker is one or more nucleic acid molecule. 
     
     
         12 . The assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the linker comprises a pair of complementary nucleic acid molecules, with one of the nucleic acid molecules coupled to the substrate and one of the nucleic acid molecules coupled to the quantum dot. 
     
     
         13 . The assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the linker comprises a single nucleic acid molecule. 
     
     
         14 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each quantum dot is coupled to the substrate with a streptavidin-biotin binding pair. 
     
     
         15 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the quantum dots are made from semiconducting elements such as Group I-VII elements, Group II-VI elements, or Group III-V elements. 
     
     
         16 . A light transmission system comprising:
 the assembly of  claim 1 ;   one or more sources of pump light positioned to apply light to the arrays to produce electron-hole pairs and to enable optical gain;   one or more sources of signal light positioned to trigger an emission from the quantum dot at the first location of a set and transmission of photons along the array to the second location of a set; and   a light receiver positioned to receive photon transmission at the second location of a set.   
     
     
         17 . A method of transmitting a plurality of light signals, said method comprising:
 providing the assembly of  claim 1 ;   applying pump light to the arrays to produce electron-hole pairs and enable optical gain; and   applying signal light to the arrays to trigger an emission from the quantum dot at the first location of a set and transmission of photons along the array to the second location of a set.   
     
     
         18 . A method of making an assembly of multiple waveguides, said method comprising:
 providing a substrate;   attaching a plurality of linker sets to the substrate, each linker set being attached to the substrate sequentially and positioned between different sets of first and second locations on the substrate;   coupling quantum dots to each of the plurality of linker sets to produce a plurality of waveguides positioned on the substrate at locations effective to suppress cross-talk between different waveguides, said plurality of waveguides each comprising an elongate array of quantum dots extending between the different sets of first and second locations on the substrate and positioned to receive: (1) pumped light applied to the array to produce electron-hole pairs and to enable optical gain and (2) signal light at the first location of an array to trigger an emission from the quantum dot at the first location and transmission of photons along the array to the second location of that array.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein each array of the substrate contains quantum dots that are the same as one another but different than those in other arrays on the substrate. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein each of the plurality of linker sets on said substrate comprises an oligonucleotide which hybridizes to the same complementary nucleotide sequence but not to nucleotide sequences to which oligonucleotides in other linker sets on the substrate hybridize.