Fredagsforedrag

The exponential growth of photonic integration technology: opportunities abound

Martijn Heck

Dato: 18. september kl. 15.15-16

Lokale: 1532-116

“Photonic integrated circuits, also known as optical chips, integrate multiple optical components and functionalities on a single piece of semiconductor, typically silicon or indium phosphide. The technology of optical chips is maturing fast, driven by high-bandwidth communications applications, and mature fabrication facilities. State of the art commercial optical chips integrate hundreds of components, such as lasers, detectors, modulators, and filters, whereas laboratory demonstrators show integration levels of thousands of components. For almost three decades, this increase in optical chip complexity has been doubling every two years, much like Moore’s Law for electronic integrated circuits.

I will discuss the state of the art in this technology and the opportunities for both applied and especially fundamental research. I will highlight how the increasing maturity of optical chip technology leads to the requirement for a thorough fundamental understanding of the materials involved, and their interaction with light. Moreover I will discuss how optical chips can actually improve experimental work in optics and photonics, and provide a viable path out of the lab of academic research, in fields as diverse as precision metrology and spectroscopy, quantum optics, and ultra-low-noise laser, terahertz and microwave technology.”