Mixed-Signal, RF, and Microwave Seminar

The surging progress in silicon photonics over the past decade has been driven by its potential application in low cost, high bandwidth, wavelength-division multiplexed short reach optical interconnect.  Despite significant advances, numerous technical challenges remain, such as the control of resonant devices, the implementation of large swing optical modulators, the management of polarization, the need for improved variation tolerance, an effective means for efficient and broadband fiber-to-chip optical coupling, and approaches to electronic-photonic integration.

In this talk, I will provide an overview of my group's progress in addressing these issues in silicon-based photonic platforms.  Photonic devices and integrated circuits implemented in standard silicon-on-insulator photonic platforms and a custom silicon nitride-on-silicon platform will be presented.  I will describe microring modulators and filters that circumvent conventional limits, the first polarization rotator-splitters and controllers in standard silicon photonic platforms, grating couplers with record-setting bandwidths and insertion losses, and our ongoing efforts in electronic integration.  The work paves the path toward very large-scale photonic integrated circuits and terabit-scale optical transceivers.