Direct Maxwell's Equations Computational Modeling of Optical Pulse Propagation and Switching in Semiconductor Waveguides

9218494 Taflove这个项目旨在开发新的三维时域算法的光脉冲传播，散射，和开关（包括飞秒脉冲）使用全矢量非线性时域麦克斯韦方程组，与玻璃和半导体材料的具体应用。 算法将在Cray C-90或Cray T3 D级的超级计算机上实现。 一种算法涉及解决一个时域系统的常微分方程的带隙物理的半导体材料同时与时域矢量麦克斯韦方程。 该算法可以允许详细的无源和有源光学和电光器件，包括开关和激光源的脉冲动力学的建模。 感兴趣的第二种方法涉及应用计算流体动力学技术来跟踪冲击波，以模拟非线性介质中可能的光学冲击波。 总的来说，该项目将开发和应用新的时域算法，以探索三维非线性介质中各种光波种类的动力学，包括“光子弹”和冲击波光脉冲。 这些可以表现出良好的性能，相对于全光开关在相对较低的激光功率水平，因为独特的性能所产生的时间和空间的限制或冲击载波，分别。 在低激光功率水平下实现新型亚毫米级超快全光数字逻辑器件具有潜在的工程应用价值。 ***

9218494 Taflove This project seeks to develop novel three-dimensional time-domain algorithms for optical pulse propagation, scattering, and switching (including femtosecond pulses) using the full vector nonlinear time-domain Maxwell's equations, with specific applications of glass and semiconductor materials. Algorithms will be implemented on supercomputers of the class of the Cray C-90 or Cray T3D. One algorithm to be explored involves solving a time-domain system of ordinary differential equations for the bandgap physics of semiconductor materials concurrently with the time-domain vector Maxwell's equations. This algorithm could permit detailed modeling of the pulse dynamics of passive and active optical and electrooptic devices including switches and laser sources. A second approach of interest involves applying computational fluid dynamics techniques for tracking shock waves to model possible optical shock waves in nonlinear media. Overall, the project will develop and apply novel time-domain algorithms to explore the dynamics of a variety of optical wave species in nonlinear media in three dimensions, including "light bullets" and shocked-wave optical pulses. These may exhibit favorable properties with respect to all-optical switching at relatively low laser power levels because of unique properties arising form their temporal and spatial confinement or shocked carrier, respectively. There would exist potential engineering applications in the realization of novel ultra-fast sub-millimeter- size all-optical digital logic elements operation at low laser power levels. ***