CAREER: Resonant Cavity Nonlinear Photodetectors for Optical Signal Processing

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Murphy0546928Nonlinear optical devices are expected to play a growing role in optical networks by replacing costly electronic components with fast optical processes. One critical challenge faced by nonlinear devices is that they can require impractically high power or long lengths to achieve a sufficient interaction. A new type of nonlinear optical detector is proposed that uses low-loss integrated waveguides and nanofabricated Bragg resonators to amplify the nonlinear interaction. The underlying nonlinear mechanism to be exploited is two-photon absorption in semiconductors: a process that has applications including optical autocorrelation, temporal demultiplexing, optical sampling, optical memory, and clock recovery. This research could lead to a new generation of ultrafast nonlinear components that operate at hundreds of Gb/s, occupy very little space on a chip, and require less than 100 microWatts of optical input power.The educational objective of this CAREER award is to imbue students with excitement for science in the classroom and the laboratory. For K-12 students, a series of inquiry-based hands-on experiments will be produced that reveal how optics and optoelectronic devices are used in everyday life. For undergraduate students, involvement in research will be promoted through well-defined short-term summer and semester research projects that are specifically suited for undergraduate students. At the graduate level, the PI will continue to develop and update a unique course in optical communications which combines a rigorous treatment of the physics of fiber and integrated optics with research projects and numerical simulation.