Modeling and design of high density photonic integrated cricuits

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Photonic integrated circuits (ICs), first envisaged by Dr. S. E. Miller at Bell Laboratories in early 70s, have a long history but few applications. In reality, most optical systems are still built on  discrete photonic devices made of different materials by different processes. The photonic ICs are pale in terms of the density and complexity in comparison with the electronic counterpart and suffer from  compromised performance and poor yield. One of the fundamental issues in the convetional photonic ICs is the weak confinement of the optical field in  waveguiding and resonant structures with weak index contrast/variation. As such, high-density integration and strong interaction between light and media become extremely difficult. The integration and interaction are essential for realizing advanced optical signal processing functions for different applications. Therefore, the abilities to confine and manipulate optical fields on chip and to couple lights into and from chip are the key enablers for realizing robust, complex photonic ICs. The proposed research will investigate and develop high-density photonic devices and integrated circuits to perform advanced optical signal processing functions. These high-density photonic devices and ICs differ from the currently popular photonic crystal (PC) structures in the sense that the confinement, guidance and resonance of the optical fields are not due to the periodic index variation (i.e., the ``crystal effects''), but to the strong index contrast (i.e., the ``defect effects''). First of all, the research will devote substantial effort for development of efficient and accurate theoretical models and numerical techniques for simulation of the vectorial properties of the light and its strong interaction with media. In this respect, most of the existing models and simulation techniques are not sufficient;  new and improved models and algorithms need to be proposed and implemented. Secondly, basic waveguiding and resonanting structures will be examined based on consideration for absorption and scattering losses, ease of fabrication and characterization, etc. By using structures of large index contrast, we will be able to confine and manipulate light on chip by shrinking the feature size of the optical devices by a few orders of magnitude. Several strong confinement structures, e.g., the silicon wire, the deeply etched InP ridge waveguide, and the micro-ring resonator, etc., have been proposed and demonstrated. A major focus of the research is to investigate and develop novel circuit architectures to connect these waveguide and resonant elements to form complex photonic ICs. Further, we will develop efficient and accurate modeling and simulation tools for investigation of coupling between the PIC and off-chip elements. Efficient and robust mechanisms for coupling in and out of the chips will be examined. Finally, we will investigated ways for control and manipulate lights. Electrical, thermal and nonlinear effects pertinent to the materials used will be studied. The research will link closely with the on-going research in the areas of integrated optical transceivers, all optical regenerators etc. Strong collaboration with researchers at McMaster and external industrial and academic institutions will be sought and strengthened, especially in the experimental aspects to complement the expertise of the applicant. The research, if successful, will shed lights on some of the salient features of the high-density photonic ICs and advance the state-of-the-art PIC technologies towards practical applications. Several Ph.D students and PDFs will be exposed and trained in this emerging technology with good knowledge and experience on modeling, design as well as perhaps fabrication and characterizations of these PICs for different applications.