Static and dynamic ultrafast optical pulse shaping devices based on integrated waveguide technologies

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This three year strategic project is concerned with the development of a series of new integrated waveguide devices for ultrafast all-optical signal processing applications. The proposed theoretical and experimental research will allow university teams from University of Toronto and INRS-EMT, in collaboration with their industrial partner, to lead Canadian and international efforts in searching for low-cost, high-performance, fully customized optical pulsed sources. Our studies are directed toward the generation of train of ultrafast optical pulses WITH ARBITRARILY CUSTOMIZED SHAPES, a problem of fundamental importance to several present and future applications, using integrated waveguide platforms. In particular, we plan to develop a series of novel and simple integrated waveguide designs that will overcoming the limitations of the classical free-space-based approach (limited integrated capabilities). Pulse shapers' designs to be investigated in our Project include: (A) Integrated waveguide Bragg gratings implemented using a new technological approach that offers an unprecedented degree of control for arbitrarily customizing the grating profiles; (B) Concatenated two-arm interferometers, based on (B.1) an integrated waveguide platform enabling programmable pulse re-shaping operations via thermally-tunable delay lines, and (B.2) an extremely compact and efficient photonic crystal waveguides geometry. Short-term research effort will be directed to the modeling, simulation and design of the proposed integrated pulse shaping devices, followed by fabrication and experimental testing and analysis of the developed devices. The targeted designs will be implemented in semiconductor (III-V) integrated technologies, thus preparing the ground for the monolithic integration of the developed pulse shapers with semiconductor laser diodes. The resulting, compact sources could have a dramatic impact in several disciplines, such as telecommunication engineering, optical computing and biomedical imaging. The new knowledge generated from this project and the training of highly qualified personnel associated to the different stages of this work will contribute to enhance Canada's global competitiveness in high-technology sectors.