Automated Silicon Photonics RF/Optical Probe Stations

本方案为硅电子-光子集成电路（Si-EPICs）测试设备设计。具体而言，该资助用于：a)三个相同的自动化硅光子电路表征系统，位于麦吉尔大学，UBC大学和渥太华大学；b)用于CMOS电子硅光子芯片集成的线键机。在全球范围内，我们正处于通信和微系统技术革命性变革的风口浪尖，通过光子学（利用光或光子操纵信息）和电子学（利用电流处理信息）在单一平台（硅）上的结合。这与社会有什么关系？我们已经见证了集成的概念在许多产品的成功中是极其重要的。例如，像黑莓和iPhone这样的智能手机都非常薄，而且功能强大。光学元件在硅芯片上的小型化（“硅光子学”）将实现类似智能手机的巨大发展。电子-光子电路将在全球范围内发挥无处不在的作用，影响诸如移动设备（智能手机、平板电脑）的高速通信、计算机和数据中心（例如谷歌）内的光通信、传感器系统和医疗应用等领域。所要求的设备将支持我们的研究计划，该计划强调学生设计的“可商业化”单芯片系统，用于影响深远的行业相关应用。

This proposal is for test equipment for Silicon Electronic-Photonic Integrated Circuits (Si-EPICs). Specifically, the grant is for: a) three identical automated silicon photonic circuit characterization systems, to be located at McGill, UBC, and Ottawa University; and b) a wire-bonder for CMOS electronic-silicon photonic chip integration. Globally, we are on the cusp of revolutionary changes in communication and Microsystems technology through the marriage of photonics (manipulation of information using light, or photons) and electronics (information processing using electrical current) on a single platform (silicon). How is this relevant to society? We have witnessed that the concept of integration is exceedingly important in the success of numerous products. For example, smartphones such as the Blackberry and iPhone, are both incredibly thin and highly functional. The miniaturization of optical components onto silicon chips ("silicon photonics") will enable tremendous developments akin to the smartphone. Electronic-photonic circuits will play a ubiquitous role globally, impacting such areas as high-speed communications for mobile devices (smartphones, tablets), optical communications within computers and within data centres (e.g., Google), sensor systems, and medical applications. The requested equipment will support our research program, one that emphasizes student design of "commercializable" single-chip systems for far-reaching industry-relevant applications.