ITR/SI:Semiconductor Optical Amplifier Based High Capacity Optical Information Device Technologies and Applications

本研究项目的目标是开发基于半导体光放大器的高速光电子器件，应用于光信息技术、网络、仪器仪表和信号处理。关键器件将是新型超高速多波长半导体激光发射机、调制器、非线性光开关和光时钟恢复振荡器。这些基于半导体光放大的器件将被配置在一起，以在下一代信息技术应用中展示独特的高速能力。该研究项目的一个重要特征是，这些器件基于相同的半导体分层结构和通用的器件处理和制造技术。这一点意义重大，因为这种理念允许具有成本效益的最先进设备的开发，从制造的角度来看，由于制造容易，该技术的潜力变得容易用于商业应用。此外，由于每个器件都是通过在相同的半导体分层结构上使用单个公共处理过程来实现的，因此展示完全单片超高速信息的潜力很大。这两个特征是关键的，因为高速光电子技术的发展是全球经济中信息技术的商业应用的基本要素。1.1要采用的方法研究计划将使用标准的光电子器件制造技术来开发一组4个光电子器件，例如发射器、调制器、开关和时钟恢复振荡器，它们将用于三个关键的商业信息技术应用领域：1)用于接入和广域网络的高容量光纤链路；2)用于模拟到数字应用的高速光采样；和3)使用任意光波形产生的宽带光/射频模拟信息系统。PI将利用他在半导体光放大器中超短脉冲传播的基本物理和相关的非线性光学效应的最新发现，展示这些器件的独特工作模式，以实现高速光子功能。作为一个例子，他将利用这些新的效应来实现对超快光信号的时间和频谱控制。具体地说，他将展示：o半导体二极管激光的多波长锁模工作超稳、超高比特率、单波长160 Gb/S半导体激光器光源具有高性价比的半导体光放大调制器和调制器阵列如此新颖的40 GHz高速光学时钟恢复振荡器40 GHz全光开关和波分复用字节宽并行数据分组的处理，展示了超高速并行光信号处理的潜力。所开发的器件功能将用于演示用于a)接入和b)广域网的WDM-OTDM混合链路，从而在光模数转换器中进行光采样，从而产生用于宽带光和放大器的任意光波形。微波光子应用最后，他将使用现成的商业组件实现原型，以促进技术转让。1.2对知识进步的意义：教育和科学影响从教育的角度来看，接受该研究计划培训的学生将接触到垂直整合的研究环境。例如，学生将学习高速光电器件设计和制造的物理和基础知识，部署新器件以实现独特的高速光电子系统功能，最后将几个独特的光电子系统功能集成到一个完整的超高速光电系统中，该系统将满足网络、信号处理和仪器仪表等信息技术领域的需求。这将使学生在毕业时为未来的雇主提供及时的影响。

The goal of this research project is to develop high speed optoelectronic devices based on semiconductor optical amplifiers, for applications in optical information technologies, networks, instrumentation and signal processing. The key devices will be novel ultrahigh speed multiwavelength semiconductor laser transmitters, modulators , nonlinear optical switches and optical clock recovery oscillators. These semiconductor optical amplifier based devices will then be configured together to demonstrate unique high-speed capabilities in next generation information technology applications.An important feature of this research project is that the devices are based on an identical semiconductor layered structure and common device processing and fabrication techniques. This is significant because this philosophy allows for cost effective state-of-the-art device development, with the potential of the technology becoming readily available for commercial applications, owing to the ease of fabrication, from a manufacturing perspective. In addition, since each of the devices are realized by using a single common processing procedure on an identical semiconductor layered structure, the potential for demonstrating fully monolithic ultrahigh-speed information is great. These two features are critical in that the development of high-speed optoelectronic technologies are essential elements for commercial applications of information technology in the global economy.1.1 Methods to be employedThe research program will use standard optoelectronic device fabrication techniques to develop a set of 4 optoelectronic devices, e.g., transmitters, modulators, switches, and clock recovery oscillators, that will be used in three critical commercial information technology application areas: 1) high capacity optical links for both access and wide area networks, 2) high speed optical sampling for analogue to digital applications, and 3) wideband optical/rf analog information systems using arbitrary optical waveform generation.The PI will exploit his latest findings on the fundamental physics of ultrashort pulse propagation in semiconductor optical amplifiers and the associated nonlinear optical effects, to demonstrate unique modes of operation of these devices, for high speed photonic functionality. As an example, he will exploit these novel effects to achieve both temporal and spectral control of ultrafast optical signals.Specifically, he will demonstrate:o multiwavelength modelocked operation of semiconductor diode laserso ultra-stable, ultrahigh bit rate, single wavelength 160 Gb/s semiconductor laser sourceso cost-effective semiconductor optical amplifier modulators and modulator arrayso novel high-speed optical clock recovery oscillators at 40 GHzo all optical switching and processing of WDM byte wide parallel data packets, showing the potential for ultrahigh speed parallel optical signal processing.The developed device functionality will be incorporated to demonstrateo hybrid WDM-OTDM links for a) access and b) wide area networkso optical sampling in optical analog to digital converterso arbitrary optical waveform generation for wideband optical & microwave photonic applicationsFinally, he will use commercially available off the shelf components to realize prototypes that will facilitate technology transfer.1.2 Significance to the Advancement of Knowledge: Educational & Scientific ImpactFrom an educational perspective, the students trained in this research program will be exposed to a research environment that is vertically integrated. For example, the students will learn the physics and fundamentals of high speed optoelectronic device design and fabrication, the deployment of novel devices to realize unique high speed optoelectronic sub-system functionality, and finally, integrate several unique optoelectronic sub-system functions into a full ultrahigh speed optoelectronic system that will address needs in the information technology areas of networking, signal processing and instrumentation. This will allow the students to provide timely impact for prospective employers upon graduation.