Molding Optical Field Patterns for Highly Efficient Design of Strong-Confinement Photonic Devices

该计划的目标是开发一系列微光子波导和器件，基于对空间模式干涉，吸收和散射的见解，使光子器件设计具有超低光损耗的新自由度。 使用光子碰撞避免的形式来实现低损耗，该光子碰撞避免使用受控干涉来保持光场远离散射体。 该计划将研究这一现象，并利用它来开发潜在的变革性微光子波导和器件技术，包括节能平面波导交叉阵列，调制器，悬浮光力驱动和热光光子学。这项研究的智力价值包括一个新发现的传播模式，低损耗单向布洛赫波的研究，和有效的光子，电光和光机械器件，以规避现有技术中的限制。 该研究将为器件设计、仿真工具和概念验证实验演示提供理论框架，其更广泛的影响将支持国家在科学技术领域的领导力。 所提出的器件将使高能效的光学互连能够与光子学直接集成的最先进的未修改的CMOS电子技术兼容。 这可能有助于高性能计算的微电子和混合电子光子技术的进步，支持国家对大规模模拟的兴趣，包括气候建模，空气动力学设计，生物工程和药物设计以及金融市场模拟。 该计划将使本科生接触研究，并通过当地访问将激发高中生对工程与能源效率的概念，从这项研究，更广泛地说，包括太阳能汽车比赛。

The objective of this program is to develop a family of microphotonic waveguides and devices, based on insights in spatial mode interference, absorption and scattering, that enable new degrees of freedom in photonic device design with ultra-low optical loss. Low loss is achieved using a form of photonic collision avoidance that keeps optical fields away from scatterers using controlled interference. The program will investigate this phenomenon and employ it to develop potentially transformative microphotonic waveguide and device technology, including energy efficient planar waveguide crossing arrays, modulators, and suspended light-force-actuated and thermooptic photonics.The intellectual merit of this research includes the investigation of a newly discovered mode of propagation, low-loss unidirectional Bloch waves, and the design of efficient photonic, electrooptic and optomechanical devices based on their properties to circumvent limitations in state-of-the-art technology. The research will produce a theoretical framework for device design, simulation tools, and proof-of-concept experimental demonstrations.Broader impacts of this work will support national efforts on leadership in science and technology. Proposed devices will enable highly energy efficient optical interconnects uniquely compatible with photonics integration directly with state-of-the-art, unmodified CMOS electronics technology. This may contribute advances in microelectronics and hybrid electronic-photonic technology for high-performance computing, supporting the national interest in large-scale simulation including climate modeling, aerodynamic design, bioengineering and drug design, and financial market simulations. The program will expose undergraduate students to research, and through local visits will excite high school students about engineering with energy efficiency concepts from this research, and more broadly, including solar vehicle racing.