Silicon-rich silicon nitride Nonlinear Integrated Photonic ciRcuits & Systems (juNIPeRS)

在过去的几十年里，互联网传播在现代社会中产生了巨大的变革效应，影响到现代生活的方方面面，从商业和医疗保健到政治到教育和娱乐。光通信技术在这场革命中发挥了决定性的作用，并且仍然是核心。波分复用允许在单模光纤上每秒传输数百太比特，并实现了波长路由，其中光频率而不是物理光纤路径确定网络中信号的路由。通信业务量的持续增长要求网络资源的有效利用，相应地，现代光网络的复杂性增加，需要动态分配资源。该项目的最终目标是实现下一代可重构的分插解/复用器，该复用器将允许通过全光波长转换来重新分配信号波长。为了实现这一目标，Junipers将研究富硅氮化硅作为一种与CMOS兼容的光学非线性材料平台，并将利用其独特的特性来实现具有前所未有的非线性性能的集成设备。juNIPeRS将遵循垂直研究路线，包括光子集成系统的材料优化和制造、设备设计和优化、系统集成，以及在通信环境中的演示和测试。具体地说，Junipers将：-开发低损耗、色散工程的非线性波导，这将构成波长转换系统的核心。-优化耦合器，以便在这些集成组件和光纤系统之间有效地耦合光。-展示集成的波长转换器和相敏放大器，其操作将独立于输入信号的偏振。-实现集成线性组件(例如开关)和非线性组件(例如波长转换器)的多层光子系统。随着新技术平台的开发，Junipers的雄心是促进灵活光网络设计的转变，在实际情况下，将使用集成的光子组件来操纵光学频率。新材料平台预计将对通信以外的非线性光学其他领域产生重要影响，调查人员将采取积极措施进行推广。juNIPeRS将学术团体和关键行业合作伙伴聚集在一起，他们最有能力批判性地评估这项新技术的商业相关性，并指导其发展。该项目将培养新一代高素质的光学工程师，并将为英国光电子行业的健康和可持续发展做出贡献。

Internet communications have effected a massive transformational effect in modern societies over the past few decades, affecting all aspects of modern life, from commerce and healthcare through politics to education and entertainment. Optical communication technologies have played a decisive role and remain central to this revolution. Wavelength division multiplexing allows the transmission of hundreds of terabits per second over a single mode fibre and has enabled wavelength routing, where the optical frequency, rather than the physical fibre path, determines the routing of a signal in a network. The relentless growth in communication traffic necessitates an effective use of network resources, and in response, modern optical networks increase in complexity and require dynamic allocation of their resources.The ultimate objective of this project is to enable a next generation reconfigurable add-drop de/muliptlexer that will allow re-allocation of the signal wavelength through all-optical wavelength conversion. In order to achieve this, juNIPeRS will study silicon-rich silicon nitride as a CMOS-compatible optical nonlinear material platform and will exploit its unique characteristics to implement integrated devices with unprecedented nonlinear performance.juNIPeRS will follow a vertical research path, that will include material optimisation and fabrication of photonic integrated systems, device design and optimisation, system integration, and demonstration and testing in a communications environment. Specifically, juNIPeRS will:- Develop low-loss, dispersion engineered nonlinear waveguides that will form the core of wavelength converting systems.- Optimise couplers for efficient coupling of light between these integrated components and fibre optic systems.- Demonstrate integrated wavelength converters and phase-sensitive amplifiers, the operation of which will be independent of the polarisation of the incoming signal.- Implement multi-layered photonic systems integrating both linear (e.g. switches) and nonlinear components (e.g. wavelength converters).With the development of the new technological platform, the ambition of juNIPeRS is to facilitate a shift in the design of flexible optical networks, where practical integrated photonic components will be used for the manipulation of the optical frequencies. The new material platform is expected to have important implications in other areas of nonlinear optics outside communications, and the investigators will take active steps to promote it.juNIPeRS brings together academic groups and key industrial partners who are best placed to critically appraise the commercial relevance of the new technology and guide its development. The project will train a new generation of highly qualified optical engineers and will contribute to the health and sustainability of the UK photonics sector.