Integrating photonic circuits with silicon electronics for low power computing

光通信系统已经推动了从长距离到芯片-芯片尺寸的网络的带宽和能效的大幅增加。片上电子封装正在达到物理极限，分布式处理模型和多核架构设计正在推动计算能力的进步。子芯片区域之间的互连正在成为这些系统进一步扩展的瓶颈。为了在硅芯片上建立高带宽、低功耗的连接，这项工作将把光子系统的范围扩展到芯片内水平。在光子学研究所，我们开发了一种方法，通过这种方法，超紧凑的光电器件可以物理印刷到不同的衬底上。该项目将开发下一代3D光电子芯片，通过直接多层转移印刷创建。特别的研究挑战将包括超低功耗光子膜器件的开发及其直接纳米级集成到代工来源的硅电子芯片上。学生将获得广泛的微制造技术的专业知识，看到他们的工作从设计转移到实验室的表征。除了微制造，学生还将参与设备的设计和模拟，测量和表征以及结果的数值处理。

Optical communications systems have driven the massive increases in bandwidth and energy efficiency of networks from long haul down to chip-chip dimensions. On-chip, electronic miniaturisation is reaching physical limits and advances in computing power are being driven by distributed processing models and multi-core architecture design. The interconnections between sub-chip areas are becoming bottlenecks to further scaling of these systems. In order to create high bandwidth, low power consumption connections on silicon chips, this work will extend the reach of photonic systems to the intra-chip level.At the Institute of Photonics we have developed a method by which ultra-compact optoelectronic devices can be physically printed onto different substrates. This project will develop the next generation of 3D optoelectronic chips, created by a direct, multilayer transfer printing. Particular research challenges will include the development of ultra-low power consumption photonic membrane devices and their direct nanoscale integration onto foundry sourced silicon electronic chips.The student will gain expertise in a wide range of micro-fabrication technologies, seeing their work transfer from design through to characterisation in the laboratory. In addition to micro-fabrication the student will also be involved in the design and simulation of devices, measurement and characterisation and numerical processing of results.