PIGANA: Polarisation-Independent Gain for Access Network Applications: Fabrication, characterisation and systems trials of broadband semiconductor optical amplifiers

本项目的目标是通过半导体放大器的制造、特性和系统测试来验证其设计。预期的结果是一个适合在下一代光接入网中部署的半导体放大器原型。在一个成熟的材料平台中，宽带平坦极化、不敏感增益和集成能力的组合要求在技术上非常具有挑战性。放大器将以芯片的形式进行设计、制造和封装，以便进行全面测试。将测试单个组件的特性，并评估其在新型接入网络体系结构中的影响。该设备项目的重点是最大限度地开发符合低成本批量生产经济性的集成平台，这对广泛采用该技术至关重要。我们的工业合作伙伴OneChip Photonics Inc.将成为该放大器解决方案的直接接受者。OneChip Photonics是一家无厂房的有源光学元件(例如收发器)的开发商和制造商，用于宽带接入网络的大规模部署。放大器设计将兼容集成到他们专有的光子技术中。这将扩大他们的目标市场，为他们的产品增加价值，同时降低他们整合了放大器设计单元的完整集成解决方案的成本。该项目具有创新性，因为它设想使用新颖的放大器设计来扩展和改进当前接入网络的功能，同时重复使用已部署的光纤基础设施，从而消除重大资本投资的需要。拟议的研究将直接有助于向所有人提供宽带接入，这现在对发达社会的经济和社会福祉至关重要。这将有助于将加拿大定位为光纤宽带接入技术的世界领先者，光纤宽带接入技术是全球市场中一个迅速扩张的部门。同样重要的是，研究将培养高素质和高技能的人才；促进有效的知识转移，并在不久的将来帮助满足该行业的就业需求。

The goal of this project is to validate semiconductor amplifier designs through their fabrication, characterisation and system trials. The expected result is a semiconductor amplifier prototype suitable for deployment in next generation optical access networks. The combined requirements of broadband-flattened polarisation-insensitive gain and integrate-ability in a mature materials platform are technically very challenging. The amplifiers will be designed, fabricated in the form of a chip and packaged for comprehensive testing. The characteristics of the individual component will be tested, as well as its impact within novel access network architectures assessed. The focus of this device project is on maximally exploiting an integration platform amenable to the economics of low cost volume manufacture which is essential to widespread adoption of the technology. Our industrial partner, OneChip Photonics Inc. will be the direct receptor of the amplifier solution. OneChip Photonics is a fabless developer and manufacturer of active optical components (e.g. transceivers) for mass deployment in broadband access networks. The amplifier design will be compatible for integration into their proprietary photonic technology. This will expand their target market by adding value to their products while lowering the cost of their complete integrated solution incorporating the amplifier design cell. The project is innovative because it envisages the use of novel amplifier designs to extend and improve the functionality of current access networks whilst reusing the deployed fibre infrastructure, therefore eliminating the need for major capital investments. The proposed research will contribute directly to providing broad-band access to all, which is now essential to the economic and social well-being of developed societies. It will help position Canada as a world-leader in optical fibre broadband access technology, a rapidly expanding sector of the world-wide marketplace. Equally important, the research will develop highly qualified and skilled personnel; promoting effective knowledge transfer and helping to fill the employment needs of the industry in the near future.