Photonics/Opto-
Electronics Program
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Description
By bringing together electronic and optical technologies, research in the
photonics/opto-electronics program at UCSD is aimed at extending the performance
of communication and computing systems beyond what can be achieved with
electronics alone. Photonics is already revolutionizing areas such as the
information highway infrastructure, the entertainment and computing industry,
and advanced medical imaging and defense systems critical to US global
competitiveness. The present research program at UCSD is highly
interdisciplinary, involving not only optical and electronic materials
scientists and device engineers, but also optical component and system
engineers, computer engineers and scientists and network specialists. Many of
our research projects are carried out in close collaboration with industrial
partners for successful technology transfer. Along with well funded research
programs and the strong interest of eleven faculty members, the
photonics/opto-electronics program enjoys state-of-the-art facilities for
opto-electronic materials growth (such as MBE and MOUVD) and characterization,
(such as STM, X-ray, PL) device micro-fabrication, (such as E-beam lithography)
packaging and testing as well as system feasibility experiments. Presently the
program involves more than 50 Ph.D students and 10 post doctoral researchers.
The availability of this research forum centered around the
Optoelectronics Technology Center with the basic
microelectronic, opto-electronic and photonics knowledge, equipment, and
facilities in one location has allowed UCSD to establish itself internationally
as one of the leading research institutions in the area of
photonics/opto-electronics. Our present research focus is on three major areas:
Opto-electronic Materials and Devices.
In the opto-electronic materials and device research area, our effort consists
primarily of device studies such as integrated lasers, detectors, guided wave
modulators and switches based on heterojunction, quantum well, and superlattice
structures in III-V compound semiconductor materials. Many of the opto-electronic
devices are fabricated on III-V or II-VI compound semiconductor materials that are
synthesized in our MBE, and OMVPE facilities. Extensive device characterization
and modeling effort are carried out for device optimization with system
considerations in mind. New emphasis is now being put on the application of
nano-technology to photonics.
Optics for Computing
In the area of optics for computing, parallel optical interconnects are investigated
as means of implementing efficiently highly interconnected multiprocessor systems
for image understanding, artificial vision, and database filtering applications
using both neural network as well as digital system architectures. Array devices
such as spatial light modulators and smart pixels are fabricated, characterized
and modeled using integration techniques including flip-chip bonding and
epitaxial lift-off by combining optical transmitters and receivers with silicon
ICs in our fully equipped opto-electronics micro-fabrication laboratory.
Computer generated holography, diffractive optics, and artificial dielectrics
are studied using very fine line e-beam lithography techniques and advanced dry
etching processes for routing free-space optical signals between processors as
well as within large interconnection networks. Various approaches to volumetric
optical storage and NLO materials are studied to provide ultra high capacity,
low cost parallel accessed memories that are critical for performing fast
searches in large multimedia databases. On the system front, extensive modeling,
opto-CAD development, system design optimization and 3-d packaging efforts are
presently under way using our system prototyping laboratories and CAD
facilities.
Photonic Networks
In the area of photonic networks, our efforts are focused on sub-carrier
multiplexing for cable TV distribution networks, RF photonic links at mm
wave-frequencies, wireless-fiber system interfaces as well as on image data
transmission via fiber optic networks. For sub-carrier multiplexing, extensive
studies are carried out to optimize the linearity of semiconductor waveguide modulators
and high speed waveguide photodetectors with very large saturation photocurrents. On
the image data transmission front, experiments are under way to interface with high
security time division multiplexed and wavelength division multiplexed guided
wave optical communication systems with spatially multiplexed free-space
interconnected optical switching systems.
Affiliated Faculty
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