Next Generation Platform for Advanced Optical Processing

下一代先进光学处理平台

• 批准号: RGPIN-2021-03311
• 负责人: Ménard, Michaël
• 金额: $ 2.84万
• 依托单位: École de technologie supérieure
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=757306
• 关键词: Next; Generation; Platform; Advanced; Optical

The ability to process information is the cornerstone of the technological revolutions that are shaping our society. Today, information is processed almost exclusively electronically. The progress in electronic performance over the past decades has been astonishing but further improvement is challenging. Moreover, novel paradigms to process information, such as quantum computing, are emerging and their realization will require innovative solutions. Optical technologies played a key role in the emergence of the information age by enabling the transmission of vast amounts of data. Yet, the complexity of optical chips is primitive in comparison to electronic ones. The main limitation on the implementation of large dynamic integrated optical systems is the lack of efficient mechanisms to control light. The common methods are based on electro-optic (EO) or thermo-optic (TO) effects. EO effects are weak and thus require large or resonating structures to enhance them. TO effects provide a larger refractive index change but are power hungry. Therefore, developing a technology to create compact and efficient components to control light on chips will enable highly flexible integrated optical systems with hundreds of active devices, and this is the objective of my Discovery program. Combining this technology with machine learning or quantum computing algorithms will lead to new groundbreaking paradigms in optical processing. To achieve this, I will leverage the expertise developed by my research group over the past 6 years on the integration of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and optical waveguides to create a high performance microfabrication platform to build innovative large-scale photonic systems. The platform will combine energy efficient electrostatic MEMS actuators with low-loss optical waveguides. In contrast with our previous work, the proposed platform will follow a surface micromachining approach to avoid deep etching steps and hence simplify fabrication. We will use the platform to investigate how to create state-of-the-art optical phased arrays (OPAs) and programmable photonic processors (PPPs). OPAs require hundreds of phase shifters to achieve a high resolution but since there is no interaction on chip between the signals controlled by each actuator they can be characterized easily. PPPs on the other hand are made of meshes of interconnected actuators that result in versatile devices enabling research in advanced optical processing. The outcomes of my Discovery program will include: i) a novel fabrication platform that redefines the scale and complexity of integrated optical systems; ii) the realisation of highly efficient OPAs with potential applications in autonomous vehicles, sensing and inter-satellite communications; and iii) the creation of large-scale PPPs enabling a new era in optical signal processing. It will train 4 PhDs, 2 M.Sc. and 2 undergraduate students in optical and MEMS design, microfabrication, and testing.

处理信息的能力是塑造我们社会的技术革命的基石。如今，信息几乎完全通过电子方式处理。在过去的几十年中，电子性能的进展一直令人惊讶，但进一步的进步是具有挑战性的。此外，新的范式正在出现，例如量子计算，它们的实现将需要创新的解决方案。光学技术在信息时代的出现中发挥了关键作用，通过启用大量数据的传输。然而，与电子芯片相比，光芯片的复杂性是原始的。实施大型动态整合光学系统的主要局限性是缺乏控制光的有效机制。常见方法基于电声（EO）或热光（TO）效应。 EO效应较弱，因此需要大或共鸣的结构来增强它们。效果可提供更大的折射率变化，但却饥饿。因此，开发一种创建紧凑而有效的组件以控制芯片上的技术的技术将使具有数百个活跃设备的高度灵活的集成系统能够，这是我发现程序的目的。将该技术与机器学习或量子计算算法相结合将导致光学处理中的新开创性范式。为了实现这一目标，我将利用我的研究小组在过去6年中开发的专业知识，这些专业知识在微机电系统（MEMS）和光学波导的整合方面开发了，以创建一个高性能的微型制作平台来构建创新的大型光子系统。该平台将将节能静电MEMS执行器与低损耗的光学波导相结合。与我们以前的工作相反，提出的平台将遵循表面微加工方法，以避免深入蚀刻步骤并简化制造。我们将使用该平台调查如何创建最先进的光学分阶段阵列（OPA）和可编程光子处理器（PPP）。 OPA需要数百个相移以实现高分辨率，但是由于每个执行器控制的信号之间没有芯片上的相互作用，因此可以轻松地表征它们。另一方面，PPP是由互连执行器的网眼制成的，这些致动器可产生多功能设备，从而实现高级光学处理的研究。我的发现程序的结果将包括：i）一个新颖的制造平台，重新定义了集成光学系统的规模和复杂性； ii）通过在自动驾驶汽车，感应和卫星间通信中使用潜在应用的高效OPA； iii）创建大型PPP，使光信号处理中的新时代。它将训练4博士学位，2 M.SC。以及2名在光学和MEMS设计，微加工和测试的本科生。