Special Group Seminar at MPQ: Inverse designed & heterogeneously integrated solid-state photonic systems
Geun Ho Ahn, Stanford
Group Seminar at MPQ lecture hall and zoom
Thursday, May 04th , 15:00pm (MEZ)
Abstract:
The potential to enable novel classical and quantum technologies at scale through the miniaturization of complex optical systems into solid-state on-chip systems is immense. However, the limitations of optical material properties, such as their optical bandgap, lack of nonlinearity, and inability to host qubits, combined with their difficulty in integrations and efficient designs, have largely limited photonic technologies to monolithic platforms with limited functionalities. In this talk, I will discuss our collective efforts towards achieving the goal of enabling photonic integrated systems through two major innovations. Firstly, we have developed a computational optimization-guided design methodology (photonic inverse design), which has allowed us to overcome the design challenges associated with these complex photonic systems. Secondly, we demonstrate that heterogenous integrations with novel materials can enable us to leverage the unique properties of different materials in an integrated system, enhancing the functionality of photonic systems. For instance, we demonstrate the development of nonlinear optical photonic applications such as frequency combs and passive optical isolators for low-noise on-chip laser technologies. Additionally, we demonstrate the development of on-chip solid-state lasers, and platform-independent high-speed photodetectors.
Finally, I will propose how computational optimization-guided designs can potentially enable the integration of atomic systems and photonics for long-range interactions.