SC221 Nano-Photonics: Physics and Techniques

Tuesday, May 18, 2010
9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Axel Scherer; Caltech, USA
Level: Advanced Beginner (basic understanding of topic is necessary to follow course material)


Course Description

This Short Course will introduce lithographically printed photonic devices and systems. It includes a review of printed photonics from vertical cavity lasers to photonic crystals and silicon photonics. We introduce optical nanocavities, surface plasmon nanostructures, nano-lasers and microfluidic tunable optics. We describe the evolution and opportunities of CMOS photonics and technologies enabling that area of miniaturization and integration. The characteristics and applications of ultrasmall lasers and detectors will also be described for spectroscopic and data communications. Future opportunities for optical nanocavities in quantum information processing will also be reviewed. This will be followed by a description of the integration opportunities of optics with electronics and fluidics. The course will also cover applications of lithographically miniaturized photonic systems, such as CMOS silicon photonics for data communications applications, plasmon enhanced light emitters for highly efficient solid-state light emitters and miniaturized spectroscopic systems such as tunable optofluidic dye lasers.


Benefits and Learning Objectives

This course should enable you to:

  • Introduce photonic crystals, optofluidics and plasmonics.
  • Describe ultra-small lasers and their applications.
  • Show integrated silicon photonics opportunities.
  • Describe spectroscopic systems for biochemical analysis.
  • Identify the opportunities of surface plasmon devices.
  • Summarize microlasers as optical logic devices.
  • Explain the advantages of intimate integration of optics, electronics and fluidics.
  • Identify the future challenges of microfabricated photonic systems.

Intended Audience

This course is intended for those interested in the opportunities and problems associated with miniaturizing and integrating optical devices with electronics and fluidics.


Biography

Axel Scherer is the Bernard A. Neches Professor of Electrical Engineering, Applied Physics and Physics at Caltech. He has co-authored approximately 300 publications and holds 50 patents in the fields of optoelectronic and microfluidic devices. Scherer specializes in and has built a state-of-the-art laby for advanced high-resolution lithography and anisotropic ion etching at Caltech. He has fabricated microcavity lasers, such as vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) and photonic crystal lasers. Presently, his group works on microfabrication of microfluidic chips, silicon photonics, photonic crystal waveguides and lasers, and the development of lithographically printed optical systems.