Project Objectives

To realise low loss silicon rib, strip and PhC waveguides. Target less than 0.3dB/cm, 1dB/cm, 2dB/cm, respectively.

To design and fabricate fast optical modulators in conventional, PhC and surface plasmon waveguides. Initial target speeds 10Gb/s, aiming for 40Gb/s subsequently.

To achieve experimental coupling to small silicon waveguides (~ 250nm) with efficiency of ~80% by using both in-plane and out of plane couplers.

To increase the Free Spectral Range of optical filters to 50nm (experimental).

To demonstrate miniaturised (mm or sub-mm size) cw Raman amplifiers and lasers with an order of magnitude lower pump powers (i.e. 10's of mW) than currently available, whilst achieving a target gain of at least 10dBs.

To design and fabricate waveguide based germanium on silicon detectors to operate at both 1310nm and 1550 nm, at target data rates of 10Gb/s and subsequent tentative target of 40Gb/s

To implement optical and electronic integration of the devices demonstrated above, as part of our demonstrator devices, an integrated transmitter and an integrated receiver.

To disseminate results in high quality journals and conference proceedings and to create Intellectual Property (IP), and subsequently exploit that (IP) to the best interests of the contributing parties, and the UK.