Programmable Photonics
Event details
| Date | 09.08.2019 |
| Hour | 11:15 › 12:00 |
| Speaker | Prof. Wim Bogaerts, Ghent University |
| Location | |
| Category | Conferences - Seminars |
Abstract: In the past few years, new concepts for general-purpose, programmable photonic integrated circuits (PIC) have been proposed. PICs manipulate light on the surface of a chip, often fabricated in silicon or other semiconductors. Today, most PICs are developed for one specific function, and are therefore called application-specific photonic integrated circuits (ASPIC), similar to electronic application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC). The new programmable PICs are targeted to take a place like electronic field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA) and microcontrollers, which can be programmed in software to perform different tasks, and can be deployed into multiple application domains. Several programmable PIC concepts have already been experimentally demonstrated on a modest scale, reproducing functionality in programming that was hitherto limited to custom-designed hardware. The programming is generally done through electro-optic tuners, such as integrated waveguide heaters, electro-optic materials or MEMS. We will discuss different architectures for programmable photonic circuits, and the many trade-offs that come with these new circuit concepts. We will also discuss some of the results of two projects running at Ghent University-IMEC on programmable photonic circuits: PhotonicSWARM and MORPHIC.
The PhotonicSWARM project, a consolidator grant by the European Research Council, looks into the scaling potential of programmable PICs, combining distributed optical paths with distributed control algorithms to keep larger circuits manageable. Programmable photonic circuits need many electronic control circuits, and we explore ways to address thousands of electro-optic tuners onto a single chip. The MORPHIC project, a collaboration between 6 groups in Europe including the QLAB at EPFL, looks to extend silicon photonics with MEMS to enable programmable circuits which consume little or no power to maintain their programmed state.
Bio: Wim Bogaerts is a full professor in the Photonics Research Group of Ghent University and IMEC, Belgium. He specializes in silicon photonics, complex photonics integrated circuits and their design, and programmable photonics. Wim Bogaerts studied engineering (applied physics) in Ghent, and did a PhD in the Photonics Research Group of Ghent University-IMEC, building the design and technology foundations for IMEC's first silicon photonics technology platform on 200mm CMOS tools. This led to collaborations with tens of partners, growing into a silicon photonics multi-project-wafer service in IMEC, eventually known as ePIXfab. To enable the design of these photonic chips, Wim and his colleagues developed the software package IPKISS, a parametric design framework for photonic circuits.
In 2010, Wim became Professor at Ghent University, specializing in advanced design methodologies for integrated photonics, tackling the challenges that form the design gap for silicon photonics. With the growing industrial interest in silicon photonics, this know-how became ever more relevant for a larger community. In June 2014, he co-founded Luceda Photonics, a Ghent University - IMEC- VUB spin-off to bring the IPKISS software and other advanced design tools to the rapidly growing photonics market.
With Luceda Photonics successfully established in the Integrated photonics market, Wim returned in 2016 to his fundamental research interest, establishing a research activity in large-scale silicon photonics and programmable photonic circuits. On this topic he received the ERC consolidator grant PhotonicSwarm. He also teaches design and technology of photonic integrated circuits, both at the level of the M.Sc. program in Ghent, as in specialization courses. He is a very strong adept of Agile and Lean philosophies, with a passion to apply them to the peculiar ecosystem of academic research. He holds a black belt in lean. He is a member of IEEE, OSA, SPIE and the Scrum Alliance, as well as a travelling lecturer of the Optical Society (OSA).
(the talk will take place at EPFL main campus in room SV1717, and it will be broadcasted to Microcity MC B0 302)
The meeting will be live broadcasted using zoom. The following link will be available 11h00 - 12h30: https://epfl.zoom.us/j/211229276
Learn more about Programmable Photonics within the MORPHIC Project in the video project presentation.
The PhotonicSWARM project, a consolidator grant by the European Research Council, looks into the scaling potential of programmable PICs, combining distributed optical paths with distributed control algorithms to keep larger circuits manageable. Programmable photonic circuits need many electronic control circuits, and we explore ways to address thousands of electro-optic tuners onto a single chip. The MORPHIC project, a collaboration between 6 groups in Europe including the QLAB at EPFL, looks to extend silicon photonics with MEMS to enable programmable circuits which consume little or no power to maintain their programmed state.
Bio: Wim Bogaerts is a full professor in the Photonics Research Group of Ghent University and IMEC, Belgium. He specializes in silicon photonics, complex photonics integrated circuits and their design, and programmable photonics. Wim Bogaerts studied engineering (applied physics) in Ghent, and did a PhD in the Photonics Research Group of Ghent University-IMEC, building the design and technology foundations for IMEC's first silicon photonics technology platform on 200mm CMOS tools. This led to collaborations with tens of partners, growing into a silicon photonics multi-project-wafer service in IMEC, eventually known as ePIXfab. To enable the design of these photonic chips, Wim and his colleagues developed the software package IPKISS, a parametric design framework for photonic circuits.
In 2010, Wim became Professor at Ghent University, specializing in advanced design methodologies for integrated photonics, tackling the challenges that form the design gap for silicon photonics. With the growing industrial interest in silicon photonics, this know-how became ever more relevant for a larger community. In June 2014, he co-founded Luceda Photonics, a Ghent University - IMEC- VUB spin-off to bring the IPKISS software and other advanced design tools to the rapidly growing photonics market.
With Luceda Photonics successfully established in the Integrated photonics market, Wim returned in 2016 to his fundamental research interest, establishing a research activity in large-scale silicon photonics and programmable photonic circuits. On this topic he received the ERC consolidator grant PhotonicSwarm. He also teaches design and technology of photonic integrated circuits, both at the level of the M.Sc. program in Ghent, as in specialization courses. He is a very strong adept of Agile and Lean philosophies, with a passion to apply them to the peculiar ecosystem of academic research. He holds a black belt in lean. He is a member of IEEE, OSA, SPIE and the Scrum Alliance, as well as a travelling lecturer of the Optical Society (OSA).
(the talk will take place at EPFL main campus in room SV1717, and it will be broadcasted to Microcity MC B0 302)
The meeting will be live broadcasted using zoom. The following link will be available 11h00 - 12h30: https://epfl.zoom.us/j/211229276
Learn more about Programmable Photonics within the MORPHIC Project in the video project presentation.
Practical information
- General public
- Free
Organizer
Contact
- Niels Quack