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Imagine computing that thinks with light. In this project you will create an ultra low loss optical “Printed Circuit Board” base on complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) waveguides and glass technology. As part of the Silicon Photonics Group at the Optoelectronics Research Centre, you’ll help co-integrate large scale glass waveguides with CMOS-compatible silicon photonic circuits.

Your work will combine creativity and hands-on making. You will:

• sketch ideas
• run electromagnetic and multiphysics simulations
• turn designs into real devices in our Zepler cleanrooms
• characterise them with electro-optical measurements

You’ll see a design travel from a notebook to a packaged chip; and learn how to communicate the results at conferences and in journals.

Depending on your interests, you can focus on device physics, scale up photonic very-large-scale integration (VLSI), or explore system-level architectures and benchmarking. You’ll join a friendly cohort of PhD researchers and collaborate with academic and industrial partners in the UK and overseas. We value curiosity, teamwork and growth. You’ll receive close supervision and tailored training so you can stretch into new skills with confidence. Your work will contribute to scalable, energy-efficient photonic backplane, optical interconnects and rapid data movement. The world urgently need these technologies. 

The following training will be available:

• photonic/electromagnetic co-design (FDTD, eigenmode) and Python/Matlab for modelling and data
• nanofabrication in the Zepler cleanrooms (lithography, deposition, etch, bonding)
• device and system characterisation (electro-optical tests, high-speed measurements)
• professional skills: writing, presenting, project management, entrepreneurship, research integrity

to find out more about this project.