Semiconductor Fibre Devices for Nonlinear Photonics

The Semiconductor Fibre Devices for Nonlinear Photonics group is headed by Dr Anna Peacock. The focus of this group’s research is to follow the development of semiconductor impregnated optical fibres from the design and characterisation stage, to the demonstration of practical all-fibre devices.

Within the group we have a full complement of experimental and numerical expertise to support the construction of a wide range of devices. The group collaborates strongly with Dr Pier Sazio of the Photonic, Electronic and Plasmonic Microstructured Optical Fibres group as well as with the Microstructured Optical Fibres group.

Group webpage

PhD Projects:

Semiconductor microresonators for low threshold 
nonlinear optics

Supervisor: Dr Anna Peacock 

Microresonators that support whispering gallery modes (WGMs) are ideal systems for studying nonlinear phenomena at low thresholds due to the small mode volumes and the high quality (Q) factors. The wide range of applications for such resonators includes optical switching, filters, Raman lasers, sensing, metrology, as well as cavity quantum electrodynamics (CQED). We have recently demonstrated the fabrication of cylindrical semiconductor microresonators with ultra-smooth surfaces from our semiconductor fibre platform. 

This project will start with the fabrication and characterization of microresonators made from different semiconductor materials and follow through to the observation of nonlinear processes such as Raman amplification and second harmonic generation. The possibility to shape or taper the resonators to optimize the nonlinear performance will be considered. 

Fiberised semiconductor devices for nonlinear photonics
and applications 

Supervisor: Dr Anna Peacock 

Semiconductor photonics is fast becoming one of the most active areas of research offering optoelectronic solutions for a wide range of applications not only in telecoms, but also in medicine, imaging, spectroscopy, and sensing.

This research project will follow the development of semiconductor impregnated optical fibres from the design and characterization stage, to the demonstration of practical all-fibre nonlinear optical devices. Particular emphasis will be placed on fiberized silicon devices owing to the current rapid growth in silicon photonics technologies.

The project will explore a number of devices including amplifiers, frequency converters, all-optical modulators and sensors and will involve both theoretical modelling of the fibre structures and systems as well as construction and characterization of the devices.

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