Blog RSS FeedPhotonics group at the ECE Department at the University of Toronto has been working to enable practical realization of all-optical devices for telecommunications, lab-on-a-chip, sensors, and many other applications. We are happy to have the Emerging Communication Technologies Institute at the University of Toronto that provides us an access to the state-of-the-art electron beam lithography apparatus and microfabrication clean room facilities. Equipped with these advanced tools, so important for successful research in integrated optics, we collaborate with each other to accelerate the progress in the field. … (May 15, 2010) click here to read the complete post
May 05
Enticed perhaps by successes with laboratory quantum key distribution demonstrations, academic and commercial interest in single photon sources (SPS) has accelerated in recent years. To celebrate the 50 year anniversary of the invention of the laser, I wrote an Innovation Brief on single photon sources and you can download a copy here.
Photo credit: Swamibu
Broadly speaking single-photon generators can be broken down into three categories:
- Nitrogen vacancies (‘NV’) in high-purity diamond.
- Single quantum dots (‘QDs’) encapsulated in nanostructures.
- Other methods such as spontaneous parametric downconversion.
CLEO/QELS 2010 does not disappoint with papers covering all three SPS topics, though admittedly the program is focused on NV and QD sources. Here is a selection of my own pick of the crop.
Quantum Emitter Photonic Devices
Monday, May 17, 3.45pm – 5.30pm
Presider: Won Park, Univ. of Colorado.
Stephan Reitzenstein (Univ. Wurzburg) et al will present work on high-efficient electrically driven quantum dot micropillar SPSs. The authors report a record high (34%) coupling efficiency and single photon emission rate of 35 MHz under pulsed electrical excitation. I will be interested to learn about the operating temperature of this configuration and the manufacturability of the micropillar structures.
Birgit Hausmann (Harvard Univ.) et al will present work on a hybrid diamond-plasmon particle device containing individual NV centers for QIP and quantum cryptography applications. My personal view is that plasmon enhancement could play a crucial role in the realisation of practical single-photon sources, so this talk is particularly interesting for me.
Finally, Matthew Rakher (NIST) et al will discuss progress on fiber-coupled waveguides for enhanced resonant interactions with single QD sources. I wonder method of fiber coupling Rakher will present. Photonic crystal fibers, I guess?
QELS Symposium on Quantum Repeaters and Networks (QWD)
Wednesday, May 19, 1.30pm to 3.15pm
Presider: Christoph Simon (Univ. of Calgary)
Continuing the theme started by Rakher et al the day before, Paul Barclay (Hewlett Packard) et al will present work on optical coupling between NV centers in single-crystal diamond and hybrid gallium phosphide microcavities.
Poster Session
Wednesday, May 19
Although I have read many papers on the embedding of NV centers into nanostructures to achieve Purcell effect efficiency enhancements, I have never heard about embedding a single-photon crystal source inside or atop a host crystal. A poster by Luke Stewart (Macquarie Univ.) et al show how the lifetime of NV emitters can be increased by incorporating nano-diamonds inside opals and the lifetime variance may be reduced by placing them on the surface of opals.
Australia boasts some great credentials in the development and exploitation of SPS science and applications, including the renown R&D labs at Quantum Communications Victoria. Will anyone from QCV will be attending CLEO/QELS this year? It would be great to hook up with them.
QELS: Single Emitters and Photons
Thursday, May 20, 4:45 p.m.–6:30 p.m.
Presider: Charles Santori (Hewlett-Packard Labs)
This session contains two papers discussing the post-production treatment of diamond-embedded NV centers. Santori himself will present a method for converting neutral NV centers to the desired negatively charged state, while Russell Barbour (Univ. of Oregon) will discuss the role of deformed silica microspheres in enhancing evanescent coupling between whispering gallery modes and neighboring NV centres embedded in diamond nanopillars.
What are your views on NV versus QD single photon sources? What are the biggest hurdles confronting each method? Drop us a note. Let’s debate!
Dr David Nugent is Founder and CEO of Elucidare Limited, a boutique technology development and investment advisory business.
May 02
Posting more papers to the Optical Society of America since 1999 than either Germany, Japan or the United Kingdom, India is a major contributor to the international photonics community. Reflecting its status as a truly international conference, CLEO/QELS 2010 welcomes no fewer than six papers contributed solely or jointly by researchers from the Indian subcontinent.
Photo credit: Wili Hybrid
The country that “invented” the number zero, India has attracted sizeable investments from optoelectronic innovators including Agilent, Infinera and Xerox. In 2006, Agilent alone committed over $30 million to the region, with the Agilent Life Sciences Center in Bangalore created to host multi-disciplinary teams developing advanced chemical analysis and bio-analytical instrumentation, whilst its R&D centers in Bangalore and Gurgaon provide technical solutions for telecom and network operators.
India also boasts a considerable indigenous photonic research and manufacturing capability. The Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology (RRCAT) develops a variety of laser systems for applications in industry, medicine and research. The laser systems developed include high power CO2 lasers, flash lamp and diode laser pumped Nd lasers, semiconductor lasers, chemical lasers, excimer lasers and high energy/intensity pulsed lasers. Crystals of a variety of materials of interest to laser technology have been grown. The industrial applications being pursued include cutting, drilling, welding, surface modifications and rapid manufacturing. Various laser based instruments such as uranium analyzer, land leveler, compact N2 laser, photo-coagulator, fibre based temperature sensor, surgical CO2 laser system have been developed
In 2006, the Department of Information Technology launched a series of programs to create a national network of optoelectronic R&D centres. These include:
- a national facility for packaging and auto-aligning photonic devices at the Society for Applied Microwave Electronics Engineering and Research (SAMEER-Mumbai);
- a national institute to manufacture and package laser diode chips at the Central Electronics Engineering Research Institute (CEERI-Pilani);
- an optical amplifier (EFDA) manufacturing plant at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT Delhi) using indigenously developed Erbium-doped fiber from the Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute (CGCRI) and laser diode sources from CEERI-Pilani;
- an investigation of nitrogen doping to tailor bang gap reduction in liquid phase epitaxial growth of GaSb at Calcutta University;
- an investigation into polymer based photonic devices and polymer FETs at the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR-Bangalore); and
- a specialist Biophotonics and Photonics for Healthcare innovation center at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR-Mumbai).
Regards high-power laser applications, the U.S. and India share many common interests in the development of airborne laser defences. These and other laser-based armaments are developed at the Laser and Science Technology Centre in Delhi.
At the other end of the conviviality spectrum, India is also an aspiring developer of high-brightness LEDs. As reported recently by EFY Times, the CEERI is leading the creation of India’s first attempt in the country to fabricate organic and inorganic LED chips for solid state lighting applications. The first version of the chip is expected to come out by March 2012.
India’s booming optics community provides a welcome sales opportunity for recession weary equipment vendors. Earlier this year, Riber S.A. of Bezons, France, which manufactures molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) systems as well as evaporation sources and effusion cells, announced it has received an order for its Compact21 GaN research system from a major research institute located in India.
CLEO delegates can find out more about the photonic research activities in India via the Optical Society of India, the Photonics Society of India and the Indian Laser Association.
Dr David Nugent is Founder and CEO of Elucidare Limited, a boutique technology development and investment advisory business.
Apr 29
Like brushing your teeth after every meal, conference planning is something we all intend to do but rarely find the time for. As fellow CLEO blogger James van Howe playfully points out:
“Though maybe a bit nerdy, or perhaps just naive, this has been an epiphany for me. For any conference-goers reading these posts, if you don’t already, I urge you to take a look at the conference program well before you get to San Jose. Do a little planning now so that you can arm yourself with those good questions to advance and broaden your research.”
Wise words indeed, James!
Likewise I encourage everyone to peruse the CLEO online planner, to maximize your time at CLEO/QELS. You can also create a personalized itinerary based on your schedule and interests. I did this last year and it was really useful. Even better if it could be synchronized with your PDA calendar. Maybe an idea for next year.
Alternatively you can download individual daily session agendas from the CLEO website. To make it easier to find talks within the five-day agenda, I have merged these agendas into a single űber PDF. You take the high road and I’ll take the low road…
Apr 28
No scientific discipline affects life in the 21st century to same extent as photonics. From the way we harvest sunlight energy to the way we illuminate our homes; from the way diseases are diagnosed to the way medicines are delivered into the body; and from the way we communicate and entertain ourselves to the way we defend our borders. Its reach is omnipotent; its value to society unquantifiable.
Hello. My name is David Nugent and I will be your blogger-in-residence for CLEO/QELS: 2010 – arguably the greatest laser and photonics technical congress and expo in the world. Between now and May 20 I shall be writing about the myriad of scientific breakthroughs to be presented at CLEO/QELS, as well as highlighting some of the most exciting (and weirdest) applications emerging. I’ll also be scouting around the exhibition halls to see where “real world” requirements are fostering fundamental laser and photonic research.
As a scientist, analyst, investor and business development consultant, CLEO provides me with unique insight across the entire photonics value chain, from academic debate to technology transfer, application development and commercial exploitation. For photonic generalists it provides a veritable carnival of ideas and investment opportunities.
Enough about me. What are you folks looking to get out of CLEO? An update from academic and commercial peers, an application or funding partner, a new job or career idea? Whatever it is drop me a note and I’ll blog about relevant talks and exhibitors.
Yikes – the conference starts in 18 days’ time. With over 2,000 paper submissions spread across 24 different topic categories there’s going to be loads to blog about. Here goes…
