About the project
This project will develop compact, energy-efficient nonlinear silicon photonic devices for telecommunications, spectroscopy, imaging, and sensing. The research will encompass device design, fabrication, and characterization of on-chip and silicon-fibre platforms. Emphasis will be placed on robust, low-loss interconnection between semiconductor and fibre technologies to enable practical, sustainable next-generation photonic systems.
Silicon 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. Within this field, a subdivision that is gaining increased momentum is nonlinear silicon photonics as the semiconductor material displays a number of important nonlinear effects that can be used to generate and process signals at ultrafast speeds.
This project will follow the development of silicon devices fabricated both from conventional planar waveguides on-chip as well as those based on an emerging platform that incorporates semiconductor materials directly into the cores of optical fibres. In particular, the silicon fibre platform offers a unique possibility to seamlessly link semiconductor technologies with the silica fibre infrastructures that are used to transmit light around the globe, one of the key challenges facing the mass uptake of integrated photonic chips.
The work will have elements of:
- waveguide design
- component fabrication and optimization
- optical characterization and device benchmarking using both experimental and numerical tools
You'll join our team of dynamic and skilled researchers. There will be opportunities to interact with our National and International collaborators.
At the Optoelectronics Research Centre (ORC), your PhD will equip you with the knowledge, skills and experience needed for a successful research career.The structured first year involves attending our training programme that runs in parallel with your project research. This provides a smooth transition from your degree course towards the more open-ended research that takes place in the following years under the guidance of your project supervisors.
A range of technical skills training will also be carried out in areas such as fabrication, component characterization, general laboratory work, and data analysis, depending on needs. You will also have the opportunity to present your work at international conferences and to write papers in leading academic journals. You can expect to emerge from your PhD with skills at the forefront of future photonics research.
Specifically, you will gain experience in:
- working in an optical laboratory and using professional-level diagnostic tools and software to design and test components
- undertaking optical measurements, and processing and analysing scientific data
- developing an understanding of nonlinear optics and assessing the potential applications of various nonlinear fibre devices
The School of Optoelectronics (ORC) is committed to promoting equality, diversity inclusivity as demonstrated by our Athena SWAN award. We welcome all applicants regardless of their gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation or age, and will give full consideration to applicants seeking flexible working patterns and those who have taken a career break. The University has a generous maternity policy, onsite childcare facilities, and offers a range of benefits to help ensure employees’ well-being and work-life balance. The University of Southampton is committed to sustainability and has been awarded the Platinum EcoAward.
