Study of advances co-packaged silicon photonics coupling system

Background:

The optical I/O and interconnection technology aim efficiently to transmit signals within the integrated circuit (IC) nodes. The advances in co-packaged silicon photonics involve vertical-stacked assembly both for electrical and optical parts toward the wafer-level stage, different structures are being explored intensively in the literature. The stack-structured silicon photonics can transmit optical signals vertically and target arbitrary directions to enable better coupling flexibility and packaging structures. Eventually, these optical signals will be delivered to a fiber array connector for even longer distance transmission. The coupling technique impacts significantly to realize low loss and robust co-packaged silicon photonics packaging. In this PhD program, you will explore and study the solutions of silicon photonics coupling systems. This will include optimization of surface coupling devices such as fiber grating coupler, integrated optical mirror, and many more with the boundary conditions from the packaging house.  Combined with flat optics design such as dielectric meta-lens, you will construct a novel coupling optical system in silicon photonics platform to demonstrate a novel coupling strategy.   

What you will do:

You can learn and be hands-on in developing the system and become one of the pioneers in understanding the complete building blocks of the system and research activities. These include:

1. Gather sufficient knowledge in the field of silicon photonics and optical relevant subjects.
2. Involve in intensively literature survey both from academics and industry to know the trend of world.
3. Develop a simulation model to design the coupling devices and flat optics components to predict the performance based on system level analysis.
4. Communicate and collaborate with cross-functional teams to fabricate the coupling strategy.
5. Demonstrate measurement framework for characterization of the developed system. 

Expectation of workload

Literature study (10%), design and simulation (30%), device layout (20%), characterization (30%), Discussions (10%)

What we do for you

We offer you the opportunity to join the world’s leading research center in nanotechnology at its headquarters in Leuven, Belgium. You will become part of a future team that makes the impossible possible. Together, we shape the technology that will define the society of tomorrow. We are committed to being an open multicultural and informal working environment.

Who you are:

1. MS degree in the related fields such as Photonics, Optical Physics and Electrical Engineering.
2. Strong interest in Silicon Photonics and flat optics.
3. Basic programming and scripting skills.
4. Autonomy, scientific curiosity, and ability to work in an international environment.

Plus, items:

Knowledge of numerical analysis.

Knowledge in optical simulation tools such as Rsoft, Lumerical, Code V, ipkiss