Sunday Program
September 27th • 8:30am-5:30pm
Sunday Program:
Canadian Photonics Research, Past, Present, and Future
Perspectives on Photonic Research
8:30am-9:00am:
Sajeev John, University of Toronto
Title: Photonic Crystals: Why Trap Light?
Abstract:
I discuss applications of light trapping in photonic crystals from the fundamental to the technological, from the quantum to the classical, within a photonic band gap and without a photonic band gap. From this diverse spectrum some high impact, large-scale, commercial applications are suggested in solar energy harvesting and medical diagnostics.
9:00am-9:30am:
Bob Boyd, University of Ottawa
Title: The Promise of Quantum Nonlinear Optics
Abstract:
Nonlinear optics has historically been concerned with the interaction of intense laser beams. More recently there has been interest in interactions involving only a headful of photons; such interactions can serve as switches and other logical devices for applications involving quantum information. In this talk we review work aimed at developing nonlinear optical materials and structures with nonlinear response capable of responding at the near single-photon level.
9:30am-10:00am:
Pavel Cheben, NRC
Title: Metamaterial-inspired integrated photonics
10:00am-10:30am: Coffee break
Centers of Photonics Research
10:30am-11:00am:
Leslie Rusch, Canada Research Chair in Communication Systems; LAVAL / COPL
Title: COPL: 30 Years of Innovation and Going Strong
11:00am-11:30am:
Lukas Chrostowski, University of British Columbia
Title: Silicon Photonic Electronic Integrated Circuits, SiEPIC, Program in Canada
11:30am-12:00pm:
Odile Liboiron-Ladouceur, McGill University
Title: Applications exploiting a silicon photonics reconfigurable linear processor
12:00pm-12:30pm:
Martin Guy, Ciena Corporation
Title: The leading role of photonic integration in the evolution of coherent communications
Abstract: We will present how photonic integration has become a key enabler to support the evolution of coherent communications in order to achieve higher capacity in smaller form factor and lower power consumption.
12:30-1:30pm: Lunch (on your own)
Quantum Research:
1:30pm-2:00pm:
Roberto Morandotti, Institut National De Recherche Scientifique
Title: Integrated frequency micro combs
Abstract: The generation of optical quantum states on an integrated platform will enable low-cost and accessible advances for quantum technologies such as secure communications and quantum computation. We demonstrate that integrated quantum frequency combs (based on high-Q microring resonators made from a CMOS-compatible, high refractive-index glass platform) can enable, among others, the generation of pure heralded single photons, cross-polarized photon pairs, as well as bi- and multi-photon entangled qubit and quDit states over a broad frequency comb covering the S, C, L telecommunications band, constituting an important cornerstone for future practical implementations of photonic quantum information processing.
2:00pm-2:30pm:
Paul Barclay, University of Calgary
Title: Controlling Nanomechanical Resonators with Light: Sensing, Information Processing and Quantum Science
2:30pm-3:00pm:
Dylan Mahler, Xanadu
Title: Integrated Platforms for Continuous Variable Quantum Optics
Abstract: Xanadu is a full-stack quantum computing company located in Toronto, Canada. Focusing on implementations of continuous variable integrated photonics, Xanadu is dedicated to developing and providing access to practical quantum devices integrated with its quantum optics simulator Strawberry Fields and machine learning platform PennyLane.
I will begin by giving an introduction to Xanadu, including its motivations and goals. The bulk of my talk will report on the hardware team’s progress working toward true nanophotonic squeezed vacuum sources compatible with photon counting.
Inverse Design:
3:00pm-3:30pm:
Eli Yablonovich, University of California, Berkeley
Title: Inverse Electromagnetic Design: The Adjoint Method using the Chain Rule of Calculus
Abstract: Design optimization is vital to Engineering. Usually, thousands of parameters need to be optimized simultaneously, and when you optimize one parameter, all the other parameters need to be re-adjusted. This issue was originally resolved in the 1950’s in the context of Linear Programming, relying upon clever adjoint linear algebra combined with calculus. This method has been independently rediscovered and renamed in a number of fields, including mechanical shape design, and in Artificial Intelligence where it is called “Back-Propagation”.
Optics requires shape optimization, and in 2002 the Adjoint Method was finally employed in optics, for the design of Lithographic Masks by Luminescent Inc., which gave the name “Inverse Lithography Technology” (ILT). ILT has now become standard in silicon chip manufacturing. The Adjoint Method is also being widely pursued in Silicon Photonics and in other areas of optical design. Lumerical Inc., now provides Adjoint Optimization with their friendly electromagnetics software package.
3:30pm-5:30pm:
Dylan McGuire, Lumerical (Tutorial)
Title: Create Optimized Components with Photonic Inverse Design
Abstract: Join us for a hands-on workshop focused on photonic inverse design (PID) – a design process where, given desired target performance, computational methods are employed to automatically find the optimal device geometry. Learn about the adjoint method and how it can be used to accelerate the optimization of shape-based and topology-based design problems. Gain valuable experience using PID tools to optimize for variable manufacturing and operating conditions in typical structures encountered by components engineered for integrated photonics.
6:00pm-8:00pm: Sunday Evening Social