[MOS] December 8, 2009

[Zina Queen]

Seminar on

Modern Optics and Spectroscopy

Applications of dynamically-tuned photonic structures


Michelle Povinelli,
University of Southern California

Tuesday, December 8, 2009


12:00 - 1:00 p.m.


The last decade has seen great progress in the development of 
microphotonic devices including integrated microphotonic waveguides, 
photonic crystals, and microresonators. Integration of such devices 
on to semiconductor chips has yielded so-called "microphotonic 
circuits" for insertion into optical communication systems. A 
critical challenge for future development of these technologies is 
the introduction and refinement of mechanisms for tuning and 
dynamically reconfiguring microphotonic circuits. Dynamically-tunable 
photonic structures will allow greatly enhanced capabilities for 
optical information processing.  In the first part of talk, we 
discuss how optical forces can be used to dynamically reconfigure 
photonic devices. We show that for silicon microcantilever 
waveguides, optical forces can be used to design highly-tunable 
birefringent behavior and compact polarization rotation devices. For 
coupled photonic-crystal slabs, we show that optical forces are 
strongly enhanced by guided resonance states and can result in 
step-like relative motion. Such structures enable the enhancement of 
light pressure over large areas in a configuration accessible to 
free-space optical beams. In the second part of the talk, we discuss 
applications of dynamic refractive index tuning for trapping and 
storing light pulses. We present an optimal tuning scheme for 
slowing, storing, and releasing light pulses in pairs of 
photonic-crystal microcavities.





Grier Room, MIT Bldg 34-401
Refreshments served after the lecture
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