Photonics II

Learning Outcomes

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Design optical modulators in silicon technology using state of the art modelling tools
• Use theoretical techniques for the solution of photonic problems
• Understand techniques for the fabrication and characterisation of active photonic devices
• Complete a formal report on photonic component design

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• Basic concepts governing lasers and optical amplification
• Operation of active photonic devices (modulators and detectors)
• Use of photonics in communications applications

Subject Specific Practical Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Apply appropriate mathematical and software techniques to solve photonic problems
• Apply appropriate laboratory techniques to characterise active photonic device
• Use knowledge of physics to understand the behaviour of active photonic devices
• Understand the operation of active photonic devices

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Approach research into photonic devices
• Develop analytical approaches to understanding photonic devices
• Understand the operation of several photonic devices, physically and theoretically

Optical modulators

• Modulation effects
• Modulators
• Design of an optical modulator in Si
• Fabrication of an optical modulator
• Design of a modulator driver circuit

Optical detectors

• Photodiodes
• Receiver circuits
• Responsivity, bandwidth, noise

Laser and amplifier fundamentals

• Absorption and emission of radiation
• Einstein relations
• Population inversion and threshold conditions
• Gain saturation
• Lineshape function and line broadening mechanisms
• Laser modes and pulsed lasers.

Semiconductor sources

• DH, DFB, DBR
• Single frequency operation
• Intensity and phase noise

Optical amplifiers

• Properties - bandwidth, gain, polarisation effects
• Semiconductor amplifiers
• Rare-earth doped fibre amplifiers
• Noise contributions

Optical communications

• Fundamentals
• Challenges

Teaching will consist of lectures, laboratory, tutorial, and feedback sessions. The lecturers will use electronic voting systems for in-class testing and peer instruction learning. Students will learn basics of photonic modelling software packages and will characterise photonics devices in a photonic laboratory.

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Repeat

An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.