2022-2023 Optica RS Speaker Series: Tyler Howard, University of Rochester

Optical test-points using engineered scattering elements in photonic integrated circuits

Abstract

Photonic integrated circuits (PICs) fabricated in national foundries are becoming an increasingly valuable commodity for the technology industry. This talk will address important challenges in the test, assembly and packaging of PICs. A number of those challenges can be addressed through improved methods of non-contact testing. In particular, packaging of completed circuits requires evaluation of loss, polarization, and dispersion.  In this talk I will describe recent progress in the design and application of foundry-compatible optical test points that can be interrogated with a short wave infrared camera.

About the speaker

Tyler V. Howard is a graduate student at the University of Rochester. He completed his undergraduate studies in Physics and Engineering Physics: Mechanical Applications at Southeast Missouri State University, Cape Girardeau, MO in 2019. He joined the Institute of Optics at University of Rochester the subsequent fall of 2019 and joined Thomas Brown’s research ground in May 2020. His research is focused on scattering in photonic integrated circuits. Currently, he is using engineered scattering elements as optical test points toward monitoring the polarization of light within waveguides.

Pre-talk dinner 

Pre-talk dinner with guest speaker will be held at 5:15 PM at King and I Cuisine of Thailand, 1455 East Henrietta Rd, Rochester NY 14623, prior to the talk. Contact the House Committee by email for dinner reservations. Email: house@opticarochester.org