Research themes
At the WA Centre of Excellence for Microphotonic Systems, we extend the photonic industry paradigm by integrating photonic devices with leading edge silicon chip technology to create microphotonic systems.
Our researchers have diverse industry and academic backgrounds and are involved in all stages of innovation and product development, from theoretical analysis through to commercialisation.
Photonics
Photonics is an enabling technology. The science of photonics exists in home lighting, in radio and clock displays, in televisions, CDs, computer and many other appliances. It also plays a vital role in automotive technology, telecommunications, the Internet, medical diagnostics and treatment, and radio astronomy. With such a broad range of applications, the size of the global photonics market is exceptionally large.
Microphotonics
Microphotonics is an emerging scientific, technological, industrial and multidisciplinary field that encompasses classical photonics and recent advances in:
- electro-optical materials;
- deep sub-micron integrated Opto-VLSI chip fabrication processes;
- high speed VCSEL array fabrication;
- broadband photo receiver array fabrication;
- optical substrates;
- computer aided design and analysis (CADA); and
- VLSI testing.
Even more, the technology is capable to transmit, manipulate, and detect photons (light waves and energy particles) at a microscopic level using software engineering.
Microphotonics has the potential to vastly improve information systems and image processing technologies. Speed, immunity to interference, increased bandwidth, parallel information processing abilities and enhanced data storage capacity are some of the advantages of working with light.