There are several mechanisms that can generate slow light, all of which create narrow spectral regions with high dispersion. Schemes are generally grouped into two categories: material dispersion and geometric dispersion. We are interested in investigating geometric dispersion by carefully engineering dielectric materials to obtain photonic crystal waveguides or periodic nanowires. Contrary to the material approaches, the dispersion engineered structures can be fashioned out of fairly standard materials, potentially paving the way toward commercial adoption for fully realizing the extraordinary potential of slow light for optical information processing.

The PhD student will aim approaching (without being limited to) the following achievements:
- Development of computational software to predict the transport of light in periodic waveguides affected by inevitable (small) random fabrication errors and derive strategies to lower the impact of imperfections.
- Designing periodic nanowires for operation at telecommunication wavelengths.
- Testing the waveguide fabricated in nanofabrication centers by our collaborators, and measuring the attenuation losses.
- Devising new experimental techniques to monitor slow light and high density of states (DOS) in structures that exhibit state-of-the-art attenuation.
The core aim is to demonstrate that engineered dielectric structures may be viewed as new artificial materials that support slow light operation and that are fully compatible with on-chip optical processing.

Nanophotonique, Matière artificielle

Bordeaux

Master en Physique et/ou Optique

Contrat doctoral Université Bordeaux 1, Bourse Région Aquitaine ou DGA-CNRS

Philippe Lalanne, philippe.lalanne(at)institutoptique.fr

Tel. +33/1.64.53.32.82