Amr S. Helmy, University of Toronto
Abstract:
A novel technique used to achieve efficient phase matching has been recently developed. It uses dispersion engineering in Bragg reflection waveguides to harness parametric processes utilizing second order nonlinearities, (2), in conjunction with concomitant dispersion and birefringence engineering in active devices. This technology enables novel coherent light sources using frequency conversion in a self pumped chip-form factor. These sources can provide continuous coverage of spectral regions, which are not accessible by other technologies including quantum cascade lasers. Examples of niche applications served by this unique platform include, sources for environmental and biomedical sensing elements in the 1-4 μm window and chip-based THz spectroscopy sources.
Novel sources for entangled photons in this monolithic platform will also be reviewed. These chip- based sources can afford the integration of other devices such as laser pump sources, power and polarization splitters, gates, cavities and much more. This platform essentially offers the capability of transferring current quantum optical setups from the optical table in a lab into a practical realm and even the market place. For example recent entangled photon pair generation experimenters will be presented. Furthermore design methodology that enables the generation of polarization entangled photon pairs as well as hyper entangled photons on chip with no need of external components will be elucidated.
Amr is a Professor in the department of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Toronto. Prior to his academic career, he held a position at Agilent Technologies, R&D division, in the UK between 2000 and 2004. At Agilent his responsibilities included developing InP-based photonic semiconductor integrated circuits and high-powered submarine-class 980 nm pump lasers. He received his Ph.D. and M.Sc. from the University of Glasgow with a focus on photonic devices and fabrication technologies, in 1999 and 1995 respectively. He received his B.Sc. from Cairo University in 1993, in electronics and telecommunications engineering science. His research interests include photonic device physics and characterization techniques, with emphasis on nonlinear optics in III-V semiconductors; applied optical spectroscopy in III-V optoelectronic devices and materials; III- V fabrication and monolithic integration techniques.
Amr has served the community in numerous roles. He has served as Vice President Membership for the IEEE Photonics Society (2008-2010). He has served as the Chair of the Nano-Technology Sub- Committee in the IEEE Communications Society (2005-2008), as an Associate Editor of the IEEE Photonics Society News Letter (2006-2008), as the Chair of the Photonics Society Optical Materials and Processing Sub-Committee (2007-2011) and currently is a member of the CLEO technical subcommittee on semiconductor lasers. Amr was also a guest editor of a special issue of the Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics integrated photonics and is currently an associate editor of the Photonics Journal.
(http://photonics.light.utoronto.ca/helmy)
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