Photonic Materials and Devices for Optical Information Processing and Computing Applications

Abstract : The research program is focused on a critical evaluation of advanced photonic materials and device concepts for the implementation of optical information processing and computing systems. The effort ranges from a detailed investigation of the fundamental physical and technological limitations that impact the potential computational gain (e.g. increases in throughput, decreases in decision time subsequent to processing, or minimization of the energy expended during computation) of optical information processing and computing systems, through the invention and characterization of key enabling devices such as two dimensional spatial light modulators and volume holographic optical elements, to the development of advanced techniques for materials growth, deposition, and processing that have a critical impact on potential device performance. This multifaceted evaluation of novel materials, device, and system concepts has been directly responsible for the invention and characterization of a number of photonic devices and materials processing techniques that exhibit both high performance and capacity for practical manufacturing. The primary program thrusts can be organized into three principal categories: (1) fundamental and technological limitations of optical information processing and computing; (2) electrically and optically addressed spatial light modulators: and (3) volume holographic optical elements.