CUDOS Research - Flagship Projects

The CUDOS Research Program comprises five Flagship projects, each directed towards end user-inspired applications:

A compact, ultrahigh bandwidth all-optical switch. The switching function is driven either by the light itself or by an optical control pulse at GHz rates using resonant cavities or point defects in photonic crystals.

chalcogenide photonic all-optical crystal image

Coupling scheme used: schematic showing the coupling from a tapered fibre to PhC nanocavity.

Tunable control of slow light. We overcome the limitation of many slow light schemes (an inverse relationship between the bandwidth over which the slowing occurs and the degree of slowing so that extremely slow light can only be achieved over a very narrow range of frequencies) to produce controllable slowing of a short optical pulse, with its wide range of frequencies. This is done by excitation of soliton pulses within a photonic crystal. The shape of the soliton pulse does not change and the delay can be controlled by changing the length of the crystal.

Measured nonlinear transmission versus input power (top) and associated simulations (bottom). The dotted curve gives the transmission in the absence of the grating. Note the delay of 1.61 ns at an input power of 1.75 kW, and that the delay can be tuned by varying the input power.

Nonlinear optical signal processing including regeneration. The long term aim is to develop all-optical signal processing devices and technologies based on nonlinear optical phenomena with femtosecond response times, with a view for implementation in next generation ultrahigh bandwidth optical networks.

nonlinear optical signal processing image

All-optical signal regenerator concept exploiting optical Kerr effecting in nonlinear waveguide (NLWG), which has bandpass optical filter (BPF) integrated in the same device.

Compact waveguide lasers in bulk material. We use femtosecond laser techniques to modify the refractive index inside a material and, with 3D translation, create waveguides and Bragg gratings leading to integrated active devices.

Conceptual illustration of an embedded waveguide amplifier written in rare earth doped bulk glass. This device includes evanescently coupled signal and pump waveguides, and an intra-core grating.

Three dimensional photonic crystals. We aim to fabricate crystals with a full bandgap and control their radiation and emission properties.

A schematic diagram for an all-optical chip consisting of photonic devices that may be fabricated by the direct laser writing methods.

These projects have well-defined goals and outcomes, and are managed by Project Managers who report to the Research Director. The projects build on a strong base of fundamental research, which sits at the heart of our program and is the wellspring from which our innovations flow. Accordingly, each of our projects has a Science Leader to provide the link between the fundamental science and the outcomes-focused Flagship activities which are under the control of a Project Manager.