event
Thursday 21 Feb 2019: NEST Seminar: Silicon photonics device prototyping using the CORNERSTONE platform
Dr Callum G. Littlejohns - Optoelectronics Research Centre, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK.
H170 12:30-13:30
The field of silicon photonics has expanded rapidly over the past several decades. This has led to a degree of standardisation in the commercial device fabrication foundries that are available for universities and fabless companies alike. Whilst this is advantageous in terms of yield, repeatability etc., it is not conducive for researchers to develop new and novel devices for future systems. CORNERSTONE offers researchers a flexible device prototyping capability that can support photonics research around the world.
The CORNERSTONE project (Capability for OptoelectRoNics, mEtamateRialS, nanoTechnOlogy, aNd sEnsing) is a UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) funded project between 3 UK universities: University of Southampton, University of Glasgow and University of Surrey. The project is based on deep-ultraviolet (DUV) photolithography equipment, installed at the University of Southampton, centred around a 248 nm Scanner, the first of its kind in a UK university. Utilising these facilities, CORNERSTONE offers multi-project wafer (MPW) capability on several silicon-on-insulator (SOI) platforms (220 nm, 340 nm & 500 nm) for both passive and active silicon photonic devices. The MPW offering is free of charge for UK academia (supported by EPSRC) until September 2019.
This talk will give an overview of the CORNERSTONE project, present some of its early data, and summarise future MPW offerings.
Biography:
Dr Callum Littlejohns completed his PhD in the field of Silicon Photonics at the Optoelectronics Research Centre, University of Southampton in March 2015, having previously obtained a First-Class Honours degree in Electronic Engineering at the University of Surrey. He is now part of the CORNERSTONE team in the Silicon Photonics Group at the University of Southampton, working on rapid prototyping of silicon photonics devices. He has a track record of excellence, having received multiple awards throughout his academic life, including the Information Overload category winner at the 2015 EPSRC ICT Pioneers Awards. Callum has published a book chapter, over 25 papers in peer-reviewed journals, and over 80 international conference papers, including a prestigious post-deadline paper at the 2014 IEEE Group IV Photonics conference, in the field of silicon photonics. The work completed during Callum’s PhD has been protected by two separate patents, both fully supported by the University of Southampton. He has twice served as the conference chairman at the Enlighten conference as part of the Photonex Europe exhibition.
