Integrated photonics for communications and computing

Seminar: Departmental | December 10 | 2-3 p.m. | Cory Hall, 521 (Hogan Room)

Canada Research Chair, Integrated Photonic Devices: Joyce Poon, Asst. Prof., Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Toronto

Sponsor: Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences (EECS)

Integrated photonics is transforming rapidly because of the need for energy-efficient yet high capacity communication systems, which has been synchronized with the growing availability of sophisticated fabrication processes. The convergence of computing and communication (e.g., the cloud computing paradigm) is driving significant opportunities for innovations in integrated photonics. In this talk, I will describe my group’s research in integrated photonic devices in silicon, hybrid silicon, and metal-dielectrics. I will describe our work on silicon microring modulators, approaches to low-loss and variation-tolerant photonic circuits, and active plasmonics. The motivation for our research is to demonstrate > 1 Tb/s communication using as few wavelengths as possible.

Biography:
Joyce Poon is an Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Toronto, where she holds the Canada Research Chair in Integrated Photonic Devices. She obtained the Ph.D. and M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Caltech in 2007 and 2003 respectively, and the B.A.Sc. in Engineering Science (physics option) from the University of Toronto in 2002. She is the recipient of a MIT TR 35 award in 2012, IBM Faculty Award in 2010 and 2011, Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation Early Researcher Award in 2009, an NSERC University Faculty Award in 2008, and the Clauser Doctoral Thesis Prize from Caltech in 2007. She leads a team of graduate students to conduct combined theoretical and experimental research in the area of micro- and nano-scale photonic devices. Her group collaborates with industry, public and private institutions, and universities in Canada and abroad.

Event Contact: 510-642-9551