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Towards an optical FPGA – Programmable silicon photonic circuits [pdf]

arxiv.org

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Re: Towards an optical FPGA – Programmable silicon photonic circuits [pdf]

#11

Post by georgeburdell »

alvesjnr wrote: post #2

Hi, I'm the author of this paper [15] cited in OP's publication. We are the author of the very first implementation of a fully programmable optical linear circuit in silicon. This is the basic building block to have an optical processor (in this specific architecture). Ask me anything. [15] - http://www.photonics.intec.ugent.be/download/pub_3834.pdf

Could you explain, or maybe point to a good textbook with a chapter on the subject, why the coupling efficiency to the second waveguide on the directional coupler peaks at a certain intermediate waveguide length? I have a PhD, just not in photonics.

Re: Towards an optical FPGA – Programmable silicon photonic circuits [pdf]

#12

Post by adamnemecek »

alvesjnr wrote: post #2

Hi, I'm the author of this paper [15] cited in OP's publication. We are the author of the very first implementation of a fully programmable optical linear circuit in silicon. This is the basic building block to have an optical processor (in this specific architecture). Ask me anything. [15] - http://www.photonics.intec.ugent.be/download/pub_3834.pdf

I want to build a small, personal photonics lab. What do I need?

Re: Towards an optical FPGA – Programmable silicon photonic circuits [pdf]

#13

Post by freyir »

alvesjnr wrote: post #2

Hi, I'm the author of this paper [15] cited in OP's publication. We are the author of the very first implementation of a fully programmable optical linear circuit in silicon. This is the basic building block to have an optical processor (in this specific architecture). Ask me anything. [15] - http://www.photonics.intec.ugent.be/download/pub_3834.pdf

I'm not very familiar with the subject, but I've been hearing about academic work on optical integrated circuits for a few years now. Is this work being commercialized yet? Are there photonic ICs in use in industry?

Re: Towards an optical FPGA – Programmable silicon photonic circuits [pdf]

#15

Post by elorant »

adamnemecek wrote: post #12
alvesjnr wrote: post #2

Hi, I'm the author of this paper [15] cited in OP's publication. We are the author of the very first implementation of a fully programmable optical linear circuit in silicon. This is the basic building block to have an optical processor (in this specific architecture). Ask me anything. [15] - http://www.photonics.intec.ugent.be/download/pub_3834.pdf

I want to build a small, personal photonics lab. What do I need?

Just out of curiosity, what would you aim to achieve/build with a lab like that?

Re: Towards an optical FPGA – Programmable silicon photonic circuits [pdf]

#16

Post by adamnemecek »

elorant wrote: post #15
adamnemecek wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I want to build a small, personal photonics lab. What do I need?

Just out of curiosity, what would you aim to achieve/build with a lab like that?

I have some theoretical understanding of photonics but what sucks is that with programming, you just fork shit and start hacking. With physics, just starting hacking is much harder.

Re: Towards an optical FPGA – Programmable silicon photonic circuits [pdf]

#17

Post by 0xdead_beef »

georgeburdell wrote: post #10

I used to work in the industry and caught this article a few days ago during my usual arXiv trawling. Prof Reed's group has put out a few papers on erasable ion-implanted waveguides over the past couple of years from different angles, most notably erasable optical test points in circuits. The "FPGA" part is a bit of marketing because the waveguide erasure cannot be undone, but I do believe the last bit where the circ…

There are still anti-fuse FPGAs in manufacture and in use today (one-time programmable burn-in devices)

My question: could programmable waveguides be done with MEMS technology? (mechanical features etched in silicon)

Re: Towards an optical FPGA – Programmable silicon photonic circuits [pdf]

#18

Post by overcast »

There was a huge amount of interest, and an equally massive grant(billion) given to the Rochester,NY area for building up photonics research. Haven't heard much of it the past year though. Sounds like the natural progression from electrical circuits, particularly in the low thermal output.

Re: Towards an optical FPGA – Programmable silicon photonic circuits [pdf]

#19

Post by jacquesm »

adamnemecek wrote: post #16
elorant wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just out of curiosity, what would you aim to achieve/build with a lab like that?

I have some theoretical understanding of photonics but what sucks is that with programming, you just fork shit and start hacking. With physics, just starting hacking is much harder.

For starters I would try to make a hologram. Once you can do that you can expand into photonics, it means that at least your basic understanding of setup and things like interference and stability are taken care of.

Re: Towards an optical FPGA – Programmable silicon photonic circuits [pdf]

#20

Post by adamnemecek »

jacquesm wrote: post #19
adamnemecek wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have some theoretical understanding of photonics but what sucks is that with programming, you just fork shit and start hacking. With physics, just starting hacking is much harder.

For starters I would try to make a hologram. Once you can do that you can expand into photonics, it means that at least your basic understanding of setup and things like interference and stability are taken care of.

That’s a good insight. Is there like some progression of this?
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