Research

Research Overview

In the past decade, there were remarkable achievements in emerging subfields of photonics, which suggested novel methods to manipulate photons in extraordinary ways beyond traditional optics. Along with up-to-date advances in micro/ nano-fabrication and material manipulation technology, these innovations opened opportunities to develop entirely new types of photonic devices providing not only significantly enhanced performance but also obviously distinct functionality. In this emerging research field, high-Q micro/ nano-cavities have been considered as essential and irreplaceable components to access amazingly wide range of exciting and potentially useful optical phenomena such as optical nonlinearity (photon-photon/ photon-phonon interaction in nonlinear media) and opto-mechanics (optical and mechanical mode coupling by means of radiation pressure) in practical input photon intensity. Furthermore, the recent remarkable progress on chip-based ultra-high-Q cavities which show Q-factor up to 1 billion paved the way for developing photonic circuits or systems fully integrated on a monolithic silicon chip by exploiting exciting optical phenomena.

Our group focuses on the design and development of novel photonic devices of extraordinary functionality by controlling optical, mechanical and electrical property of the device based on nanophotonics theory, nano-fabrication technology, and material science. Especially with ultra-high-Q micro/ nano-cavities, the key element to manipulate photons and their interaction with matter, our aim is to develop essential photonic devices on a monolithic chip having proper interfaces as a core part of next generation photonic systems such as time & frequency precision, high capacity optical telecommunications, and quantum & photon computations.

Research Topics:

- Nonlinear phenomena in ultra-hiqh-Q micro/ nano-cavities and their applications including:

Compact supercontinuum/ soliton source

Ultra-stable optical reference frequency

- Light matter interactions and opto-mechanics in nano-structures and their applications including:

Optical quantum memories

Transducers and interconnections for opto-electrical integrated circuits and hybrid quantum nodes

- Bio-photonic phenomena in nano-structures and their applications including:

Nano-antenna for nano-particle sensing