AIM Photonics Members to Present at Photonics Spectra Conference 2023
Tune in on Thursday, January 12 as AIM Photonics members will be presenting their unique contributions to the advancement of photonic integrated circuit (PIC) technology at Photonics Media’s third annual Photonics Spectra Conference.
The virtual conference, which takes place from January 9-12, features industry experts who will present on a wide range of topics including the latest developments in materials processing, space-borne optical platforms, freeform optics, beam profiling, optical metrology, lasers for quantum computing and the fast-expanding applications driving demand for PIC technology.
Check out the full program here. Registration is FREE, so be sure to sign up now and then mark your calendars for the following AIM Photonics members who will be speaking at the conference.
A Proven, Portable, and PIC-Based Methodology for Cultivating a Next-Generation Workforce
Kevin McComber, Co-founder and CEO of Spark Photonics
Thursday, January 12, 2023 - 8:40 AM EST
With the passage of the CHIPS and Science Act and growing demand for photonic integrated circuit technology, the semiconductor industry is once again gaining momentum. But even as the U.S. rebuilds our domestic manufacturing infrastructure, a larger challenge looms around the question of how to develop a qualified domestic workforce to fulfill this new manufacturing capacity. In response, the U.S. government has initiated a set of government-funded project-based learning (PBL) programs to attract young learners to advanced manufacturing fields.
In this talk, McComber will discuss how one such program, SparkAlpha, applies the PBL methodology to introduce K-12 and college students to integrated photonics concepts and encourages them to visualize new products that could launch the next great startup. This portable methodology can be applied in a wide variety of cultures and educational settings to effectively engage a diverse range of future entrepreneurs, including those typically underserved in STEM fields.
Prototyping PICs for Applications Beyond Datacom
Nicholas Fahrenkopf, Photonics Engineering Manager at AIM Photonics
Thursday, January 12, 2023 - 2:25 PM EST
While photonic integrated circuits (PICs) already have an established market for datacom and telecom applications, their capability also extends to biomedical applications, quantum computers, precision navigation and timing, LiDAR, and more. In this talk, Fahrenkopf reviews the unique challenges of these application spaces and shows how foundries are addressing these issues.
Exploring the Methods, Challenges, and Solutions for PIC Packaging
Stefan Preble, Professor and Director of the Microsystems Engineering doctorate program at Rochester Institute of Technology
Thursday, January 12, 2023 - 3:35 PM EST
Packaging remains one of the most challenging aspects of photonic integrated circuit (PIC) technology. The integration of light sources and optical fibers into a package requires high-precision alignment and attachment that’s both costly and suffers from poor yields. In addition to achieving robust coupling of light, the PIC package must also realize electrical density and thermal management, and meet reliability requirements. In this talk, Preble discusses the challenges of PIC packaging and presents a variety of solutions including active and passive fiber attachment, and pluggable and flexible solutions for realizing scalable manufacturing of PIC packages.