Quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) are semiconductor lasers that can be designed to emit over a very broad wavelength range from the mid-wave infrared (MWIR) to terahertz frequencies. Their compact size and ability to output several watts of MWIR or long-wave infrared (LWIR) radiation makes them ideal sources for directional infrared counter measures (DIRCM). This application is fueling demand for ever more powerful QCLs, but power gains from single QCLs have largely stagnated in recent years. Novel waveguide geometries such as tree-arrays seek to increase output power delivered in a single high-quality beam. InGaAs/AlInAs tree array QCLs based on ridge waveguides and multimode interference couplers are the subject of this dissertation. Guidelines for their design based on optical and thermal simulations are provided, and results from fabricated devices are presented.

[ES] La fotónica de microondas, la cual une los mundos de la ingeniería de radiofrecuencia y la optoelectrónica, ha generado un gran interés en las últimas décadas. Su valor añadido se deriva del hecho de que, por un lado, permite la realización de funcionalidades clave en los sistemas de microondas que son complejas o directamente imposibles en el dominio de la radiofrecuencia. Por otro lado, crea nuevas oportunidades para los sistemas y redes de información y comunicación. Por lo tanto, la fotónica de microondas se utiliza para habilitar funciones especializadas como generación de señales de alta frecuencia, modulación, procesamiento de señales, particularmente en aplicaciones de comunicación, radar y detección. En el contexto de la fotónica programable, la versatilidad surge al permitir la manipulación dinámica de las señales de luz, haciéndolas adaptables para propósitos genéricos a través de redes ópticas, computación óptica, óptica adaptativa, investigación y desarrollo y fotónica cuántica. Por lo que, proporciona una plataforma flexible para aplicaciones ópticas, mostrando funciones complementarias a la tecnología fotónica moderna. Por lo tanto, los circuitos integrados fotónicos programables proponen y prometen ser una solución para competir con diseños específicos de aplicaciones. Sin embargo, las demostraciones actuales y las pruebas de concepto solo han integrado un número limitado de componentes y representan circuitos de complejidad pequeña y moderada. Este trabajo tiene como objetivo responder a las preguntas relacionadas con la escalabilidad del sistema y la evolución de futuros circuitos integrados fotónicos programables. El análisis y propuesta de soluciones constará de dos partes principales: la primera estudiará la escalabilidad de los circuitos programables en términos de integración de sistemas, incluyendo un estudio exhaustivo de las interfaces ópticas. En segundo lugar, debido a la necesidad de compensación de pérdidas que surge al utilizar fotónica integrada, consideraremos el rendimiento de modelos analíticos de fotónica de microondas de extremo a extremo con enlaces amplificados (balance de potencia óptica, ruido de señal, indicadores clave de rendimiento de enlaces fotónicos de microondas y consumo de energía). Una vez completado, utilizaremos diseños de complejidad moderada para evaluar nuestros estimadores de rendimiento tanto para el procesamiento de señales ópticas como para aplicaciones fotónicas de microondas. / [CA] La fotònica de micrones, la qual uneix els mons de l'enginyeria de radiofreqüència i l'optoelectrònica, ha generat un gran interés en les últimes dècades. El seu valor afegit es deriva del fet que, d'una banda, permet la realització de funcionalitats clau en els sistemes de microones que són complexes o directament impossibles en el domini de la radiofreqüència. D'altra banda, crea noves oportunitats per als sistemes i xarxes d'informació i comunicació. Per tant, la fotònica de microones s'utilitza per a habilitar funcions especialitzades com a generació de senyals d'alta freqüència, modulació, processament de senyals, particularment en aplicacions de comunicació, radar i detecció. En el context de la fotònica programable, la versatilitat sorgeix en permetre la manipulació dinàmica dels senyals de llum, fent-les adaptables per a propòsits genèrics a través de xarxes òptiques, computació òptica, òptica adaptativa, recerca i desenvolupament i fotònica quàntica. Pel que, proporciona una plataforma flexible per a aplicacions òptiques, mostrant funcions complementàries a la tecnologia fotònica moderna. Per tant, els circuits integrats fotònics programables proposen i prometen ser una solució per a competir amb dissenys específics d'aplicacions. No obstant això, les demostracions actuals i les proves de concepte sol han integrat un nombre limitat de components i representen circuits de complexitat xicoteta i moderada. Aquest treball té com a objectiu respondre a les preguntes relacionades amb l'escalabilitat del sistema i l'evolució de futurs circuits integrats fotònics programables. L'anàlisi i proposta de solucions constarà de dues parts principals: la primera estudiarà l'escalabilitat dels circuits programables en termes d'integració de sistemes, incloent-hi un estudi exhaustiu de les interfícies òptiques. En segon lloc, a causa de la necessitat de compensació de pèrdues que sorgeix quan s'utilitza fotònica integrada, considerarem el rendiment de models analítics de fotònica de microones d'extrem a extrem amb enllaços amplificats (balanç de potència òptica, soroll de senyal, indicadors clau de rendiment d'enllaços fotònics de microones i consum d'energia). Una vegada completat, utilitzarem dissenys de complexitat moderada per a avaluar els nostres estimadors de rendiment tant per al processament de senyals òptics com per a aplicacions fotòniques de microones. / [EN] Microwave photonics brings together the worlds of radiofrequency engineering and optoelectronics and it has attracted great interest in the last few decades. It added value stems from the fact that, on one hand, it enables the realization of key functionalities in microwave systems that either are complex or even not directly possible in the radiofrequency domain. On the other hand, it creates new opportunities for information and communication systems and networks. Hence, microwave photonics is used to enable specialized functions such as high-frequency signal generation, modulation, and signal processing, particularly in communication, radar, and sensing applications. In the context of programmable photonics, versatility emerges by allowing dynamic manipulation of light signals, making them adaptable for generic purposes across optical networks, optical computing, adaptive optics, research and development, and quantum photonics. Then, it provides a flexible platform for optical applications, showcasing their complementary roles in modern photonics technology. Hence, programmable photonic integrated circuits have been recently proposed and promise to be a solution to compete with application-specific designs. However, current demonstrations and proof-of-concepts have only integrated a limited number of components and represent small and moderate-complex circuits. This work aims to answer the questions dealing with the system scalability and evolution of future programmable photonic integrated circuits. The analysis and proposal of solutions will include two main parts: the first one will study the scalability of programmable circuits in terms of system integration, including a comprehensive study of optical interfacing. Secondly, due to the need for loss compensation that arises when using integrated photonics, we will consider the performance of end-to-end analytical microwave photonics models with amplified links (optical power budget, signal noise, microwave photonic links key performance indicators, and power consumption). Once completed, we will make use of moderate complexity designs to evaluate our performance estimators for both optical signal processing and microwave photonic applications. / Sánchez Gomariz, E. (2024). Scalability Analysis and Designs for Large-Scale Programmable RF-Photonic Integrated Circuits: Modelling, Design and Implementation [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/202894

Matrix and tensor accelerators play indispensable roles in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). Although most of the matrix accelerators, such as graphic processing units (GPUs) and tensor processing units (TPUs), are still electronics based, the energy efficiency and scalability limits of electronic accelerators have presented an opportunity for photonics to perform matrix and tensor acceleration. This dissertation explores silicon photonics as an enabling and cost-effective platform for developing photonic systems, in particular, photonic tensor accelerators. The thesis presents a detailed design procedure for active and passive components, forming a comprehensive Process Design Kit (PDK) in a foundry-compatible silicon photonic platform. The PDK library includes passive waveguide building blocks as well as active components such as micro ring modulators with an EO bandwidth of more than 20GHz and Ge-on-Si photodetectors with >25GHz bandwidth. Having our own PDK ensures consistency in the layout and fabrication of silicon photonic integrated circuits (PIC) across different foundries. We designed and fabricated multidimensional photonic tensor accelerators, each of which consists of many waveguides, splitters/couplers, coherent modulators, and balanced detectors, and successfully demonstrated PIC-based matrix-vector multiplications.

This thesis presents an investigation into some of the structural colours that are produced in nature. There are many animals and plants that produce structural colour, with a particularly high structural colour diversity in insects. Of the species that exhibit structural colours, three species are the subjects for investigation of this thesis. Those comprise a group of beetles from South-East Asia, Torynorrhina flammea, a buttery, Parides sesostris and a fruit, Margaritaria nobilis, both from South American rainforests. The structures that produce the vivid colours of these species were analysed using electron microscopy. This information aided the design and creation of three inorganic, synthetic replicas of the natural structures. The fruit of Margaritaria nobilis was structurally analysed, yielding the discovery of a novel multilayer fibre. These fibres were cylindrical in design and were found to be layered together producing the epidermis of the fruit. The multilayer structure produced a vivid blue colour appearance, which is believed to offer a selective advantage because the colour deceives birds into thinking that the fruit contains nutritious flesh. This selective advantage earns M. nobilis the label of mimetic fruit. The structure found within the M. nobilis fruit epidermis inspired the synthesis of a structure which comprises single cylindrical multilayer fibres. The synthetic fibres were manufactured from elastic materials which allow the structure to be deformed under strain and, therefore, a change in colour can be observed. As the structure was stretched, this made the layers get thinner and, therefore, the colour of the fibre blue-shifted. The fibre was able to be stretched to over twice its original length which yields a shift in peak reflected wavelength of over 200 nm. Four beetles from the Torynorrhina flammea species were investigated with the aim of replicating the nanostructures responsible for their colour appearance. The initial interest in the beetles came from their strikingly vivid colour appearances. The structure responsible for the vivid colours in all four of the subspecies is a multilayer with high structural order and over 100 laminae. Both of these attributes contribute to the saturation of the colours exhibited. The multilayer was found to be intersected by an array of rods, the long axis of which is orthogonal to the surface. The rods are believed to be the cause of an interesting diffraction phenomenon exhibited by the beetles. Using imaging scatterometry, the structure was found to diffract the colour produced by the multilayers into an annulus around a specularly reflected white spot. This inspired the synthesis of a multilayer permeated with an array of holes with the aim of replicating a system that could reproduce the annular pattern of colour reflection. The initial synthesised system comprised a quarter-wave stack with a perfectly ordered hexagonal array of holes permeating the surface orthogonally. The sample displayed the scattering characteristics of a hexagonal array, and the reflection spectra of the multilayer stack. When disordered hexagonal arrays were milled into the structure with a focussed ion beam, the scattering pattern started to show more of the green colour from the multilayer and less of the ordered scattering pattern. The highly disordered, synthesised structure displayed no hexagonal scattering pattern, but instead it showed a highly scattered bluish-green colouration. One sample was created by directly mapping out the array of holes using an image of the original array from one of the beetle samples. This sample was expected the same annular diffraction pattern as the beetles, however, the sample instead exhibited the same scattering pattern as the highly disordered array. Some structurally coloured systems in nature have more than one light scattering structure, all of which contribute to the overall colour of the system. For complicated systems such as this, it is necessary to devise a technique to characterise the individual scattering structures separately. One such species that displays a complex, multicomponent system is Parides sesostris. The male of the species displays bright green patches on the dorsal side of the forewings which are made up of thousands of green wing scales. These green scales contain a 3D gyroid poly-crystal at centre with a membrane layer surrounding the underside of each scale and a scattering structure on top. Using focussed ion beam milling techniques allowed the individual characterisation of each of these structures. The gyroid poly-crystal was found to reflect not green but blue wavelengths. This led to the discovery by another group [1] that the scales contain at least one type of fluorophore. The removal of the membrane structure and some of the gyroid poly-crystal from the base of the scale resulted in the change of the overall scale structure from green to cyan. This suggests that the membrane maybe a significant source of fluorescence. Computational modelling, without fluorescence, suggests that the addition of the membrane layer to the gyroid does not shift the band-gap wavelengths; however, the overall reflection intensity does increase. The scattering structure on the top side of each scale is comprised a bi-grating which sits on top of the 3D gyroid structure. The long periodicity of the bi-grating protrudes above the surface, resulting in the very top layer of the scale to be a mono-grating. This whole structure decreases the angular-dependence of the colour by efficiently scattering the incident light into the gyroid and also scattering the reflected light from the gyroid, resulting in a double-scattering. FIB-milling was used to isolate the scattering part of the structure. Analysis of this component of the structure revealed that it was not a source of the green colour itself; however, it did show the characteristic scattering pattern of a mono-grating. The small periodicity of the bi-grating did not produce a scattering pattern since the periodicity is too small to produce optical diffraction at normal incidence. To characterise the effect of the fluorophores, the whole scale structure was photo-bleached using ultra-violet radiation for two months with the aim of destroying the fluorophores contained within the structure. The expected result occurred which was the blue-shifting of the peak reflected wavelengths. However, it could not be confirmed whether or not the photo-bleaching reduced the physical size of the light scattering structures which would, in theory, result in a blue-shift of the peak reflected wavelengths. The male P. sesostris green wing scales were also the subject for investigation for trying to make inorganic replicas of the gyroid-polycrystal. A surface sol-gel coating process was utilised to coat the green wing scales with titania. This coating process was performed using a few different methods. Half of the samples were coated with TiO2 and the other half with tin-doped TiO2. Half of each of these samples had their surfaces dendritically amplified before the coating processes and the other half were left untreated. The samples were coated with 25 surface sol-gel (SSG) cycles of each treatment at a time. After each 25 cycle treatment the samples were optically characterised. The total number of cycles applied to the samples at the end was 150. The addition of layers of titania resulted in a general red-shift that was higher for the tin-doped titania samples than for the titania samples. Another general trend found was that the samples that had their surfaces dendritically amplified, produced a lower red-shift in peak wavelength. This was contrary to the hypothesis that the amplification process was supposed to aid the SSG coating process and, therefore, increases the red-shift in peak wavelength.

The market for higher data rate communication is driving the semiconductor industry to develop new techniques of writing at smaller scales, while continuing to scale bandwidth at low power consumption. The question arises of how to continue to sustain this trend. Silicon photonic (SiPh) devices offer a potential solution to the electronic interconnect bandwidth bottleneck. SiPh leverages the technology commensurate of decades of fabrication development with the unique functionality of next-generation optical interconnects. Finer fabrication techniques have allowed for manufacturing physical characteristics of waveguide structures that can support multiple modes in a single waveguide. By refining modal characteristics in photonic waveguide structures, through mode multiplexing with the asymmetric y-junction and microring resonator, higher aggregate data bandwidth is demonstrated via various combinations of spatial multiplexing, broadening applications supported by the integrated platform. The main contributions of this dissertation are summarized as follows. Experimental demonstrations of new forms of spatial multiplexing combined together exhibit feasibility of data transmission through mode-division multiplexing (MDM), mode-division and wavelength-division multiplexing (MDM-WDM), and mode-division and polarization-division multiplexing (MDM-PDM) through a C-band, Si photonic platform. Error-free operation through mode multiplexers and demultiplexers show how data can be viably scaled on multiple modes and with existing spatial domains simultaneously. This work opens up new avenues for scaling bandwidth capacity through leveraging orthogonal domains available on-chip, beyond what had previously been employed like WDM and time-division multiplexing (TDM). Furthermore, we explore expanding device channel support from two to three arms. Finding that a slight mismatch in the third arm can increase crosstalk contributions considerably, especially when increasing data rate, we explore a methodical way to design the asymmetric y-junction device by considering its angles and multiplexer/demultiplexer arm width. By taking into consideration device fabrication variations, we turn towards optimizing device performance post-fabrication. Through ModePROP simulations, optimizing device performance dynamically post-fabrication is analyzed, through either electro-optical or thermo-optical means. By biasing the arm introducing the slight spectral offset, we can quantifiably improve device performance. Scaling bandwidth is experimentally demonstrated through the device at 3 modes, 2 wavelengths, and 40 Gb/s data rate for 240 Gb/s aggregate bandwidth, with the potential to reduce power penalty per the device optimization process we described. A main motivation for this on-chip spatial multiplexing is the need to reduce costs. As the laser source serves as the greatest power consumer in an optical system, mode-division multiplexing and other forms of spatial multiplexing can be implemented to push its potentially prohibitive cost metrics down. While the device introduces loss, through imperfect mode isolation, as device fabrication improves, tolerance can increase as well. Meanwhile, the rate that laser power consumption increases as supported wavelengths scales is shown to be much faster than the loss introduced by scaling on-chip bandwidth multi-modally. Future generations of ultra-high capacity devices through spatial multiplexing is explored. Already various systems can be implemented multimodally, with the design features serving as useful for other components. Central to photonic network-on-chips, a multimodal switch fabric, composed of microring resonators, is demonstrated to have error-free operation of 1x2 switching of 10 Gb/s data. These contributions aim to scale bandwidth to ultra-high capacity, while ameliorating any imperfect design, through multiple routes conjoined with on-chip spatial multiplexing, and they constitute the bulk of this dissertation. For the latter part, we turn to the issue of integrating a photonic device for dynamic power reallocation in a system. Specifically, we utilize a 4x4 nonblocking switch fabric composed of Mach-Zehnder interferometers that switch both electro-optically and thermo-optically at ns and μs rates respectively. In order to demonstrate an intelligent platform capable of dynamically multicasting data and reallocating power as needed by the system, we must first initialize the switch fabric to control with an electronic interface. A dithering mechanism, whereby exact cross, bar, and sub-percentage states are enforced through the device, is described here. Such a method could be employed for actuating the device table of bias values to states automatically. We then employ a dynamic power reallocation algorithm through a data acquisition unit, showing real-time channel recovery for channels experiencing power loss by diverting power from paths that could tolerate it. The data that is being multicast through the system is experimentally shown to be error-free at 40 Gb/s data rate, when transmitting from one to three clients and going from automatic bar/cross states to equalized power distribution. For the last portion of this topic, the switch fabric was inserted into a high-performance computing system. In order to run benchmarks at 10 Gb/s data ontop of the switch fabric, a newer model of the control plane was implemented to toggle states according to the command issued by the server. Such a programmable mechanism will prove necessary in future implementations of optical subsystems embedded inside larger systems, like data centers. Beyond the specific control plane demonstrated, the idea of an intelligent photonic layer can be applied to alleviate many kinds of optical channel abnormalities or accommodate for switching based on different patterns in data transmission. Besides spatial-multiplexing, expanding on-chip bandwidth can be accomplished by extension of the wavelength detection regime to a longer regime. Experimental demonstration of photodetection at 1.9 μm is shown with Si+-doped Si photodetectors at 1 Gb/s data operation featuring responsivities of .03 AW−1 at 5 V bias. The same way of processing these Si ribbed waveguide photodetectors can garner even longer wavelength operation at 2.2 μm wavelength. Finally, the experimental demonstration of a coherent perfect absorption Si modulator is exhibited, showing a viable extinction ratio of 24.5 dB. Using this coherent perfect absorption mechanism to demodulate signals, there is the added benefit of differential reception. Currently, an automated process for data collection is employed at a faster time scale than instabilities present in fibers in the setup with future implementations eliminating the off-chip phase modulator for greater signal stability. The field of SiPh has developed to a stage where specific application domains can take off and compete according to industrial-level standards. The work in this dissertation contributes to experimental demonstration of a newly developing area of mode-division multiplexing for substantially increasing bandwidth on-chip. While implementing the discussed photonic devices in dynamic systems, various attributes of integrated photonics are leveraged with existing electronic technologies. Future generations of computing systems should then be designed by implementing both system and device level considerations.

Photodetectors are a kind of semiconductor devices that convert incoming light to an electrical signal. Photodetectors have different applications in sensors and fiber optic communication systems, and medical diagnosis etc. In this project  Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy is used to investigate a new version  of photodiodes for near-infrared radiation that is based on self-assembled semiconductor nanowires (NWs) which are grown directly on the substrate without any epi-layer. The spectrally resolved photocurrent (at different applied biases) and IV curves (in darkness and illumination) for different temperatures have been studied, respectively. The thesis work also includes a comparison to a planar photodetector based on Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) deposited directly on an InP substrate.

Integrated optics as a platform for signal processing offers significant benefits such as large bandwidth, low loss, and a potentially high degree of reconfigurability. Silicon (Si) has unique advantages as a material platform for integration, as well as properties such as a strong thermo-optic mechanism that allows for the realization of highly reconfigurable photonic systems. Chapter 1 is devoted to the discussion of these advantages, and Chapter 2 provides the theoretical background for the analysis of integrated Si-photonic devices. The thermo-optic property of Si, while proving extremely useful in facilitating reconfiguration, can turn into a nuisance when there is a need for thermally stable devices on the photonic chip. Chapter 3 presents a technique for resolving this issue without relying on a dynamic temperature stabilization process. Temperature-insensitive (or “athermal”) Si microdisk resonators with low optical loss are realized by using a polymer overlayer whose thermo-optic property is opposite to that of Si, and TiO2 is introduced as an alternative to polymer to deal with potential CMOS-compatibility issues. Chapter 4 demonstrates an ultra-compact, low-loss, fully reconfigurable, and high-finesse integrated photonic filter implemented on a Si chip, which can be used for RF-photonic as well as purely optical signal processing purposes. A novel, thermally reconfigurable reflection suppressor is presented in Chapter 5 for on-chip feedback elimination which can be critical for mitigating spurious interferences and protecting lasers from disturbance. Chapter 6 demonstrates a novel device for on-chip control of optical fiber polarization. Chapter 7 deals with select issues in the implementation of Si integrated photonic circuits. Chapter 8 concludes the dissertation.

<div>Integrated optical phased arrays (OPAs) have gained popularity for achieving beam steering with no moving parts and potential high speed and small beam divergence angle. These characteristics are crucial for applications like free-space communication and light detection and ranging (LiDAR), a key component in autonomous driving. Two main aspects that affect the performance of an integrated OPA are discussed: high power handling and large beam steering range.</div><div><br></div><div>High emission power from the OPA is desirable for long range detection applications. Silicon is broadly used in integrated OPA designs as it allows for structures with a more compact footprint. However, its power-handling capability is limited by the two-photon absorption of the material, resulting in higher loss and potential damage at high input power levels. In this work, high power delivery into free space is realized by using a silicon nitride (SiN) and silicon hybrid platform. SiN components are used to direct and split high input power into smaller portions and coupled into silicon components for a more compact emitter array.</div><div><br></div><div>In order to achieve a full 180-degree beam steering range with aliasing-free operation, the pitch of a periodic emitter array is required to be half of the operating wavelength or less. At such a small pitch, evanescent coupling between adjacent emitters causes strong crosstalk. We demonstrate the optical phased array based on uniform half-wavelength spaced grating emitter array. Two-dimensional beam confinement and a record-high aliasing-free beam steering field-of-view of 135 degrees from grating emitter are measured from a 32 channel SiN/Si hybrid OPA. Evanescent coupling between waveguides are suppressed by metamaterial-based <b>e</b>xtreme <b>ski</b>n-<b>d</b>epth (e-skid) waveguides. The e-skid waveguides utilize an alternating air-silicon multi-fin side cladding. The high index contrast of those sub-wavelength ridges provides strong anisotropy, which leads to faster decay of the evanescent wave for transverse electric (TE) input modes, thus limiting evanescent coupling between closely spaced waveguides.</div><div><br></div><div>Furthermore, we extend the concept of the half-wavelength-pitched emitter array to the design of a two-dimensional end-fire OPA. This OPA can potentially achieve 180-degree by 180-degree full-range beam steering with no grating lobes by having a half-wavelength emitter pitch in both dimensions. The design of a broadband 8 by 8 silicon photonics switch based on the half-wavelength-pitched emitter array with low path-dependent loss (PDL) is also discussed.</div>

Photovoltaics (PV) are a renewable energy technology experiencing rapidly increasing commercial adoption today. Nonetheless, many proposed PV applications still require higher efficiencies, lower costs and comparable reliability to currently available in commercial devices (typically made from silicon). To enable the rigorous study of a much wider range of materials and novel design concepts, particularly those based on compound thin films, Concentrated Photovoltaics (CPV), cells with bifaciality, a comprehensive modeling framework is developed to couple photon absorption, carrier transport, photon recycling, and thermal transport in PV devices. The universality of this framework manifest itself in approaching various PV related problems as follows: 1) exploring the novel design of wide-Eg GaInP solar cells as an intermediate step to enhance the efficiency of multijunction PV devices; 2) characterizing the open-circuit voltage (VOC) degradation in thin-film vapor liquid solid (TF-VLS) grown InP solar cell through combined device and circuit model for interpreting photoluminescence (PL) image; 3) establishing optic-electric-thermal coupled framework to assess and compare the passive cooling effect for Silicon CPV devices that employ porous soda-lime glass radiative cooler and conventional copper cooler respectively; 4) Investigating and formulating the analytic solution of the optimal design that minimizes combined optical shadowing loss and electrical resistive loss for two types of bifacial PV devices: a) interdigitated back contact (IBC) Silicon heterojunction (SHJ) solar cells and b) Copper Indium Gallium DiSelenide (CIGSe) solar cell with Al2O3 passivation; and 5) Constructing an Neural Network Autoen- coder (NNA) that compresses and reconstructs the J-V characteristics obtained from TCAD simulation and literature for rapid screening and automated classification.

Recent advances in linear quantum optics have involved the development of unbiased, multi-port optical elements for use with pairs of identical photons, or biphotons, for the design of novel quantum devices. The unbiased counterpart of a conventional 50:50 beam-splitter is a particularly useful multiport, thanks to its unique algebraic properties when acting on both classical and quantum states of light. Dubbed the “Grover coin” due to its utility in the Grover’s Search quantum algorithm, the unbiased four-port behaves as a conventional beam splitter, but with two additional ports to provide a photon amplitude with four, equally-probable, spatially distinct paths through which it may propagate. While the Grover coin has been realized in the laboratory in the form of bulk optical elements, the formation of a network of Grover coins is impractical due to the meticulous alignment and large number of elements required for a single component. Therefore, the development of a small, chip-integrated embodiment of the unbiased four-port would enable experimentation with novel quantum optics theories, through the interconnection of multiple Grover coins over a small footprint. This thesis details the design and fabrication of photonic waveguide-based integrated circuit elements through numerical simulation, topology optimization and CMOS-compatible manufacturing processes. / 2025-06-08T00:00:00Z