Research and Technology

The TRIF-funded photonic research focuses on areas critical to information technology. This research is multi-disciplinary and is additionally funded through external partnerships including federal agencies and industry including:

• National Science Foundation, Science and Technology Center funded through the University of Washington
  Material & Devices for Information Technology Research

• The Air Force Office of Scientific Research
  funded through the Multidisciplinary Research Initiative program (MURI)

• Keck Foundation

• National Science Foundation, Division of Materials Research

Research focuses on:

• Fiber Optics Technology.  Low-loss, low-dispersion, optical fibers and waveguides will be needed for transporting information in both long haul and local area networks. Amplification is necessary for compensating transmission and splitting losses. A recent grant allowed purchasing and installing our first fiber pulling facility, which is essential to this research.

• High Power Fiber Lasers.  High power lasers have industrial as well as military applications. Furthermore, in telecommunication, the information carrying signal is typically a series of laser pulses generated by modulating a laser either externally or internally. Research is needed to create efficient, high speed, and high power lasers with good quantum efficiencies.

• Generation and Detection of Information.  The information carrying signal is typically a series of laser pulses generated by modulating a laser either externally or internally. Research is needed to create efficient, high speed, high power lasers and detectors with good quantum efficiencies.

• Photonic Materials Development.  New materials will be needed for lasers, modulators, switches, storage and display devices, detectors, and others. These materials may include semiconductors, organics and polymers, glass waveguide materials and hybrid organic-inorganic solgels. Photopatternable and active solgels will be investigated.

• Optoelectronic Devices.  Optoelectronic components are required for the processing of photonic information, including waveguide modulators, demodulators, switches, routers, add-drop filers, multiplexers and demultiplexers.

• Biophotonics and Nanopore-Based Technology.  Recent advances in molecular biology in general and human genome project in particular have opened the way for new applications such as sensors for chemical and biological agents, means of manipulation and detection of individual molecules, and molecular machines.

• Display of Information.  The University of Arizona, through the Optical Sciences Center and the Chemistry Department, has developed an excellent research program in the area of organic and polymeric display technology. Flexible plastic displays based on electro-luminescence will be employed.

• Storage of Information.  For over a decade the Optical Sciences Center has led research in optical data storage, including magneto-optical, phase-change, holographic and other forms needed to store and reliably retrieve the billions of gigabytes of information required by computer and internet users.

• Processing of Information.  Optoelectronic components are required for the processing of photonic information, including modulators, demodulators, switches, routers, add-drop filers, multiplexers and demultiplexers.

• Transmission of Information.  Low-loss, low-dispersion, resilient optical fibers and wave guides will be needed for transporting information in both long haul and local area networks. Amplification is necessary for compensating transmission and splitting losses. A grant provided by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research funded the construction of a fiber pulling facility, which is essential to this research.

• Simulation and Modeling of Information.  The University of Arizona (Optics, Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry) are world leaders in the simulation and modeling of information. Theoretical modeling, including semiconductor materials gain modeling and computer simulations are an integral part of any optimization procedure aimed at designing semiconductor lasers and detectors, opto-electronic devices, display panels and others.

• Materials Development.  New materials will be needed for the lasers, modulators, switches, storage and display devices, detectors and others. These materials may include semiconductors for lasers and detectors, organic materials and polymers for display and storage, and glass materials for fibers and waveguides. Researchers from Optics, Chemistry and Materials Sciences will collaborate on these projects.

• Quantum Information Technology.  Novel developments in quantum optics and atom optics are leading the way toward quantum information processing. Researchers at the University of Arizona are on the frontier of atom optics research, and the coherent manipulation of atomic systems at the quantum level.

• Adaptive Eyewear.  Smart glasses adjust focusing strength depending on distance to object. Developing a proprietary technology that will provide consumers with enhanced vision care through electro-active focusing optics so that wherever consumers look their vision will always be clear.