Position:  PhD Student

Current Institution:  Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Abstract:  Integrated Optical Phased Array Architectures and Applications

Radio-frequency (RF) phased antenna arrays have enabled the development and advancement of numerous applications, such as radio transmitters and receivers, RADAR, television broadcasting, and radio astronomy. However, due to the relatively long wavelengths of RF frequencies, large-scale implementation of these arrays – necessary for generation of ultra-high resolution and arbitrary radiation patterns – is cumbersome and expensive. As a solution, integrated optical phased arrays, operating at much shorter optical wavelengths and fabricated in state-of-the-art integrated silicon photonics platforms, open up possibilities for large-scale applications in a variety of areas, including light detection and ranging (LIDAR) for autonomous vehicles, three-dimensional (3D) holography for visible-light displays, free-space optical communications, and trapped ion quantum computing.

Here, a review of recent integrated optical phased array architectures, results, and applications will be presented. First, a novel CMOS-compatible silicon photonics platform with monolithically-integrated rare-earth-doped lasers and 3D-integrated driving electronics will be presented. Next, a variety of one-dimensional and two-dimensional optical phased array architectures and corresponding integrated photonic devices, including on-chip lasers, splitters, phase shifters, and antennas, will be discussed. Finally, recent experimental results showing far-field beam steering, near-field focusing, and arbitrary pattern forming will be presented and applied to a number of applications, including LIDAR and holography.

Bio:
Jelena Notaros is currently a PhD student and researcher in the Photonic Microsystems Group at MIT. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 2015 and master’s degree from MIT in 2017. Her research interests are in integrated silicon photonics devices, systems, and applications. Her work was published in top-tier Nature, OSA, and IEEE journals and conference proceedings. She is a DARPA Riser (one of 50 top emerging leaders in science and technology), an MIT Presidential Fellow, and a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow. She received the 2014 IEEE Region 5 Student Paper Competition Award, 2018 and 2014 OSA Incubic Milton Chang Student Travel Grant, 2014 Sigma Xi Undergraduate Research Award, 2015 Chancellor’s Recognition Award, 2015 College of Engineering Outstanding Graduate for Academic Achievement Award, and 2015 Electrical Engineering Distinguished Senior Award.