Low-Cost Innovative Connections for Broadband Photonic Devices

Advanced R&D breakthroughs in integrated photonics, in parallel with the launch of the Advanced Institute for Manufacturing: Photonics (AIM Photonics), make feasible the production of manufacturable photonic integrated circuits (PIC).Presently, however, PICs are limited primarily to a small wavelength region (near 1550nm) dictated by telecom needs, or rely on glass waveguide technology that does not permit compact form factors. NorCon Technolgies proposes to advance state-of-the-art PIC sensor technology by developing several innovative connectors for mating enhanced-wavelength (UV through LWIR) specialty fibers to high-volume manufactured, integrated silicon or silicon nitride sensor PICs.These connector approaches will be modeled with state-of-the-art simulation software such as Fimmwave and Lumerical.Fabrication of the connectors will make use of a maskless lithography, which provides for rapid turnaround and several prototype iterations within the time scale of the Phase I program.The wavelength range targeted for Phase I is 0.5 microns to 5.5 microns covering most of the visible, NIR, SWIR, and MWIR.The connector approaches will be mainly be characterized by the optical insertion loss, as well as ease of alignment and wavelength dependence.