Multi-function Lithium Niobate Lightwave Optical Circuits for Advanced Optical Networks

The increasing dependence on big data and cloud computing in business, science and medicine places new demands on computing and telecommunications infrastructure. Since modern high-speed networks have optical fiber transmission at their core, improved and more highly integrated photonic components are needed to enable secure, reliable transmission of massive data sets while reducing costs and power consumption. SRICO proposes to develop multi-function photonic modules that boost both capacity and efficiency of high-speed networking and secure communications where reliability is critical to operation while at the same time significantly reducing cost. The proposed modules achieve these improvements through the seamless monolithic integration of multiple optical networking functions on a single lithium niobate chip. The proposed multi-function photonic modules will constitute an enabling technology for secure Terabit/second optical networks with important applications in the US government, national infrastructure, and the commercial sector. This technology will be applied in advanced telecommunications networks to enable higher data rates at lower cost and with reduced energy consumption. It will advance the state of the art in quantum communication, thereby enhancing information security at critical US infrastructure sites including power generation and distribution stations and DOE laboratories.