- Institute: Institut für Quantenoptik, Hannover
- Principle Investigators: Priv.-Doz. Dr. Ayhan Demircan, Prof. Uwe Morgner
- Researcher: Dr. Ihar Babushkin, Dr. Surajit Bose, Stephanie Willms
Silicon photonics as a relatively young research area has been proven to evolve into a pioneering key technology going far beyond integrated electro-optical technologies and showing great potential for all-optical systems. In this project we address the development, test, and application of fast and accurate pseudospectral methods for solving the generalized nonlinear Schrödinger equation describing the pulse propagation in a silicon waveguide. Numerical integration is performed by a combination of a split-step method together with a Runge-Kutta scheme. The propagation model comprises dispersion, Kerr-nonlinearity, two-photon absorption, free-carrier absorption, free-carrier dispersion and cross-absorption modulation. In addition an extended model is planned to be derived, which allows the direct description of the electrical field going beyond the usual slowly varying envelope approximation. On the basis of these models and simulation tools specific effect appearing in nonlinear fiber optics are transferred to the silicon technology and investigated. A particular focus will be put on the complex dynamics involved in the generation of supercontinuum spectra and ultrashort optical pulses.
