Expert panels will present the issues for each workshop topic, and much of the session will be devoted to open debate, with vigorous participation of the audience strongly encouraged.
Attendance at workshops is included in the registration fee. However, participant numbers are limited and early registration is encouraged to avoid disappointment. Please indicate your preference to attend when registering.
The following half day workshops will be held on Sunday 28 August 2011 at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre, Level 2:
- Workshop 1: Modulation formats and signal processing techniques to approach the Shannon limit
- Workshop 2: Metamaterials for cloaking: fundamental curiosity or breakthrough technology?
- Workshop 3: Platforms for quantum computing – which way forward?
- Workshop 4: Will guided-wave parametric processing ever move out of the lab?
- Workshop 5: Introduction into fabrication for optics and photonics
Workshop 1: Modulation formats and signal processing techniques to approach the Shannon limit
1030-1330 Sunday 28 August 2011
Organisers: Mark Pelusi (The University of Sydney, Australia)
William Shieh (The University of Melbourne, Australia)
In the last decade, a variety of modulation formats have been explored as means of achieving efficient data encoding in optical communications systems. These include return-zero (RZ), differential phase-shift keying (DPSK), coherent QPSK, and OFDM, amongst others. The need to accommodate the complexity of these encoding systems has been driven by the need for efficient use of the optical spectrum, which has become a critical factor in enabling ever increasing internet traffic. The recent progress in optical coherent detection, aided by rapid advances in electronic digital signal processing (DSP), has brought about many exciting experiments with record-breaking spectral efficiency.
In this workshop, we will first discuss the current status of optical fiber capacity in relation to the theoretical Shannon limit. Second, we will compare the performance of different modulation formats in combating optical noise and fiber nonlinearity – the two fundamental impairments limiting fibre optic communications systems. We will also debate a possible roadmap for pushing the channel bit rate from 100 Gb/s to beyond 400 Gb/s and 1 Tb/s, taking into account signal baud rate and data modulation format requirements, and the expected data traffic growth in future optical networks.
Presenters:
- Mark Pelusi (The University of Sydney, Australia)
- William Shieh (The University of Melbourne, Australia)
- Rod Tucker (The University of Melbourne, Australia)
- Arthur Lowery (Monash University, Australia)
- Hidenori Takahashi (KDDI R&D Laboratories Inc)
- Steve Frisken (Finisar)
- Jinno Masahiko (NTT Network Innovation Laboratories)
- Vincent Chan (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA)
Workshop 2: Metamaterials for cloaking: fundamental curiosity or breakthrough technology?
1030-1330 Sunday 28 August 2011
Organisers: Ross McPhedran (The University of Sydney, Australia)
Dragomir Neshev (Australia National University, Australia)
Making objects invisible has been a dream of humankind for millennia. However, only recently have researchers shown that cloaking is not just a dream: they have found a solution through the development of new artificial metamaterials. A surge of recent activities has led to a number of designs for electromagnetic cloaks, operating at single frequency or hiding objects “under the carpet”. But are such ideas practical for applications, and what are the hidden challenges of realistic cloaking?
In this workshop, we aim to spark discussion on important open questions in the field of optical metamaterials for cloaking applications: is it possible to achieve broadband cloaking of objects? What sort of new technologies do we still need to develop for this? Is covering a system essential for cloaking? Delving into the answers to these questions will reveal knowledge that has not until now been discussed in the popular press. While practical solutions might be difficult to achieve we may uncover other ideas, like disguising the shape of an object rather than cloaking it, or applying cloaking concepts from optics to other fields such as acoustics or plasmonics.
- Richard Blaikie (University of Canterbury, New Zealand)
- Michal Lipson (Cornell University, USA)
- Ilya Shadrivov (Australian National University, Australia)
- C.T. Chan (Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, China)
- Thomas Pertsch (Friedrich-Schiller-University, Jena, Germany)
Workshop 3: Platforms for Quantum Computing – Which Way Forward?
1430-1730 Sunday 28 August 2011
Organisers: Tim Duty (University of New South Wales, Australia)
Michael Steel (Macquarie University, Australia)
The prospect of quantum computing is an exciting development that has spread across many sub-fields of physics. The challenge is to use individual quantum systems for storage and processing of quantum information – one must be able to control and measure a quantum bit (qubit) at the same time that it is sufficiently isolated from its environment to avoid noise that causes decoherence.
Physical implementations of qubits range from microscopic systems, such as trapped atoms (or ions) and electron and nuclear spins, to mesoscopic devices and systems of linear optics. But which is best? Are all qubits created equally?
Isolated trapped atoms, electron and nuclear spins, and especially single photons are naturally protected from decoherence due to weak environmental coupling. Solid state qubits, on the other hand, couple very strongly to external fields, allowing fast manipulation and direct interfacing to electrical circuits. Although rudimentary logic functions have been achieved, fundamental problems associated with decoherence, entanglement and quantum-limited measurements remain to be solved.
In this workshop, a panel of international standing in quantum information science will debate the strengths and weaknesses of the various platforms for representing, storing and processing qubits.
Presenters:
- Andrew White (University of Queensland, Australia)
- Andrew Greentree (The University of Melbourne, Australia)
- Andrew Doherty (University of Sydney, Australia)
- David Reilly (University of Sydney, Australia)
- Barry Sanders (University of Calgary, Canada)
- Stojan Rebic (Macquarie University, Australia)
- Andrea Morello (University of New South Wales, Australia)
- Matthew Sellars (Australian National University, Australia)
- David Kielpinski (Griffith University, Australia)
Workshop 4: Will guided-wave parametric processing ever move out of the lab?
1430-1730 Sunday 28 August 2011
Organisers: Michel Marhic (Swansea University, UK)
Jochen Schroeder (University of Sydney, Australia)
Chunle Xiong (University of Sydney, Australia)
Parametric optical processes have been studied for decades and have had significant commercial success in bulk-crystal based applications such as optical parametric oscillators (OPOs). In recent years much research has focused on exploiting cubic nonlinearities in optical waveguides and fibres. However, applications based on this work have yet to make a significant commercial impact, and parametric processes have thus far taken a back seat in optical communications systems compared to Raman or rare-earth doped amplification for example. Is parametric amplification and processing in waveguides and fibers the way of the future, or will it be limited to niche applications?
This workshop will review recent research on guided-wave parametric processing such as wavelength conversion, parametric amplification, optical signal processing and quantum applications, and will discuss their potential commercial exploitation.
Presenters:
- Alex Gaeta (Cornell University, USA)
Four-wave mixing to the home - John Harvey (University of Auckland, New Zealand)
Parametric oscillators as pumps for parametric processing - Prem Kumar (Northwestern University, USA)
Guided-wave parametric processing: prospects for real-world quantum applications - Barry Luther-Davies (Australian National University, Australia)
Limits to Four-Wave Mixing in chalcogenide photonic chips - Shu Namiki (National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology – AIST, Japan)
Format- and bit-rate-agnostic wavelength converters for commercial use - Simon Poole (Finisar Australia)
Parametric optical processing: an industry perspective - Stojan Radic (University of California San Diego, USA)
High Fidelity Signal Replication and Its Processing Implications - William Wadsworth (University of Bath, UK)
Guided wave parametric generation for high power lasers
Workshop 5: Introduction to fabrication for optics and photonics
1430-1730 hours Sunday 28 August 2011
Organisers: ANFF
University and industrial research into optics or photonics relies heavily on the ability to fabricate novel materials, structures or devices. The workshop introduces the basic methods for optical materials fabrication and the tool kit provided by the eight Nodes of the Australian National Fabrication Facility. Speakers are world experts in their respective fields, primarily from the “OptoFab” Node which specialises in optics and photonics fabrication.
Topics of the workshop will include:
- Lithography, Deposition and Etching – The basics of micro and nanolithography
- Laser based fabrication – Laser machining and femtosecond laser fabrication
- Optics and Fibres – Glass and polymer optic fibre fabrication
- Case studies – Diamond waveguides and the Bionic Eye project
The aim of the workshop is to assist post-graduate, post-doctoral and early career researchers understand the basic principles of fabrication for optics and photonics, and the range of facilities and expertise they have at their disposal through the Australian National Fabrication Facility (ANFF).
Program
| Introduction | What is the Australian National Fabrication Facility – ANFF Ltd |
| Module 1: Lithography, deposition and etching |
Photolithography – Linda Macks (NSW Node) and Dave O’Connor (OptoFab Node) Direct Write Optical and Electron Beam Lithography – Dave O’Connor (OptoFab Node) and Fay Hudson (NSW Node) Deposition Techniques – Fay Hudson (NSW Node) Etching Techniques – Elfi van Zeijl (NSW Node) |
| Module 2: Laser based fabrication |
Laser Machining – Ben Johnston (OptoFab Node) Femtosecond Laser Fabrication for photonics – Graham Smith (OptoFab Node) |
| Module 3: Optics and Fibres |
Fabrication and development of new optical glasses and fibres - Heike Ebendorff-Heidepriem (OptoFab Node) Polymer fibre drawing – Alexander Argyros (OptoFab Node) |
| Module 4: Case studies |
Case study: Fabricating diamond waveguides – Francois Ladouceur (NSW Node) Case study: Bionic eye – Stephen Prawer (Vic Node) |