the Team
Currently, the Silicon Photonics Research Group includes five Ph.D. students and one undergraduate student. We will soon be joined by two new Master's students and a post-doctoral fellow (check back for details in July 2017). Our research focuses on materials and devices for integrated silicon photonics. The group has labs in the McMaster JHE and BSB buildings.
Contact the JHE labLocation: JHE A312
Phone: 905.525.9140 x 27055 |
Contact the BSB LabLocation: BSB B203-B
Phone: 905.525.9140 x 23044 |
Ph.D. Students
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Ross AnthonyRoss is a Ph.D. student working on the novel growth of germanium-on-insulator through implantation of silicon-on-insulator with high dose germanium followed by oxidizing. The process traps germanium between the grown and buried oxide layer. This results in a mono-crystalline layer which can be used for photodetection, or as a template for germanium growth using more conventional method such as MBE or CVD. Ross is also studying the effects of defects and strain in SiGe systems in order to engineer the bandgap structure. Ross has a B.Sc. (Physics) from McMaster University. Ross has completed two, six month industrial internships at Applied Materials, Gloucester, MA (2014 and 2016).
Email: anthonre 'at' mcmaster.ca |
David Hagan |
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David is a Ph.D. candidate working on mid-infrared modulation and detection in silicon-on-insulator waveguides. His research focus is the design of a silicon photonic transceiver operating within the thulium-doped fibre (TDFA) spectral window achieving high-speed optical modulation using a microring modulator and detection using a defect-based silicon receiver. The mid-infrared spectrum is becoming a popular research area in the field of silicon photonics, driven by the advent of the thulium-doped fibre amplifier (TDFA), which has a spectral window centred close to 2000 nm. The TDFA window is a promising region for future telecommunications infrastructure aiming to alleviate the impending capacity crunch from exponential growth in bandwidth demand. David has a B.Eng.Mgt (Engineering Physics and Management) from McMaster University.
Email: hagand3 'at' mcmaster.ca |
Dixon Paez |
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Dixon is a Ph.D. candidate studying the benefits of using indium as a p-type dopant of thin film solar cells. Commercially available cells use a layer of silicon approximately 500 μm thick whereas our current design use thicknesses less than 2.5 μm. Silicon-on-insulator (SOI) is used to fabricate the solar cells to maintain mechanical integrity, as well as to provide high quality uniform silicon layers. Using thin layers of silicon not only reduces the cost, but also light absorption of the device. The project investigates the use of indium, a deep-level impurity in silicon, as a way to enhance the absorption of the ultra-thin solar cells. The device uses periodical PN junctions with surface contacts eliminating the need to detach the film from the SOI during fabrication. The final product would be semi-transparent with some degree of flexibility. Dixon has a B.Eng (Engineering Physics) from McMaster University. Dixon has completed an eight month internship at NIX Sensor Ltd., in Hamilton Ontario in 2016.
Email: paezcadj 'at' mcmaster.ca |
Tim Van Boxtel |
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Tim is a Ph.D. student working on integrating dissimilar materials using wafer bonding techniques for use in telecom and photovoltaic device applications. This approach is deemed to be the most suitable for low-cost optical system assembly, consistent with the silicon phgotonics paradigm. Tim holds a B.Eng in Engineering Physics from McMaster and a M.Sc. in Physics from Universitaet Stuttgart.
Email: vanboxtj 'at' mcmaster.ca |
Zhao Wang |
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Zhao is a Ph.D. candidate working on high-speed silicon ring resonator modulators. His research involves the carrier-depletion based silicon ring resonator modulator that is known for its small footprint, large bandwidth and low power consumption. His work focuses on analytical modelling, device characterization and silicon-based spectrally efficient communication system for short/metro links. Zhao has an M.Sc (Optics and Photonics) from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany, and a B.Eng (Optical engineering) from Tianjin University, Tianjin, China. Zhao has completed internships at Ranovus (2015, 2016), Carl Zeiss AG (2012) and Opsytec Dr. Gröbel (2010).
Email: wang552 'at' mcmaster.ca |
Undergraduate Students
Liam Dow |
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Liam is an Engineering Physics undergraduate student in his third year pursuing courses relating to photonics and nano-devices. He is assisting other members of the team with their projects and is currently working with Zhao Wang on automating the monitoring and feedback control of the resonance shift in silicon ring modulators.
Email: dowlg 'at' mcmaster.ca |
Ashley Gilbank |
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Ashley is entering her fourth year of the Undergraduate Engineering Physics program at McMaster. This summer she is assisting Ross Anthony on finding oxidation procedures that achieve desired concentrations of germanium in silicon for use in photodetectors.
Email: gilbanan 'at' mcmaster.ca |
dylan okon-genuth |
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Dylan is a third year student enrolled in Engineering Physics & Management. His summer objective is to work on a rare-earth waveguide amplifier which involves ion implantation, as well as other techniques such as electron microscopy, ellipsometry, wafer dicing, annealing, etching, and more. He also works on other projects to help graduate students.
Email: genuthod 'at' mcmaster.ca |