Aug 22 2007
The award winning nanophotonic integrated circuit (nPIC) of Applied Research & Photonics (ARP) will be a highlight during International Nanotechnology Week, a presentation of the Semiconductor Industry Association. nanoTX’07 takes place at the Dallas Convention Center October 3-4, and has come to be known at the most comprehensive nanotechnology conference and expo outside of Tokyo.
Dendrimer is a polymeric nanomaterial that can solve many problems in multifunctional photonic integrated circuit. At ARP, dendrimer is utilized as the workhorse material for a number of photonic devices. As such, dendrimer waveguides are created for multiple photonic functionalities that enable a wide range of applications including terahertz emitter, optical amplifiers, modulators, multiplexers/demultiplexers, and electro-optic sensor.
nPIC is a platform technology having applications in communication, computing and sensing. Dr. Anis Rahman, ARP President/CTO, originated a new concept of photonic waveguide via “natural index contrast.” His expertise and interest include photonic waveguide gratings, chip-scale photonic integrated circuits (PICs), photonics design and simulation, terahertz generation and sensing.
ARP’s nPIC technology has been named a winner in the 2007 third annual Nanotech Briefs®’ Nano 50™ Awards in the Technology category.
Optical communication was first conceptualized by Alexander Graham Bell (US Patent No. 235,199): “My invention consists in a method of utilizing radiant energy and of applying it by suitable apparatus to produce audible signals and to produce electric signals” said Bell in his patent disclosure way back in 1880.
“(But) the first tangible nanotechnology actually came from none other than Einstein himself,” says Dr. Rahman. “In 1905 Einstein published a paper that estimates the diameter of a sugar molecule to be ~ 1 nanometer (see Understanding Nanotechnology from the editors of Scientific American, Warner Books, New York: 2002, Page 12).”
In 1985 Tomalia patented a dendritic polymer molecule having size from ~ 3.5 nanometer to 14 nanometer. This nanomaterial as modified and used by Applied Research & Photonics is the basis of nanophotonic integrated circuit. ARP envisions to realize a terahertz computing chip in the coming years.