All-Optical Switching: Towards a Photonic Transistor

CUDOS offered 3rd and 4th year science and engineering students a unique opportunity to learn more about recent advances of photonics - towards the all-optical chip - in an original 2 day Science School and workshop with the leading researchers in the field in Australia. Those who were were selected had their airfare, transport and accommodation in the Coogee Bay hotel, twin share accommodation at Coogee Bay Hotel and all meals.

The workshop was very much focussed on the paradigm of optical transistors, in which light switches light. This can theoretically be much faster than electronic transistors, while being small enough to fit on a photonic chip. The questions addressed were those along the lines of... how would these new optical transistors work? Why would they be faster? What is the physics behind them? What is wrong with electronic transistors? Will these new optical transistors replace electronics in the next generation of internet, or even in computers?

What did they do there?

• Thursday: Attended tutorial sessions specially designed for 3rd and 4th year students giving an introduction to the fascinating physics behind optical switching and the exciting potential for applications in broadband communication networks. Relaxed Coogee-style with the University of Sydney and Australian National University Optical Society of America Student Chapters.
• Friday: Participated in a CUDOS Research Workshop. It covered the concepts underpinning optical transistors, the practical implementations and constraints, the most recent advances in the domain worldwide as well as the prospects of their use in the future. Met with leading researchers in this field and heard about the research done by CUDOS postgraduate students.

 

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