The doctoral dissertation in the field of Photonics will be examined at the Faculty of Science and Forestry on the Joensuu Campus and streamed live.
What is the topic of your doctoral research?
My doctoral thesis deals with integrated optics and more precisely on the development and demonstration of a novel waveguide platform. Integrated optics is the science of photonic circuitry and combination of photonic components with waveguide. Nowadays we find it in all main applications from telecommunications, to sensing, and it is considered as one of the technologies enabling future quantum photonics.
What are the key findings or observations of your doctoral research?
In this research work, I demonstrated that integrated optical circuitry manufacturing could be simplified by using the platform that I proposed, or similar ones. It means that large scale production methods could be used, even outside cleanroom environment to fabricate high technology level photonic components, at low cost.
How can the results of your doctoral research be utilised in practice?
We demonstrated some of the key integrated optics functions paving the way towards novel, low-cost, and low power consumption components. Our findings can be combined with other key technologies such as LiDARs for automotive industry, source integration, hybridization of multiple components within the same chip. It can also enable portable, wearable components because those waveguide-based structures can be fabricated and replicated on flexible substrates. Such features can possibly enable alternative technology or method for photonics computing and smart sensing for medical, environmental, and telecom applications.
What are the key research methods and materials used in your doctoral research?
My research started with the design and the simulations of the optical function to be realized by the future devices we developed further in clean room. The fabrication part was the most important since several materials are involved in the structures and high precision was required. Therefore, I used for instance atomic layer deposition, electron beam lithography, and nano-imprinting techniques, among others. Characterization of the components required patience and skills, that I acquired all along my research work. Characterization includes actually the determination of the characteristics of each part of the components (materials, waveguides, full device) at each step. Numerous important metrology techniques have been used.
Is there something else about your doctoral dissertation you would like to share in the press release?
This research is a teamwork, and I am glad to present it today. The way is still long before seeing this novel technology on the market, but I trust that it will happen one day.
The doctoral dissertation of Ségolène Pélisset, MSc, entitled Strip-loaded slot waveguides: Design, fabrication, and characterization (Harjanteen avulla tasoaaltojohteeseen synnytetyt valokanavat: suunnittelu, valmistus ja karakterisointi), will be examined at the Faculty of Science and Forestry on the Joensuu Campus, Metria, M100, and online, on 17 December at 12 noon. The opponent will be Research Director, Doctor Gualtiero Nunzi Conti, Institute of Applied Physics “Nello Carrara”, IFAC-CNR, Italy, and the custos will be Professor Markku Kuittinen, University of Eastern Finland. Language of the public defence is English.
For further information, please contact:
Ségolène Pélisset, segolene.pelisset (a) gmail.com
Public examination (to be updated)
