INSPECTRA · Silicon-photonics-based laser spectroscopy platform: towards a paradigm shift in environmental monitoring and health care

The Principal Investigator and his team will open up new horizons in the field of laser spectroscopy through basic research on silicon-photonics-based Spectroscopic Systems-On-Chip (SpecSOC’s). The key question being addressed is: how can the powerful concepts of high-index-contrast nanophotonics be combined with the extreme accuracy of silicon technology and with the performance of hybrid silicon/III-V integration in order to create system-on-chip functionalities for advanced (bio-)spectroscopy.We will first focus research on integrated lasers or Laser Systems-on-Chip (LaSOC’s) capable of providing very wide wavelength tuning in the infrared, mid-infrared or visible. These lasers will have an unprecedented combination of properties. They will differ from existing semiconductor lasers in the sense that they combine the best of III-V semiconductor technology and silicon technology in unique cavity structures exploiting high index contrast in three dimensions.In the second phase of the project we will shift the focus from laser-oriented novelty to spectroscopy-oriented novelty and investigate SpecSOC’s with an unprecedented system performance that matches the requirements of mainstream real-life spectroscopy. We will explore coherent optical detection techniques for sensitivity enhancement, microporous coatings for on-chip gas sensing and implant-oriented tissue spectroscopy.Our research will lead to a paradigm shift in laser spectroscopy, in the sense that it will turn an advanced spectroscopy system into a small form-factor commodity system. This will have an enormous impact on applications such as point-of-care medical diagnosis and medical implants, monitoring of air, water and food quality. Furthermore the on-chip spectroscopy systems will be highly valuable for fundamental research.