A multidisciplinary team from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), specializing in the fields of nanophotonics, nanooptics, optoelectronics, and material science and material processing are collaborating in developing Integrated Nanoscale Materials, Devices and Systems with special focus on Nanophotonics for Optical Delay Engineering (NODE). The aim of the project is to demonstrate chip-scale realization of multistage optical delay architectures using nanoscale photonic materials and devices in a waveguide configuration, taking advantage of the polarization degree of freedom. The largest thrust will be on investigation of resonant phenomena in nanophotonic optical components placed in proximity to each other and demonstration of their integration into Nanoscale Devices-and-System Architectures realizing programmable optical delays which are crucial for numerous applications including optical buffering for large optical data routing systems, true time delay phased arrays, and general digital optical signal processing architectures. Research efforts in methodology, design, fabrication and characterization of nanophotonic materials, devices and systems will be useful for students and researchers in the fields of nanophotonics, advancing the fundamental understanding of the near field resonant and nonresonant interactions between nanoscale devices, and enabling their effective integration with novel functionalities. We will also establish innovative education and outreach projects with the UCSD's Preuss School, designed for students in 6-12 grade coming from disadvantaged households.
