The goal of this project is to develop laser sources that will enable high gain hybrid wireless/optical links. The research proposed here aims to develop semiconductor lasers with ultra-high modulation efficiencies that can increase optical link gains by as much as 40 dB, without adding to the cost, power budget, noise budget, and without sacrificing the link bandwidth. The proposed laser sources could be used to realize amplifier-free hybrid RF/wireless-optical (fiber/free-space) links where the link itself would act as the amplifier. The proposed research plan also includes demonstrations of amplifier-free hybrid RF/wireless-optical (fiber/free-space) links with high link gains and with bandwidths in the 1-10 GHz range. The availability of such devices would enable cheap, cost-effective, and power efficient hybrid micro-cellular and pico-cellular network modules that would allow seamless flow of information between the RF (wireless) and the optical domains. The proposed project would involve interdisciplinary research from device design and fabrication to link design and development providing a rich set of areas for graduate student research. The proposed work will support the research of two graduate students and one undergraduate student at Cornell University. Curriculum development will be strongly integrated into the research work. The PI will continue to develop the courses Electromagnetic fields and Waves and Semiconductor Optoelectronics that were recently developed by the PI and are offered at Cornell. The proposed work also integrates outreach programs geared towards high school (K-12) students and teachers and development of table-top educational modules of optical links for high school students.
Intellectual Merits The research proposed here aims to develop semiconductor lasers with ultra-high modulation efficiencies that can increase optical link gains by as much as 40 dB, without adding to the cost, power budget, noise budget, and without sacrificing the bandwidth. The proposed devices could enable hybrid RF/wireless-optical (fiber/free-space) links with net positive gain (in dB) even in the presence of large link attenuation. Such large link gain values are achievable because the proposed lasers have differential quantum efficiencies that can be 50-100 times larger than those of conventional semiconductor lasers. The proposed lasers could be used to realize amplifier-free hybrid RF/wireless-optical (fiber/free-space) links where the link itself would act as the amplifier. The availability of such devices would enable cheap, cost-effective, and power efficient hybrid micro-cellular and pico-cellular network modules that would allow seamless flow of information between the RF (wireless) and the optical domains. The proposed research plan also includes demonstrations of amplifier-free hybrid RF/wireless-optical (fiber/free-space) links with high link gains and with bandwidths in the 1-10 GHz range.
Broader Impacts A successful completion of the proposed project would involve interdisciplinary research from device design and fabrication to link design and development providing a rich set of areas for graduate student research. The proposed work will support the research of two graduate students and one undergraduate student at Cornell University. Curriculum development will be strongly integrated into the research work. The PI will continue to develop the courses Electromagnetic fields and Waves and Semiconductor Optoelectronics that were recently developed by the PI and are offered at Cornell. These courses will integrate fundamental principles with optical and microwave/RF/wireless cutting edge technologies and provide hands-on training to undergraduate students. The proposed work also integrates outreach programs geared towards high school (K-12) students and teachers. The PI will participate in teacher training workshops organized by various NSF funded centers at Cornell University and will develop table top educational modules of optical links using lasers, detectors and optical fibers. The graduate students engaged in the research will also help develop educational modules for high school students.
