Dr Andy Boes

Research areas:

• Photonic integrated circuits
• Nonlinear photonics
• Optical frequency combs
• Microwave photonics
• Optoelectronics

Current PhD position openings:

• Pumping up the volume on sound-light interactions -  This Australian Research Council funded project aims to create a new class of integrated microwave information processors on a single optical chip. Using electro-acoustic coupling in semiconductors, we expect to reduce optical power requirements, enabling the emergence of practically deployable processors using ordinary telecom lasers. The expected project outcomes are inexpensive, compact, stable and energy efficient microwave photonic processors, which have the potential to create a multitude of opportunities for commercial development in the fields of defence, information security, autonomous vehicles, sensing, and ultra-high bandwidth mobile communications.
  
  
  
  To support this project, we are looking for one highly motivated and passionate PhD student to become part of our team, working with designers, fabricators and system demonstrators using innovative photonic chip platforms. The PhD project will take in the positive, supportive, and exciting environment that exists within the Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing (IPAS) at The University of Adelaide.
  
  
  
  The successful applicant will learn important research skills in the field of integrated photonics, but also soft skills such as engaging with both industrial and academic end-users, writing of reports, giving presentations and promoting their work and working towards project milestones within timeframes. The knowledge and key skills that you will gain during your PhD studies will set you up for an inspiring career and would be particularly suitable if you have ambition to join the emerging and rapidly growing Integrated Photonics segment within the broader global high tech industry.
  
  
  
  Please contact Dr Andy Boes (andy.boes@adelaide.edu.au) for more information.
  
   

• Nonlinear optical properties of wide bandgap semiconductor materials - High quality light sources in the visible and ultraviolet spectral region are highly desirable for applications such as exoplanet detection, atomic clocks, quantum computing and precision bioimaging.  However, the generation of light at these wavelengths can be challenging due to the relatively narrow spectral bandwidths of semiconductor material, resulting in a limited spectral coverage of light emitting semiconductor materials.  To overcome this limitation, nonlinear optical frequency-mixing strategies can be used, which shift the complexity from light sources to nonresonant-based material effects, which can be engineering so that light conversion is particularly efficient at desired wavelengths.
  
  
  
  This project aims to address this opportunity and explore the nonlinear optical properties of wide bandgap semiconductor materials, which are highly attractive for frequency-mixing strategies in visible and ultraviolet spectral region.  As part of this project, we will also investigate how these materials can be used for efficient nonlinear optical processes in photonic integrated circuits, which unlocks additional degrees of freedom to engineer and increase the efficiency of the nonlinear optical processes.
  
  
  
  To support this project, we are looking for one highly motivated and passionate PhD student to become part of our team, working with material scientists, semiconductor engineers and photonic chip technologists.  In this PhD project you will take in the positive, supportive, and exciting research environment that exists within the Schools of EME and CEAM as well as Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing (IPAS) at the University of Adelaide and be working with Silanna - Australia’s only semiconductor manufacturer.
  
  
  
  During your PhD studies, you will learn important research skills in the field of material science, nonlinear optics and integrated photonics, in addition to soft skills such as engaging with both industrial and academic end-users, writing of reports, giving presentations and promoting your work and working towards project milestones within timeframes.  The knowledge and key skills that you will gain during your PhD studies will set you up for an inspiring career and suitable if you have ambition to join the emerging and rapidly growing semiconductor and integrated photonics segment within the broader global high tech industry.
  
  
  
  Please contact Dr Andy Boes (andy.boes@adelaide.edu.au) for more information.

Relevant literature:

• A. Boes, L. Chang, C. Langrock, M. Yu, M. Zhang, Q. Lin, M. Lončar, M. Fejer, J. Bowers, & A. Mitchell,  "Lithium niobate photonics: Unlocking the electromagnetic spectrum". Science, 379(6627), (2023). (Link)