Lecture series brings guest speaker -- and understanding
Rachel Ramey, Transcript Reporter
Issue date: 2/4/10 Section: News
In a lecture on Thursday, Jan. 29, Maryam Farzaneh, a researcher and professor at Denison University, said optoelectronic devices (OEDs) need to be analyzed, redesigned and repackaged so they are more practical.
Gregory Mack, professor of physics and astronomy, said Farzaneh came to Ohio Wesleyan as part of the Ohio 6 Speakers Exchange in which Denison University, Kenyon College, Ohio Northern University, the College of Wooster, Otterbein College and Ohio Wesleyan send professors to participating schools for lectures.
Farzaneh said there are many types of OEDs, and people encounter them in everyday lives.
"The applications of OEDs are endless," Farzaneh said. "They are contained in laser diodes, LEDs, DVDs, CD players and Semiconductor Optical Amplifier (SOA)."
Farzaneh said SOAs apply an optoelectrical current, then the device amplifies the light.
Farzaneh said thermal profiling of the Photonics Integrated Circuits (PICs), the integrated circuit of these OEDs, is necessary for the redesign and repackaging of OEDs, but there are some problems.
She said excess heat from electric current affects the performance of a device.
"This is why, in order to cool down a computer, you use a fan so it doesn't fry," Farzaneh said. "It is also very difficult to characterize individual components on PICs without damage, because they are so small."
Farzaneh said the goal of thermal profiling is to create a thermal map so manufacturers can better manage the temperature and heat of these devices.
"Using these methods, we can improve the layout and design of the chips," Farzaneh said. "Therefore, we can help reduce manufacturing costs and make these devices more user-friendly."
Farzaneh said through research with Thermoreflectance Microscopy, a technique which uses a microscope and imaging to measure the temperature of a device, these desired thermal maps can be produced.
"This method is useful because surface reflectivity changes with temperature," Farzaneh said. "The term resolution on these is very good, too. It enables imaging on the nano scale."
Gregory Mack, professor of physics and astronomy, said Farzaneh came to Ohio Wesleyan as part of the Ohio 6 Speakers Exchange in which Denison University, Kenyon College, Ohio Northern University, the College of Wooster, Otterbein College and Ohio Wesleyan send professors to participating schools for lectures.
Farzaneh said there are many types of OEDs, and people encounter them in everyday lives.
"The applications of OEDs are endless," Farzaneh said. "They are contained in laser diodes, LEDs, DVDs, CD players and Semiconductor Optical Amplifier (SOA)."
Farzaneh said SOAs apply an optoelectrical current, then the device amplifies the light.
Farzaneh said thermal profiling of the Photonics Integrated Circuits (PICs), the integrated circuit of these OEDs, is necessary for the redesign and repackaging of OEDs, but there are some problems.
She said excess heat from electric current affects the performance of a device.
"This is why, in order to cool down a computer, you use a fan so it doesn't fry," Farzaneh said. "It is also very difficult to characterize individual components on PICs without damage, because they are so small."
Farzaneh said the goal of thermal profiling is to create a thermal map so manufacturers can better manage the temperature and heat of these devices.
"Using these methods, we can improve the layout and design of the chips," Farzaneh said. "Therefore, we can help reduce manufacturing costs and make these devices more user-friendly."
Farzaneh said through research with Thermoreflectance Microscopy, a technique which uses a microscope and imaging to measure the temperature of a device, these desired thermal maps can be produced.
"This method is useful because surface reflectivity changes with temperature," Farzaneh said. "The term resolution on these is very good, too. It enables imaging on the nano scale."
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