Hands-On Photonic Education Kits: empowering the integrated photonics workforce through practical training.

The Hands-On Photonic Education (HOPE) Kits, developed with AIM Photonics, address the need for skilled workers in integrated photonics. This paper highlights the role of the HOPE Kits in advancing the training ecosystem and bridging the skills gap. The kits include fully packaged photonic integrated circuits (PICs), enabling instructors to educate and train students on PIC testing and characterization. Covering a wide range of devices and circuits, from waveguides to wavelength division multiplexing for data communication, the kits offer a hands-on experience. Engaging with actual PICs, students gain practical insights, enhancing their understanding of key principles, and preparing them for real-world skill sets in integrated photonics.

Liquid sensor based on high-Q slot photonic crystal cavity in silicon-on-insulator configuration.

We present the realization of an optical sensor based on an infiltrated high-Q slot photonic crystal cavity in a nonfreestanding membrane configuration. Successive infiltrations by liquids with refractive indices ranging from 1.345 to 1.545 yield a sensitivity S of 235 nm/RIU (refractive index unit), while the Q-factor is comprised between 8000 and 25,000, giving a sensor figure of merit up to 3700. This sensor has a detection limit of 1.25×10⁻5. The operation of this device on a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate allows a straightforward integration in the silicon photonics platform, while providing a compliant mechanical stability.