Silicon Photonics Optical Interface R&D Engineer

7 Feb 2024
Job Information

Organisation/Company

IMEC

Research Field

Physics » Applied physics
Engineering » Other

Researcher Profile

Recognised Researcher (R2)
Established Researcher (R3)
Leading Researcher (R4)

Country

Belgium

Application Deadline

7 May 2024 - 23:59 (Europe/Brussels)

Type of Contract

Permanent

Job Status

Full-time

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

Not funded by an EU programme

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

Offer Description

Create, maintain, and improve the optical interface library devices regarding performance, compact model, and yield.

Imec is a global pioneer in developing integrated silicon photonics technology through its Optical I/O R&D program targeting short-reach optical communications. This technology is successfully offered via wafer-level prototype fabrication services to customers in telecom, datacom, computing, bio-medical and sensing applications. These activities are growing and require the expansion of our team.  

As an optical interface designer, you contribute to the further development of our silicon photonics platforms. You create, maintain, and improve the optical interface library devices regarding performance, compact model, and yield. This library includes fiber-edge couplers, fiber grating couplers (front and back-side), chip-to-chip edge coupling (e.g. hybrid laser), chip-to-chip coupling on-wafer (a.k.a. wafer stitching) and chip-to-chip adiabatic vertical coupling (e.g. 3D stacking). We work towards state-of-the-art performance: low-loss, loss-reflection, low polarization dependency and high yield. 
 
Your devices are shared through PDK’s to users of our platforms all around the world. Your devices are certified by external packaging companies. You act as a technical interface with customers and packaging partners and use their feedback to improve your class of devices. You participate in internal SiPho development runs on 200mm and 300mm to implement improved component designs and you leverage imec’s automated SiPho test stations to implement and test your new device concepts with fast turnaround times.   

What you will do

• Define, implement, and document design methodologies for robust optical interface devices. 
• Design state-of-the-art optical interface building blocks for imec silicon photonics platforms (SOI and SiN), 200mm and 300mm.
• Design and maintain test structures for process control and process improvement. 
• Simulate, model, design, layout and characterize your devices with the tools used in the team and contribute to an improved functionality of those python-based tools. 
• Own the optical interface devices characterization in the test infrastructure (test procedure, data analysis and reporting). 
• Build compact models to be used by circuit designers (internal and external customers). 
• Share your expertise with your colleagues in the silicon photonics group. 
• Interact directly with customers and packaging partners. 
• Publish successful results to conferences (OFC and ECOC) and journals.  

Requirements

Research Field

All

Education Level

PhD or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications
Who you are

• You have a PhD degree. 
• You have an excellent understanding of the physics of integrated photonics passive and optical interface devices and knowledge of semiconductor manufacturing process and constraints. 
• You are curious and creative. You like to collaborate with colleagues using code. 
• You have demonstrated experience with designing robust optical interface devices (tapers, edge couplers or grating couplers) in Si, SiN, preferably in an industrial context.
• You have a profound fiber handling and characterization experience.  
• You have experience and are comfortable programming in Python, and with git. 
• You have run large simulations to explore design spaces and evaluate device sensitivity. 
• You master your simulation tools (Lumerical and/or RSoft) and understand the pro and cons of each simulation method. 
• You layout your designs using a scripting language (like ipkiss from Luceda Photonics or gdsfactory). 
• You have good communication skills in English to communicate with your colleagues in our multinational team and with customers. 

Languages

ENGLISH

Level

Excellent

Additional Information
Benefits
What we do for you

We offer you the opportunity to join one of the world’s premier research centers in nanotechnology at its headquarters in Leuven, Belgium. With your talent, passion and expertise, you’ll become part of a team that makes the impossible possible. Together, we shape the technology that will determine the society of tomorrow.

We are committed to being an inclusive employer  and proud of our open, multicultural, and informal working environment with ample possibilities to take initiative and show responsibility. We commit to supporting and guiding you in this process; not only with words but also with tangible actions. Through imec.academy, 'our corporate university', we actively invest in your development to further your technical and personal growth. 

We are aware that your valuable contribution makes imec a top player in its field. Your energy and commitment are therefore appreciated by means of a market appropriate salary with many fringe benefits. 

Work Location(s)

Number of offers available

1

Company/Institute

IMEC

Country

Belgium

City

Leuven

Postal Code

3001

Street

Kapeldreef 75

Where to apply

Website

https://www.imec-int.com/en/work-at-imec/job-opportunities/silicon-photonics-op…

Contact

City

Leuven

Website

http://www.imec-int.com

Street

Kapeldreef 75

Postal Code

3001

E-Mail

[email protected]

STATUS: EXPIRED