Exploring New Resonator Designs for Thin-Film Lasers on Photonic Chips

/ Exploring New Resonator Designs for Thin-Film Lasers on Photonic Chips

Exploring New Resonator Designs for Thin-Film Lasers on Photonic Chips

From perovskite films to chip-scale lasers: shape light at the nanoscale

Metal halide perovskites are an exciting material family forcompact light sources. They can emit efficiently, their colour can be tuned bydesign, and they can be processed as thin films on different photonicplatforms. We explorehow new resonator designs can turn these materials into efficient, compact andcontrollable lasers for on-chip photonics.

In this project, you will work with photonic structures fabricated in imec’s 200mm cleanroom and combine them with thin-film emitter materials. The workincludes device fabrication in thin-film optoelectronics labs and opticalmeasurements with tools such as photoluminescence imaging spectrometry, streak-camerameasurements, and near-field and far-field characterization. This offershands-on experience in nanofabrication, thin-film processing, integratedphotonics and optical characterization, while contributing to a new generation ofthin-film light sources.

The work can include optical design and modelling with electromagneticsimulation tools, preparation of perovskite thin films, and opticalcharacterization with spectroscopy equipment. The experimental part will focuson how the lasers emit, how their spectrum changes, and how their performancedepends on the resonator geometry. You will analyse the data, compare the measurements withsimulations, and build a physical understanding of what makes the devices work.The exact balance between design, fabrication and characterization can beadjusted to your background and interests.

You will join a multidisciplinary team of PhD researchers, senior researchers andprofessors working in photonics and optoelectronics. We are looking for someonewho is curious, motivated to learn new experimental and analytical techniques,and comfortable working in a collaborative setting. A background in photonics,optics, semiconductor devices or electromagnetics is highly desirable.

Type of internship: Master internship

Duration: 6-12 months

Required educational background: Electrotechnics/Electrical Engineering, Physics, Nanoscience & Nanotechnology

University promotor: Jan Genoe (KU Leuven)

The reference code for this position is 2026-INT-253. Mention this reference code in your application.

Imec allowance will be provided for students studying at a non-Belgian university.

Supervising scientist(s): For further information or for application, please contact Robert Gehlhaar ( Robert.Gehlhaar@imec.be ) and Karim Elkhouly ( Karim.Elkhouly@imec.be )

Metal halide perovskites are an exciting material family forcompact light sources. They can emit efficiently, their colour can be tuned bydesign, and they can be processed as thin films on different photonicplatforms. We explorehow new resonator designs can turn these materials into efficient, compact andcontrollable lasers for on-chip photonics.

In this project, you will work with photonic structures fabricated in imec’s 200mm cleanroom and combine them with thin-film emitter materials. The workincludes device fabrication in thin-film optoelectronics labs and opticalmeasurements with tools such as photoluminescence imaging spectrometry, streak-camerameasurements, and near-field and far-field characterization. This offershands-on experience in nanofabrication, thin-film processing, integratedphotonics and optical characterization, while contributing to a new generation ofthin-film light sources.

The work can include optical design and modelling with electromagneticsimulation tools, preparation of perovskite thin films, and opticalcharacterization with spectroscopy equipment. The experimental part will focuson how the lasers emit, how their spectrum changes, and how their performancedepends on the resonator geometry. You will analyse the data, compare the measurements withsimulations, and build a physical understanding of what makes the devices work.The exact balance between design, fabrication and characterization can beadjusted to your background and interests.

You will join a multidisciplinary team of PhD researchers, senior researchers andprofessors working in photonics and optoelectronics. We are looking for someonewho is curious, motivated to learn new experimental and analytical techniques,and comfortable working in a collaborative setting. A background in photonics,optics, semiconductor devices or electromagnetics is highly desirable.