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Photonique (OPERA-photonique)

Faculty of Applied Sciences | Discipline: Electronics, photonics, telecommunication and control

(Code: ULB811)


Person in charge of the unit : GORZA Simon-Pierre.

The OPERA-photonics laboratory carries out fundamental and applied research activities based on four main axes in the field of optics.

The first, in
non-linear optics, is at the border between fundamental research and technological applications. In particular, the laboratory is working to improve the
understanding of second and third order non-linear interactions in two-dimensional materials such as graphene, or in semiconductor nano-photonic optical guides.
This research activity is also oriented towards the study of complex dynamics appearing in non-linear passive optical cavities and towards the
ultra-efficient conversion of frequencies, in resonators or in integrated waveguides. His expertise covers more generally second and third order non-linear
interactions in free or guided propagation, as well as in optical resonators.
The development of original solutions for ultra-fast information processing in the
context of artificial intelligence is the second area of research. It deals with all-optical or optoelectronic implementations of special neural network
architectures called reservoir computer. The laboratory, a pioneer in this field, has developed solutions based on optical cavities together with time, spectral
and, more recently, spatial multiplexing. The objective is to create all-optical analog computers capable of performing tasks that are inaccessible to
standard digital computers. 
The third axis focuses on light-matter interactions at the quantum level and the realization of non-conventional light sources
(single photon emitters or pairs of photons). These topics are addressed for their fundamental aspects but also for their applications to the processing and
quantum communication of information, including quantum cryptography. 
The fourth axis, in bio-photonics, is currently mainly oriented towards the
development of optoelectronic neurological sensors for the development of new generations of implantable active neuro-stimulators.  

The OPERA-photonics
laboratory is well equipped to carry out experiments in its various research fields.

Campus : Campus du Solbosch
Location : Building C, Floor 3, Door S.C.3.122A
Address : CP194/05 - Avenue Buyl,, 87 - 1050 Brussels
Phone number : +32-2-650-27.70
E-mail : David.Houssart@ulb.be
Web site : http://www.ulb.ac.be/facs/polytech/opera/index.html


Disciplines CRef :


 • Artificial intelligence

 • Coherent light lasers

 • Fibres optics (electromagnetism, optics, acoustics)

 • Lasers

 • Nonlinear optics

 • Optical materials

 • Physics of ultra-short phenomena

 • Teaching engineering sciences

 • Teaching of the natural sciences

 • Telecommunications engineering (telecommunications)