Abstract: Tremendous progress is being made at silicon photonic foundries around the world to improve the performance, yield and capability of photonic integrated circuits (PICs) and that is opening up new markets, including quantum computing. These results will be described with an emphasis on integrating lasers to PICs and the improvements in laser and system performance that are possible.
The Physics Frontiers Centers (PFC) program supports university-based centers and institutes where the collective efforts of a larger group of individuals can enable transformational advances in the most promising research areas. The program is designed to foster major breakthroughs at the intellectual frontiers of physics by providing needed resources such as combinations of talents, skills, disciplines, and/or specialized infrastructure, not usually available to individual investigators or small groups, in an environment in which the collective efforts of the larger group can be shown to be seminal to promoting significant progress in the science and the education of students. PFCs also include creative, substantive activities aimed at enhancing education, broadening participation of traditionally underrepresented groups, and outreach to the scientific community and general public.