22/09/2004

Fostering International Collaboration

NATO ADVANCED RESEARCH WORKSHOP
FRONTIERS IN PLANAR LIGHTWAVE CIRCUIT TECHNOLOGY

OTTAWA, September 22, 2004 – The National Research Council Canada (NRC-Institute for Microstructural Sciences/Canadian Photonics Fabrication Center), the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic (Institute of Radio Engineering & Electronics), and Vitesse Re-skillingä Canada Inc., are hosting a NATO Advanced Research Workshop (ARW) on Planar Lightwave Circuit (PLC) technology. The workshop is supported by the NATO Science Program in Brussels which is fostering the international collaboration between scientists, researchers and engineering professionals from NATO and NATO partner countries.

The workshop brings together internationally recognized experts from academic, government and industrial research organizations to identify key areas of future research and product development in communications, information technology, health, environment and security. The ARW will explore the scientific and technical challenges along the three-stage path from design to final working prototypes: Design & Simulation to Physical Layout and Lithography to PLC fabrication.

Recent advances in photonics and microelectronics are driving the PLC revolution. The focus of photonics research and development has shifted away from the traditional source/fiber/detector based telecommunication link, to more complex devices incorporating microphotonic waveguides, high index contrast materials, photonic crystals, sub-wavelength diffractive structures and highly integrated PLCs. Applications of planar lightwave circuits now encompass biomedical research, optical interconnects, transportation and sensors for environment, defense and security.

According to Dr. Sylvain Charbonneau, Director, Applications Technologies at the NRC Institute for Microstructural Sciences (NRC-IMS), who is also responsible for the Canadian Photonics Fabrication Center, “this NATO Advanced Research Workshop is an excellent opportunity for recognized experts in Planar Lightwave Circuits to not only discuss their design ideas in context with global applications, but also how these ideas can be successfully fabricated in a commercial manufacturing environment. This workshop offers a rare opportunity to discuss the complete photonic development cycle from concept to successful commercialization of products”.

Vitesse Re-Skilling™ Canada’s President Arvind Chhatbar is very optimistic about the positive outcomes the workshop will generate. “Workshops such as this NATO ARW, assemble such an impressive roster of distinguished speakers from Canada and internationally, that it goes a long way in raising awareness of new key photonics and microelectronic technologies, and in promoting international cooperation in research especially in the areas of emerging biomedical and environmental technologies,“ he said. Mr. Chhatbar also indicated that “Canada must do more and create the appropriate mechanisms to help Canadian highly qualified professionals and researchers to keep up with advances in technology, and events such as this go a long way in achieving such objectives”.

Dr. Siegfried Janz, the scientific director of the workshop, believes that “this forum will allow basic ideas, from simple PLC structures to highly complex integrated photonic solutions, to be discussed in a globally represented forum.  As the traditional scientific disciplines such as biology and physics continue to converge, enabling next generation applications, researchers attending the ARW will have an opportunity to address this trend and the challenges brought on by convergence, and leverage the knowledge of a global audience including leading research institutes such as the IMS/NRC.

About Vitesse

Vitesse brings career-oriented professionals, educators, and industry partners together and collaboratively shapes individualized training solutions - providing new and relevant skills for the knowledge-based economy to enable emerging clusters to thrive and grow through immediate availability of skilled professionals. The innovative Re-Skilling™ model has been proven to meet the changing requirements of industry.

About NRC-IMS/CPFC
Taking advantage of the opportunities emerging from the convergence of physical and biological sciences, the role of IMS is to provide leadership, working in collaboration with industry and universities, in the development of emerging technologies related to future hardware requirements for information, acquisition, processing, transmission, storage and display. 

The Canadian Photonics Fabrication Centre (NRC-CPFC) is a national technology center offering commercial grade foundry services in both III-V semiconductor and silicon-based materials for prototyping and pilot-line production runs of customized optoelectronic and photonic devices. In partnership with Carleton University, the National Research Council Canada has established the NRC-CPFC, a one of a kind facility in North America. Its primary aim is to support the growth of the photonics sector by providing commercial grade fabrication services to organizations interested in developing leading edge photonic devices. The CPFC's target markets include government and academic research institutions, start-ups, small and medium-size business, or even large companies that wish to work under a “fabless” business model, better manage their own internal resources, access expertise at NRC-IMS or work with the CPFC’s industry experienced design/process engineers. The CPFC provides advanced photonic solutions that address market applications such as communications, security, the environment, and health. 

For information :                                      

Dr. Siegfried Janz, Group Leader, Optoelectronics Devices;
Institute for Microstructural Sciences

(613) 990-0926/ siegfried.janz@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca

                                    Dr. Sylvain Charboneau, Director, Applications Technologies

NRC Canadian Photonics Fabrication Centre;
NRC Institute for Microstructural Sciences

(613) 998-9914/ sylvain.charbonneau@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca

                                    Dr. Stoyan Tanev, Program Manager

                                    Vitesse Re-Skilling ™ Canada Inc.

                                    (613) 746-3595 ext. 228 / stoyan.tanev@vitesse.ca

                                    Arvind Chhatbar, President

Vitesse Re-Skilling ™ Canada Inc.

                                    (613) 746-3595 / arvind.chhatbar@vitesse.ca