Owen Moynihan
Runner Up
What encouraged you to submit your application to the 2024 Postgraduate Research Publication of the Year?
Last year, I attended the series of talks for the publication of the year to support my friends who had won. This experience highlighted the importance of sharing your work with other researchers. I was interested to submit to have a similar experience.
What inspired you to choose the subject of your paper?
Given the power demands of data centres, which is now exacerbated by increased bandwidth needs and the AI boom, it is necessary to develop low power solutions for high speed communication technologies. It was mutually agreed upon with my supervisor Brian Corbett, to research the integration of a scalable, compact, high-speed and efficient modulator capable of meeting those demands on these transceiver chips.
What’s your paper about and how did you prepare for it? What role did research excellence play in your approach?
My paper focuses on integrating an Indium Phosphide (InP) based electro-absorption modulator (EAM) to silicon-based circuits using micro-transfer printing. InP is expensive to make photonic circuits from, so instead we can take devices from these substrates and move them to silicon for lower cost circuits. This research is the first demonstration of this transfer printed EAM to silicon photonics circuits, showing figure-of-merits typically seen on its own InP substrate. This work adds a new device which can be integrated by this mass-transferring technique, which allows possibilities for new and more advanced circuits.
In preparation, I read similar papers, spoke with experts in my team and deduced which designs would be most appropriate to make my design. While doing this, I was also trained to use the tools which would be needed to fabricate and measure my devices, which also allowed me to help and become informed by other projects.
Research excellence meant spending time understanding the most impactful contributions that can be made, and what approach is best to realise that impact with research. This includes new ideas, innovative designs and fabrication, and systematic measurement methods.
The selection for Research Publication of the Year is extremely competitive. What is your advice for those aspiring for nomination next year?
I encourage everyone to apply for the Research Publication of the Year competition. Not only is it a great opportunity to be recognised for your research, but it also provides valuable experience in defending your work within Tyndall’s supportive research community. Going through this process reinforces the significance of your own research and gives you a chance to share your insights with a wider audience.
What is the single most significant support Tyndall has been able to offer you in achieving your research goals?
Tyndall was crucial to the research by giving me unique access to the infrastructure and training necessary to be able design, make, and measure the modulator devices. I was a part of the PIADs program which is a multi-institutional group of PhD researchers which gave me the opportunity to network and broaden my research scope. Through IPIC I had access to top groups who could assist me in my research goals. For example, I was able to design the composition of the InP materials with the epitaxy group, who were then able to grow that material for me. The device fabrication was done with access to the compound semiconductor cleanroom. Finally after measuring the characteristics of the devices, I was able to prove its applicability in high-speed communications with the help of the photonics systems group, using the device to send 50 Gbps transmission rates.