Geun Ho Ahn

Abstract Over the past two decades, photonic inverse design has emerged as a powerful approach to implement photonic devices with improved performance or to realize new functionalities. Whereas the efforts over the first decade focused on proof-of-concept devices designed and fabricated in university laboratories, the focus over the past 5–10 years has shifted towards implementation of scalable photonic systems.

Implementing stable laser operation requires optical isolators to protect against destabilizing back-reflection signals. Now, CMOS optical circuits provide a simple and insensitive pathway towards robust protection.

Abstract Rapid progress in photonics has led to an explosion of integrated devices that promise to deliver the same performance as table-top technology at the nanoscale, heralding the next generation of optical communications, sensing and metrology, and quantum technologies.