Chunhui Yao

PhD student in Engineering

University of Cambridge (Centre for Photonic Systems)

Biography

Chunhui (Kevin) Yao obtained his Bachlor’s degree of Engineering (awarded as an outstanding graduate) at Shanghai Jiao Tong University in 2020. Currently, he is a fourth-year PhD student at Centre for Photonic Systems in University of Cambridge, supervised by Dr. Qixiang Cheng. His research interests mainly focus on integrated photonic devices and circuits for optical sensing, communication, and computing applications.

Interests

Integrated Photonic Device
On-chip Optical Network
Advanced Optical Material and Fabrication

Education

PhD in Engineering, 2020-present

University of Cambridge
BEng in Electronic Sci. & Tech., 2016-2020

Shanghai Jiao Tong University

Research experience

PhD Student

Centre for Photonic Systems, University of Cambridge

Oct 2020 – Present Cambridge, United Kingdom

Current main research topics:

Broadband and picometer-scale resolution on-chip spectrometer with reconfigurable photonics
Compact and alignment-tolerant III-V-on-Silicon vertical coupler
Micro-transfer-printing (InP SOAs on SiN) based optical switch fabrics (EU INSPIRE project)
Chip-level optical interconnection schemes based on 3D nanoprinting

Honorary Research Associate

Kats Laboratory of Applied Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Jul 2019 – May 2020 Madison, Wisconsin, United States

Contributions include:

Worked on the research of infrared optics and related experimental measurements
Conducted massive optical property measurements using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Ellipsometers
Proposed and verified two correction methods for the thermal-emission-induced detector nonlinearity/saturation during high-temperature FTIR measurements

Research Assistant

Optical Transmission & Integrated Photonics Lab (State Key Lab), Shanghai Jiao Tong University

Dec 2018 – Jul 2020 Shanghai, China

Contributions include:

Worked on integrated silicon photonics (focused on the manipulation of on-chip optical mode)
Proposed scalable design methods for multi-mode conversion and very-high-order mode conversion via two-dimensional metastructure
Performed numerical simulations, designed the device layouts for chip fabrication and carried out the experimental measurements

Exchange Scholar

Memory Design Lab, National Tsinghua University

Jul 2018 – Aug 2018 Hsinchu City, Taiwan, China

Accomplishments include:

Worked on the design and optimization of VLSI circuits and Memory
Reconstructed a 256-bit ROM and and investigated it with pre- and post- simulations in both schematic and layout levels
Delivered an oral presentation in an interscholastic seminar and won the award of merit

Publications

C. Yao, K. Xu, W. Zhang, M. Chen, Q. Cheng, R. Penty, “Integrated reconstructive spectrometer with programmable photonic circuits”, Nature Communications, 2023, 14, 6376.
Q Cheng, C. Yao, N Calabretta, R Stabile, K Suzuki, H Kawashima, …, R. Penty, “Photonic switch fabrics in data center/high-performance computing networks”, Elsevier, Integrated Photonics for Data Communication Applications, 2023, 265-301.
A. Ren, H. Wang, L. Dai, J. Xia, X. Bai, E. Caddle, J. Smith, H. Lai, J. Ye, X. Li, S. Zhen, C. Yao, …, W. Zhang, “High-bandwidth perovskite photonic sources on silicon”, Nature Photonics, 2023, 17, 798-805.
C. Yao, M. Chen, T. Yan, L. Ming, Q. Cheng, R. Penty, “Broadband picometer-scale resolution on-chip spectrometer with reconfigurable photonics”, Light: Science & Applications, 2023, 12, 156.
M. Chen, C. Yao, A. Wonfor, Q. Cheng, R. Penty, “Generic photonic integrated linear operator processor”, arXiv preprint arXiv:2305.18548.
M. Chen, C. Yao, A. Wonfor, S. Yang, M. Holm, Q. Cheng, R. Penty, “Direct Iterative Photonic Integrated Matrix Inverter”, Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics (CLEO), 2023, SM1P.2.
C. Yao, M. Chen, Q. Cheng, R. Penty, “Ultra-high resolution on-chip reconstructive spectrometer”, European Conference on Integrated Optics (ECIO) 2023, Th2.8.
P. Bao, C. Yao, J. Wei, G. Talli, M. Kuschnerov, Q. Cheng, R. Penty, “Ultra-High-Extinction-Ratio Electro-Optic Switch Element”, European Conference on Integrated Optics (ECIO) 2023, ID 206.
C. Yao, Q. Cheng, G. Roelkens, R. Penty, “Bridging the Gap between Resonance and Adiabaticity: A Compact and Highly Tolerant Vertical Coupling Structure”, Photonics Research, 2022, 10(9).
C. Yao, H. Mei, Y. Xiao, A. Shahsafi, W. Derdeyn, J. L. King, C. Wan, R. O. Scarlat, M. H. Anderson and M. A. Kats, “Correcting thermal-emission-induced detector saturation in infrared spectroscopy”, 2022, Optics Express, 2022, 30, 38458-38467.
A. Li, C. Yao, J. Xia, H. Wang, Q. Cheng, R. Penty, Y. Fainman, S. Pan, “Advances in cost-effective integrated spectrometers”, Light: Science & Applications, 2022, 11(1), 1–18.
C. Yao, Q. Cheng, R. Penty, “Compact and Alignment-Tolerant Vertical Coupler for Heterogeneous Photonic Integration”, European Conference on Integrated Optics (ECIO), 2022, T.P.13.
C. Wan, D. Woolf, C. M. Hessel, J. Salman, Y. Xiao, C. Yao, A. Wright, J. M. Hensley, M. A. Kats, “Switchable induced-transmission filters enabled by vanadium dioxide”, Nano letter, 2022, 22, 1, 6–13.
Z. Wang, C. Yao, Y. Zhang, Y. Su, “Compact silicon three-mode multiplexer by refractive-index manipulation on a multi-mode interferometer”, Optics Express, 2021, 29(9),13899-13907.
C. Yao, Z. Wang, H. Wang, H. Yu, Y. Zhang, Y. Su, “On-chip multi-mode manipulation via two-dimensional refractive-index perturbation on a waveguide”, Advanced Optical Materials, 2020, 2000996, cover paper.
Z. Wang, C. Yao, Y. Zhang, Y. Su, “Ultra-Compact and Broadband Silicon Two-Mode Multiplexer based on Asymmetric Shallow Etching on a Multi-Mode Interferometer”, Optical Fiber Communication Conference (OFC), 2020, W4C.2.
Y. Xiao, C. Wan, A. Shahsafi, J. Salman, Z. Yu, R. Wambold, H. Mei, B. E. Rubio Perez, W. Derdeyn, C. Yao, M. A. Kats, “Precision Measurements of Temperature-Dependent and Nonequilibrium Thermal Emitters”, Laser & Photonics Reviews, 2020, 1900443.
Y. Xiao, C. Wan, A. Shahsafi, J. Salman, Z. Yu, R. Wambold, H. Mei, B. E. Rubio Perez, C. Yao, M. A. Kats, “Measuring Non-Equilibrium and Temperature-Dependent Thermal Emitters”, Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics (CLEO), 2020, SF3F.3.

Awards

Outstanding Graduate of Shanghai Jiao Tong University

Shanghai Jiao Tong University Jul 2020

Huawai Scholarship of Shanghai Jiao Tong University

Huawei & Shanghai Jiao Tong University Sep 2018

Merit Student of Shanghai Jiao Tong University

Shanghai Jiao Tong University Sep 2018

Mathematical Contest in Modeling (MCM) Honorable Mention

Mathematical Contest In Modeling Apr 2018

Academic Excellence Scholarship of Shanghai Jiao Tong University

Shanghai Jiao Tong University Sep 2017

Contact

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