Silicon Photonics Circuit and Device Design Engineer

What you will do

Future high-performance computing and information systems implemented in advanced CMOS nodes are expected to require chip-level I/O bandwidths beyond 100Tbps with energy budget below 1pJ per communicated bit. Such I/O requirements in terms of bandwidth density and power efficiency drive the adoption of optical interconnects integrated at the package and chip level. At imec we develop optical I/O technology to meet these targets, employing the best-in-class silicon photonics devices (laser, modulators, photodetectors, waveguides, filters, etc.) 

Scaling the bandwidth density and power consumption of these optical links requires efficient  optimization and co-design efforts. Novel optical device concepts are explored and developed to meet the performance specifications of the optical links. High-speed optical I/O transceiver prototypes are designed to demonstrate the performance of the newly developed silicon photonics technology, when paired with advanced modulator/laser drivers, receive amplifiers and control logic in advanced FINFET CMOS technology (10nm and below). The entire opto-electronic system will be capable of running tens to hundreds of parallel lanes through  spatial and wavelength division multiplexing, at lane rates up to 64Gb/s. 

In this challenging job you will focus on: 

• Design, modeling, and layout of multi-Tbps optical I/O transceiver Photonic ICs (PICs), employing imec’s cutting-edge silicon photonics technology. This also includes circuit simulation/design/test.  
• You collaborate with silicon photonics device experts and Analog/RF design engineers to translate system specifications into circuit and technology requirements, and work closely together on co-designing next-generation transceiver prototypes.  
• Supervising and supporting the layout activity for the physical design of individual building blocks, as part of optical transceiver prototypes as well as for process monitoring devices.  
• Functional characterization of the designed transceiver PICs. You also evaluate the system-level performance of integrated optical I/O transceiver prototypes. 
• Analyzing test results and communicate your insights to internal technology developers and imec’s partners. 
• Delivering optical link models for designing next-generation optically interconnected compute systems. 

What we do for you

We offer you the opportunity to join one of the world’s premier research centers in nanotechnology at its headquarters in Leuven, Belgium. With your talent, passion and expertise, you’ll become part of a team that makes the impossible possible. Together, we shape the technology that will determine the society of tomorrow.

We are committed to being an inclusive employer and proud of our open, multicultural, and informal working environment with ample possibilities to take initiative and show responsibility. We commit to supporting and guiding you in this process; not only with words but also with tangible actions. Through imec.academy, 'our corporate university', we actively invest in your development to further your technical and personal growth. 

We are aware that your valuable contribution makes imec a top player in its field. Your energy and commitment are therefore appreciated by means of a market appropriate salary with many fringe benefits. 

Who you are

• You have more than 3 years of experience in the design of Photonic ICs. Experience in PIC test and characterization is required 
• Additional experience in the design and characterization of active photonic components (modulators and/or photodetectors) is a plus.  
• You are a communicative team player, also able to work independently, with excellent knowledge of English. 
• You are pro-active and persuasive. You always keep a constructive attitude. 
• You can flexibly change between different projects according to changing priorities. 
• You have a Master’s or Ph.D. degree with emphasis in photonic devices and circuits.