Boston Chapter of the IEEE Photonics Society

Abstract:  Silicon photonic integrated circuits are a hot topic for short reach applications, with their promise of very low cost and large volume manufacturability.  However, silicon photonics may actually be even better suited for metropolitan-distance communications using coherent technology.  We will discuss some of the physics of silicon photonics and show a successful metro product based on it.

Biography:  Christopher R. Doerr earned a B.S. in aeronautical engineering and a B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).  He attended MIT on an Air Force scholarship and earned pilot wings in 1991. Since coming to Bell Labs in 1995, Doerr’s research has focused on integrated devices for optical communication.  He has created many photonic circuits in InP, silica, and silicon and has over 130 patents.

He was promoted to Distinguished Member of Technical Staff in 2000, received the OSA Engineering Excellence Award in 2002, and became an IEEE Fellow in 2006, an OSA Fellow in 2009, and a Bell Labs Fellow in 2011.  Doerr was Editor-in-Chief of IEEE Photonics Technology Letters from 2007-2009.  He was awarded the William Streifer Scientific Achievement Award in 2009.  He was promoted to Technical Manager in 2010.  In 2011 he joined Acacia Communications as Director of Integrated Photonics.  He is currently an Associate Editor for the IEEE Photonics Technology Letters.  He is currently a program chair for the Optical Fiber Communication Conference.

He draws cartoons for the IEEE Photonics Society News. He is married to Neriko Musha and has two children.