This inventor holds 1 USPTO granted patent. Top assignee: The University of Chicago. Active years: 2025.
Company Filing History:
Years Active: 2025
Title: Christina Wicker: Innovator in Rare-Earth-Doped Systems
Introduction
Christina Wicker is a prominent inventor based in Chicago, IL. She has made significant contributions to the field of photonics, particularly through her innovative work on heterogeneous rare-earth doped systems. Her research focuses on enhancing the interactions between optical fields and rare-earth dopants, which has implications for various advanced technologies.
Latest Patents
Wicker holds a patent for her invention titled "Heterogeneous Rare-Earth Doped Systems." This patent describes technologies that enable strong rare-earth-ion interactions. In her illustrative embodiment, a heterogeneous slot waveguide is formed with two layers of silicon surrounding a layer of Er:Y2O3. This configuration results in a waveguide that supports a transverse magnetic (TM) mode with a strong confinement of the electromagnetic field near the erbium dopants. The strong concentration of the electromagnetic field and small mode volume facilitate robust interactions between optical fields and the erbium dopants. Additionally, the slot waveguide structure can be configured as a microring resonator or a photonic crystal, leading to small-mode-volume resonators with high Q-factors. In some embodiments, strong electro-optic and/or acousto-optic coupling may be achieved, resulting in a quantum transducer capable of coherently converting signals between different systems.
Career Highlights
Wicker is affiliated with The University of Chicago, where she continues to advance her research in photonics and materials science. Her work has garnered attention for its potential applications in quantum technologies and telecommunications.
Collaborations
Wicker collaborates with Tian Zhong, contributing to the advancement of their shared research interests in the field of photonics.
Conclusion
Christina Wicker's innovative work in heterogeneous rare-earth doped systems exemplifies her commitment to advancing technology in photonics. Her contributions are paving the way for future developments in quantum transducers and related fields.