The Nanophotonics Research Lab (NPL) at Konkuk University is engaged in interdisciplinary research focused on the study of optical phenomena at the nanoscale, semiconductor device physics and applications, and the development of novel nanotechnology.
Vision
To engineer light–matter interaction at sub-wavelength scales, enabling the next generation of integrated photonic devices: from on-chip transferable nanowire light sources to non-Hermitian coupled photonic crystal cavities.
Approach
We combine three pillars:
- Design & simulation — finite-difference time-domain analysis of photonic crystal cavities, normal-mode decomposition of coupled non-Hermitian systems, and full-wave simulation on cluster nodes.
- Fabrication — in-house SEM (Hitachi-4300), PDMS micro-tip transfer stages, and ultra-clean sample preparation.
- Characterization — visible and near-infrared optical setups, butt-coupling with lensed fibers, single-photon-level detection.
History
- 2014 — Lab founded at Konkuk University.
- 2017 — Assistant professor appointment of the PI.
- 2021 — Associate professor; world’s first integrated continuous-wave silicon nano-laser published.
- 2023 — Scientific Reports publication on non-Hermitian coupled photonic crystal cavities, ICAMD Best Poster Award.
- 2024 — Minimal-gain-printed silicon nanolaser (Sci. Adv.) and ultrastable 3D heterogeneous integration via NHC self-assembled nanolayers (ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces).