Srinivasan earns NSF award to launch groundbreaking photonics research

Boise State University is breaking new ground in photonic sensor technology with a recent National Science Foundation Engineering Research Initiation award to Assistant Professor Karthik Srinivasan.

Srinivasan leads the Applied Magnetics and Photonics Laboratory in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. There, the team of researchers is utilizing funding to develop photonic sensors capable of operating reliably in extreme environments including deep-earth drilling, deep-sea exploration, nuclear reactors and outer space.

"This award reflects not only the strength of Professor Srinivasan's vision, but also Boise State's growing capability to push forward engineering research," College of Engineering Dean Amy Fleischer said. "Our history as a college of supporting early career faculty members is driven by the opportunity and momentum for our students, our university, and the region."

Photonic sensors use light to detect environmental changes and are essential in high-tech applications. However, conventional technologies based on silica fibers or silicon photonics often degrade under high temperatures or corrosive conditions, limiting their performance.

The NSF-funded, "Monolithically Integrated Silicon Carbide Photonic Sensors for Extreme Environments" project seeks to overcome these limitations by leveraging a chemically resistant, thermally stable material known as amorphous silicon carbide to create sensors that maintain reliability and accuracy under extreme conditions.

"This project pushes the boundaries of integrated photonics by moving beyond traditional silicon platforms to silicon carbide, a material that maintains its properties in extreme environments," Srinivasan said. "Through innovations in fabrication, testing, and the integration of new functional materials, we aim to develop scalable, reliable, and multifunctional sensors capable of performing where conventional technologies fail."

By combining fabrication, optical characterization and thermal testing, the project focuses on two main research objectives: evaluating thermal stability and high-temperature sensing. The team will test resonators and materials to determine how well these structures maintain and demonstrate reliable sensing in extreme conditions.

Srinivasan joined Boise State in August 2023, bringing a strong background in photonics and magnetics. Previously, he was with Cornell University's Versatile Electronics Systems Laboratory, where he developed amorphous magnetic alloys and tunable high-frequency devices.

Srinivasan earned his Ph.D. and M.S. in electrical engineering from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, where his research focused on photonic isolators and magnonics using rare-earth iron garnets.

The NSF Engineering Research Initiation program provides up to $200,000 over two years to support early-career investigators at institutions that have not yet received significant federal research funding. Awards like this help researchers establish independent programs, train students and contribute to innovation in engineering.

Srinivasan's award is funded through NSF ERI grant ECCS#2501409.

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