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Silicon photonics is one of the most dynamic fields within photonics, and it has seen huge progress in the last 20 years, addressing applications in data centers, autonomous cars, and sensing. It is mostly focused on the telecommunications wavelength range (1.3 and 1.55 µm), where silicon becomes transparent. In this range, there are excellent light sources and photodetectors, as well as optical fibers operating with extremely low losses and dispersion. It is a technology that hugely benefits from the availability of complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) fabrication infrastructure and techniques used for microelectronics. Silicon and germanium, as another CMOS compatible group IV material, are transparent beyond the wavelength of 2 µm. The mid-IR wavelength range (2–20 µm) is of particular importance as it contains strong absorption signatures of many molecules. Therefore, Si- and Ge-based platforms open up the possibility of small and cost-effective sensing in the fingerprint region for medical and environmental monitoring. In this paper, we discuss the current mid-IR silicon photonics landscape, future directions, and potential applications of the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports and Science and Technology (MEXT) are facing a plethora of pressures to become more global. This has led MEXT to draw up the 'English Education Reform Plan Corresponding to Globalization.' This education reform plan calls for a move away from grammar translation in favor of a communication based classroom. These reforms are to be implemented by 2020 to coincide with the Tokyo Olympic games. In the context of these MEXT reforms, the current study investigated anxiety and the L2 motivational self system in Japanese university students. In the study, it was discovered that ideal L2 self and L2 learning experiences are correlated with lower anxiety levels, which in turn led to positive learning results. The study also showed that ought-to self was found to be indicative of increased anxiety, yet was also a strong indicator of motivation overall. Based on these discoveries, classroom approaches for these new MEXT reforms are given in this study.

Mid-infrared quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) operating around 5.7 μm have been integrated with germanium waveguides on silicon substrates. QCL bars have been designed and fabricated at the University of Sheffield for the purpose of integration. This hybrid approach uses flip-chip technology that has been successfully transferred from a silicon-on-oxide (SOI) platform working at communication wavelengths, demonstrating the flexibility of this approach. Integration challenges are introduced, and solutions discussed, leading to the next iteration of design presented here.