Optimisation of the key SOA parameters for amplification and switching

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) are composed of small, low cost, resource-constrained computing nodes equipped with low power wireless transceivers. Generally, they are embedded in their environment to perform some specific monitoring and/or control function. Unlike wired networks that have dedicated routers for network connectivity and message forwarding, every node in a WSN can act as a router in a multi-hop network. A WSN can offer a cheap, applicationspecific solution in a variety of situations including military and disaster response scenarios, where other approaches are not viable. Due to their unattended nature and deployment in possibly hostile environmental conditions, there are many challenges in ensuring that a WSN is formed effectively and survives long enough to fulfil its function. Securing a WSN against attack is a particular challenge. Traditional encryption mechanisms are resource hungry and are not sufficient alone to provide a complete solution. This project is concerned with secure routing protocols. Formal methods are used to model and analyse the design of existing protocols and to demonstrate some previously unreported weaknesses

Mid-infrared quantum optics in silicon

Applied quantum optics stands to revolutionise many aspects of information technology, provided performance can be maintained when scaled up. Silicon quantum photonics satisfies the scaling requirements of miniaturisation and manufacturability, but at 1.55 $\mu$m it suffers from unacceptable linear and nonlinear loss. Here we show that, by translating silicon quantum photonics to the mid-infrared, a new quantum optics platform is created which can simultaneously maximise manufacturability and miniaturisation, while minimising loss. We demonstrate the necessary platform components: photon-pair generation, single-photon detection, and high-visibility quantum interference, all at wavelengths beyond 2 $\mu$m. Across various regimes, we observe a maximum net coincidence rate of 448 $\pm$ 12 Hz, a coincidence-to-accidental ratio of 25.7 $\pm$ 1.1, and, a net two photon quantum interference visibility of 0.993 $\pm$ 0.017. Mid-infrared silicon quantum photonics will bring new quantum applications within reach.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures; revised figures, updated discussion in section 3, typos corrected, added referenc