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Resume

Education:

  • Pursuing PhD from Jan 2006 at University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada. Expected Graduation - Jan 2011.
  • M.Eng degree (by research) from National University of Singapore, Singapore (2003-2005)
  • B.Tech degree in Electronics Engineering from MIT, Anna University, Chennai, India (1996-2000)

Technical Skill set:

  • Silicon photonics - SOI based Microring structures (WDM filters) - theory, simulation (Matlab), fabrication.

  • Knowledge in simulation methodologies - FDTD, Plane wave method.

  • Knowledge and experience in silicon photonics fabrication tools - Raith 150 E-beam lithography, Photo lithography, STS ICP RIE for precision silicon deep etching, PECVD, Sputtering deposition, Wet desk processing for substrate cleaning, photo resist spinning and developing, L-Edit layout software.
  • Knowledge and experience in metrology tools like SEM imaging, Filmetrics thin film measurement, Photonic and electronic measurement techniques - optical instruments like tunable laser, optical spectrum analyzer, erbium doped fiber amplifier etc. and electronic instruments like PRBS generators, oscilloscopes, pulse generators etc.
  • Knowledge in Radio over Fiber (ROF) systems, RF/Microwave circuit design - (modelling tools ADS, Vipec, Rfsim99)
  • High-speed digital system design - Signal Integrity, timing, power analysis etc.
  • Knowledge in Micro controllers, DSP processors and PCB layout design process.

Work Experience:

1) GRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANT - Silicon photonics
University of Alberta (Jan 2006 - present)

  • Designed, simulated, fabricated and characterized SOI based microring filter architectures.
  • Worked on the filter synthesis procedure for various novel microring architectures which could be applied for various spectral engineering applications.
  • Involved in the development of the SOI based fabrication process to demonstrate these microring filters. Developed the recipes for fabrication processes like e-beam lithography, ICPRIE etching
  • Involved with test setup development to measure and characterize the fabricated devices.
  • Working in the development of recipes to fabricate micro heater elements on top of the microrings for tuning.
  • Authored and published the prominent research results in several well known journals
  • Presented research results at various international conferences.

2) LAB INSTRUCTOR / TEACHING ASSISTANT
University of Alberta (Jan 2007 - present)

  • Worked as a teaching assistant/instructor for Analog circuit design project.
  • This involved preparing handouts, delivering lectures and interacting with undergraduate students to guide them with their projects in terms of design, implementation and debugging.
  • As a lab instructor I also managed and scheduled other teaching assistants. I also trained new teaching assistants.

3) MEMBER TECHNICAL STAFF – TEMPORARY
Institute for Infocomm Research, Singapore (Jun 2005 – Sep 2005)

  • Designed a low cost PCB based 30 GHz millimeter wave source.
  • This was done in two parts. - A 15 GHz GAASFET oscillator design based on a Surface integrated waveguide resonator and a 15/30 GHz GAASFET frequency doubler design.

4) GRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANT
Institute for Infocomm Research & National University of Singapore, Singapore (Jan 2003 – May 2005)

  • Performed research work on transmitting RF signals like WLAN and UWB over VCSEL based 10Gbps Multimode fiber links.
  • Created circuit models for the 10Gbps optical link components in HP-ADS and simulated the performance of the transmitted RF signals.
  • Developed the experimental setup and measured the performance of WLAN and UWB signal transmission over a 10Gbps MMF link which was in good agreement with the simulation.

5) PROJECT ENGINEER - VLSI/SYSTEM DESIGN
Wipro Technologies, India (Aug 2000 – Dec 2002)

  • Involved in the design of a Static memory controller IP core for AMBA AHB bus environment, which would support memories like SRAM, Flash EPROM, ROM, Burst ROM.
  • Designed the high speed digital circuits and mixed signal circuits for several video conferencing systems based on Analog Device's Blackfin and SHARC DSP processors.
  • I was a part of the client (ARM and Analog Devices) communications to finalize the design proposal, test plans etc.
  • Gave lecture presentations on high-speed digital board design as a part of technology transfer to the team before leaving the company.


Publications:

Refereed journal papers:

  1. Ashok M. Prabhu, A. Tsay, Z. Han and V. Van, “Extreme Miniaturization of Silicon Add-Drop Microring Filters for VLSI Photonics Applications”, IEEE Photonics Journal, Accepted for publication, April 2010.

  2. Ashok M. Prabhu, A. Tsay, Z. Han and V. Van, “Ultra-Compact SOI microring add-drop filter with wide bandwidth and wide FSR”, IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, Vol. 21, Issue 10, pp. 651-653, May 2009.

  3. Ashok M. Prabhu, V. Van, W. N. Herman and P.-T. Ho,  “Compact Silicon Microring-Assisted Directional Couplers for WDM and Optical Signal Processing Applications”, Optics Letters, Vol. 34, Issue 8, pp. 1249-1251, April 2009.

  4. Ashok M. Prabhu, H.L.Liew, V. Van, "Experimental determination of coupled-microring filter parameters via pole-zero extraction", Optics Express, vol. 16, Issue 19, pp. 14588-14596, Sep 2008.

  5. Ashok M. Prabhu, H.L.Liew, V. Van, "Generalized Parallel-Cascaded Microring Networks for Spectral Engineering Applications", JOSA B, vol. 25, Issue 9, pp. 1505-1514, Sep 2008.

  6. Ashok M. Prabhu and V. Van, "Predistortion Techniques for Synthesizing Coupled Microring Filters with Loss", Optics Communications, vol. 281, Issue 10, pp. 2760-2767, May 2008

  7. Ashok M. Prabhu and V. Van, "Realization of asymmetric optical filters using asynchronous coupled-microring resonators", Optics Express, vol. 25, no. 15, pp. 9645, July 2007.

Book Chapter:

Refereed conference papers:

First author:
  1. Ashok M. Prabhu, Z. Han, A. Tsay and V. Van, “Extreme Miniaturization Of Silicon Add-drop Microring Filters For WDM Applications”, OSA IPR Topical Meeting, Monterey, July 2010.

  2. Ashok M. Prabhu and V. Van, “A Method For Direct Synthesis Of Optimal Microring Ladder Filters”, OSA IPR Topical Meeting, Monterey, July 2010.

  3. Ashok M. Prabhu, Z. Han, A. Tsay and V. Van, “Wideband 1.5μm-Radius SOI Add-Drop Microring Filter for WDM on-Chip Interconnects”, CLEO-IQEC , Baltimore, June 2009.

  4. Ashok. M. Prabhu, V. Van, W. N. Herman and P.-T. Ho,  "Silicon microring-assisted directional couplers for optical signal processing applications", Optical Fiber Communication Conference (OFC/NFOEC), San Diego, Mar 2009.

  5. Ashok M. Prabhu,  H.L.Liew, V. Van, "Elliptic Optical Filters with All-Positive Couplings Based on the Double-Microring Ladder Architecture", CLEO-QELS, San jose, May 2008.

  6. Ashok M. Prabhu and V. Van, "Asymmetric Optical Filters based on Asynchronous Coupled Microring Resonators", Cleo-PR, Seoul, Aug 2007.

  7. Ashok M. Prabhu and V. Van, "General two-dimensional coupled-cavity microring filter architectures", CLEO-QELS, Baltimore, May 2007.

Second Author:

  1. V. Van and Ashok M. Prabhu, "Multiple coupled microresonator devices for advanced spectral shaping applications", SPIE photonics west, San jose, Jan 2008.

  2. V. Van and Ashok M. Prabhu, “Electrical network approach to synthesizing coupled-cavity optical devices”, OSA IPNRA Topical Meeting, Boston, July 2008.

  3. H.L.Liew, Ashok M. Prabhu, V. Van, "Dual-mode microresonators for high-order spectral filtering", LEOS Topical Meeting, Florida, Oct 2007.


Scholarships and Awards:

NUS Research scholarship – (2003 to 2005)
UofA Provost Doctoral Entrance Award – (2006)
SPIE scholarship – (2008)
SPIE scholarship – (2009)
UofA Graduate Student Association Professional Development Grant for conference travel (2009)
UofA Leonard E. Gads Teaching Assistant Award (2010)
University of Alberta 2010 Graduate Student Teaching Award (2010)
Profiling Alberta’s Graduate Students Travel Award (2010)

Techinal Activities:

Reviewer for Optics Express journal, JOSA, Optics letter
Student member of IEEE LEOS, OSA

Other technical projects:

References:
Upon request

Linkedin: http://ca.linkedin.com/in/ashokpm