Events

It's time for the fall election everyone's been talking about. That's right, the IEEE AP-S Student Chapter at U of T is holding its annual election for the executive. As part of the executive you'll have the chance to organize and plan the events we host. These can be technical seminars, social events, invited talks, outreach initiatives, and much more. It's a great chance to get to know more folks in the AP-S community. The available roles in the chapter executive are Chair, Co-Chair, Secretary, Web-master and Treasurer. If you'd like to nominate yourself for one (or a few) of these positions, please email me at stewart.pearson@mail.utoronto.ca and indicate you preference(s). More details on each role will be provided at the election. If you would like to run for one of these roles, or to vote in the election, please register on vTools. Furthermore, pizza and pop will be provided for all who attend the election. Please let me know if you have any dietary restrictions in advance so we can accommodate them. Room: BA7180, Bldg: Bahen Centre for Information Technology, 40 St George St., Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5S 2E4

SAG-based InGaAs/InP SPADs for photon counting in SWIR wavelengths Abstract: Low-light detection with high spatial and temporal precision is increasingly critical for applications like LiDAR, biomedical imaging, free-space communication, and adaptive optics. Single-photon avalanche diodes (SPADs), capable of detecting picosecond-level transients at the single-photon level, are emerging as a key technology to meet these demands. While silicon-based SPADs perform well in the visible spectrum due to the maturity of CMOS technology, they suffer from efficiency drops in the near-infrared (NIR) and short-wave infrared (SWIR) regions, limited by silicon’s 1.1 eV indirect bandgap. Enhancing SPAD efficiency in the NIR/SWIR range is essential for eye-safe LiDAR, fiber optic communication, and free-space telecommunication applications. This presentation delves into high-performance single-photon detectors using InGaAs/InP-based SPAD technologies, focusing on their use in quantum key distribution (QKD) and LiDAR. The research includes an extensive characterization of Selective Area Growth (SAG)-based and double-diffusion InGaAs/InP SPADs, examining dark count rate (DCR), photon detection probability (PDP), timing jitter, and uniformity. The novel SAG-based design reduces edge electric fields, enhancing DCR and uniformity. Additionally, the talk will cover a unique SPAD simulation environment using TCAD tools and explore focal plane implementations of SPAD arrays for spatial resolution. Finally, it will address the design considerations and challenges of the read-out circuits for SPAD arrays. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ SPAD InGaAs/InP basés sur SAG pour le comptage de photons dans les longueurs d'onde SWIR. Résumé : La détection de faible luminosité avec une précision spatiale et temporelle élevée est de plus en plus essentielle pour des applications telles que le LiDAR, l'imagerie biomédicale, la communication en espace libre et l'optique adaptative. Les diodes à avalanche à photon unique (SPAD), capables de détecter des transitoires de l'ordre de la picoseconde au niveau d'un photon unique, apparaissent comme une technologie clé pour répondre à ces demandes. Bien que les SPAD à base de silicium fonctionnent bien dans le spectre visible en raison de la maturité de la technologie CMOS, ils souffrent de baisses d'efficacité dans les régions du proche infrarouge (NIR) et de l'infrarouge à ondes courtes (SWIR), limitées par la bande interdite indirecte de 1,1 eV du silicium. L'amélioration de l'efficacité du SPAD dans la gamme NIR/SWIR est essentielle pour les applications LiDAR, de communication par fibre optique et de télécommunication en espace libre sans danger pour les yeux. Cette présentation se penche sur les détecteurs monophotoniques hautes performances utilisant les technologies SPAD basées sur InGaAs/InP, en se concentrant sur leur utilisation dans la distribution de clés quantiques (QKD) et LiDAR. La recherche comprend une caractérisation approfondie des SPAD InGaAs/InP basés sur SAG et à double diffusion, en examinant le taux de comptage d'obscurité (DCR), la probabilité de détection de photons (PDP), la gigue temporelle et l'uniformité. La nouvelle conception basée sur le SAG réduit les champs électriques de bord, améliorant ainsi le DCR et l'uniformité. De plus, l'exposé couvrira un environnement de simulation SPAD unique utilisant les outils TCAD et explorera les implémentations du plan focal des réseaux SPAD pour la résolution spatiale. Enfin, la présentation abordera les considérations de conception et les défis des circuits de lecture pour les réseaux SPAD. Ekin Kizilkan Halil Kerim Yildirim About / A propos The High Throughput and Secure Networks (HTSN) Challenge program is hosting regular virtual seminar series to promote scientific information sharing, discussions, and interactions between researchers. https://nrc.canada.ca/en/research-development/research-collaboration/programs/high-throughput-secure-networks-challenge-program Le programme Réseaux Sécurisés à Haut Débit (RSHD) organise régulièrement des séries de séminaires virtuels pour promouvoir le partage d’informations scientifiques, les discussions et les interactions entre chercheurs. https://nrc.canada.ca/fr/recherche-developpement/recherche-collaboration/programmes/programme-defi-reseaux-securises-haut-debit Co-sponsored by: National Research Council, Canada. Optonique. Speaker(s): Ekin Kizilkan, Halil Kerim Yildirim Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/441310

Abstract : You are invited to join Dr. Matthew Delaney for a technical and career presentation exploring the opportunities and challenges of the photonics integrated ecosystem. In the first part of the talk, Dr. Delaney will present conducted at the University of Southampton to develop and deploy new phase change materials in novel devices to create reconfigurable photonic switches, now a hot topic with the AI/data center boom. By coating a multimodal interference device (MMI) with a phase change material (PCM), and writing different pixel patterns into the PCM, it is possible to change the wavefront of the light within the MMI, enabling a fine level of control. This can be used as the basis for arbitrary photonic routing, in a small footprint and low-power device. In the second part of the talk, Dr. Delaney will provide a broader overview of the status and challenges of the integrated photonics field based on insights from working with some of the largest companies in the world across the whole application space, as they race to bring novel solutions to market. Join the presenter to debate where the field is heading. Hopefully, this will be a more interactive session where we can discuss different ideas as a group. Co-sponsored by: McGill Optica Student Chapter Speaker(s): Dr. Matthew Delaney Room: MC603, 6th floor, Bldg: McConnell Engineering building, 3480 rue University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H3A 0C3, Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/442904

Join us for an inspiring series of five talks on Tuesdays hosted by IEEE Women in Engineering (WIE) and Education. This event series is crafted to guide participants through key milestones and challenges in the academic career journey, offering insights and tools to foster both personal growth and societal impact. Each session will feature expert speakers and interactive discussions that touch on topics essential for building resilience, embracing diversity, and achieving academic and professional success. Participants who attend 4 or 5 sessions will receive an IEEE certificate, marking their commitment to personal development and their dedication to creating positive change in society. Time: Tuesdays 5:00 PM - 5:40 PM The first talk is on November 5th, 2024: Title: Empowering Self and Society through the Academic Career Journey Abstract: The journey of starting an academic career as a faculty member is a transformative endeavor that not only enriches the individual but also contributes to the betterment of society. This talk explores the profound reasons behind pursuing an academic position and offers insights into strategies for thriving as a new faculty member, making meaningful contributions to their institutions and society. [] Speaker(s): Prof. Lin Cai, , Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/443420

Join us for a fun-filled evening of mini-putt at Par-Tee Putt on Friday, November 8th from 7-9 PM! This event is a fantastic opportunity to network with fellow young professionals and students in the IEEE Toronto community while showing off your putting skills. A ticket includes 18-holes of mini-putt. Drinks and snacks are available for purchase at the venue. Don't miss out on this chance to unwind and connect with like-minded individuals. See you there! 26 Duncan St, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5V 2B8

Industry and Academia collaboration: The hidden patterns! Time required to bring innovation from concept to commercialization could take five to twenty years. Therefore, innovation via industry-academia collaboration may have limited success because of several factors: - Different objectives, scope, time scales of industry and academia do not match, - Profit-oriented versus non-profit missions. Profits are industry priority. - . IP issues and publications. Difficult issue due to uncertainty and sharing return. Disclosure issues can cause problem in communication to broad group. With the rise of AI/ML, the challenges are even greater. There is a gap between commercial software implementations, technical recommendations and standards. Academias are rarely exposed to real products. To address these potential issues, some actions are needed. Let us discuss these questions and share some best practices we have adopted in our collaboration with universities. [] Co-sponsored by: IEEE Education Society Speaker(s): Emmanuel Thepie Fapi, , Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/444962

Archeo, 31 Trinity Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5A 3C4

[] The presentation is focused on the life cycle of high and medium voltage (HV/MV) underground power cables from the design to end of life and includes common cable designs, installations configurations, installation errors, failure modes and both: commissioning and maintenance issues. It is based on many years of experience in cable testing and will provide real life examples. Speaker(s): Boguslaw Bochenski, PhD, PEng, Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/443350

Abstract: This talk will cover the research on the fabrication and application of novel polymer fibres in my lab. Applying the fibre drawing technique to unusual materials or combinations of materials opens up a range of new applications. Examples that will be discussed include drawing arrays of metal filaments in a dielectric to make metamaterials and drawing very low Young’s modulus polymers for wearable sensors. [] Simon Fleming University of Sydney, Australia Co-sponsored by: Co-sponsored by National Research Council, Canada. Optonique. Speaker(s): Simon Fleming Pavillon J. Armand Bombardier, J-2074, Polytechnique Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada

Now-a-days antennas have become an integral and important part of almost any wireless communication system. In the field of antenna engineering, theoretical analysis is of paramount importance in understanding the basics of the antenna radiation characteristics. While the basic concept of antennas is well known, closed form, exact analytical solutions to many antenna problems are not practical and impossible in many cases. Advances in electromagnetic (EM) simulations have significantly impacted the antenna design process by providing exact solutions by solving Maxwell’s equations using numerical methods. It is a common practice now in academia and industry to use various commercially available EM simulation tools for antenna design process. In this talk, we will introduce basics of antenna modeling and simulation process with pros and cons of various numerical methods, such as Method of Moments (MoM), Multilevel Fast Multipole Method (MLFMM), Finite Element Method (FEM), Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD), Physical Optics (PO), Ray Lunching Geometrical Optics (RL-GO), and Uniform Theory of Diffraction (UTD). We will then discuss modeling and simulation of various antenna types, starting from simple configurations such as dipoles and loops and eventually leading to more complicated and practical designs such as microstrip patches and high-gain reflector antennas. This webinar will be followed by a second webinar on December 9th (2PM Eastern) with live demonstrations of Feko for antenna simulations by Mr. Gopi Gampala, Senior Member IEEE, Manager Global Technical Team, Altair. Mr. Gampala will introduce Altair Feko user interface (CADFEKO and POSTFEKO) followed by live demo of the Feko to show case simulation of different antennas and application of various solver technologies explained in Webinar on Nov 19th. Register for this live demo session at https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/445102 Speaker(s): Dr. C.J. Reddy, Gopinath Gampala Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/444953

Title: Computer Network Research — Academia, Industry, and Collaborations Industry and academia are two extremely important participants in the network research. For decades, both industry practitioners and academic investigators have contributed numerous intellectual results to the community. On one side, some academic researchers will worry that it'll be difficult to make research contributions without the evaluation over large-scale production-level deployments. On the other side, seeing more experience papers from the industry is also a valuable opportunity for researchers to understand how the real network systems work in production. In this talk, I will share some of our observations about industry and academic collaborations. [] Co-sponsored by: IEEE Education Society Speaker(s): Dr. Zili Meng, Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/445855

[] Please join us on November 21st, at 12noon for an informative virtual presentation on Government Incentives, presented by Deloitte. During the session an overview of the government incentives landscape in Canada will be provided, highlighting examples of some of the major funding programs available to businesses to support their investments in innovation, capital, and the environment. The session will also share an overview of the top best practices for pursuing incentives, and examples of funding success stories. We will be covering: General concepts/processes around government incentives, tips / best practices for applying - SR&ED program - R&D tax credit - New Clean Economy ITC’s – refundable tax credits that fund capital investments in things like solar, wind, geothermal, hydrogen, carbon capture, nuclear, biomass systems - Federal programs – Smart Renewables, FedDev Ontario (Business Scale up, AI, and Homebuilding technology streams), new ISED AI Assist funding - Provincial programs – Southwestern/Eastern Ontario Development Fund, Automotive Modernization Program Speaker(s): Andrew, Agenda: We will be covering: General concepts/processes around government incentives, tips / best practices for applying - SR&ED program - R&D tax credit - New Clean Economy ITC’s – refundable tax credits that fund capital investments in things like solar, wind, geothermal, hydrogen, carbon capture, nuclear, biomass systems - Federal programs – Smart Renewables, FedDev Ontario (Business Scale up, AI, and Homebuilding technology streams), new ISED AI Assist funding - Provincial programs – Southwestern/Eastern Ontario Development Fund, Automotive Modernization Program Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/445317