University of Delaware - UD/UDEL (reviews)

The University of Delaware offers a strong interdisciplinary research environment for silicon photonics, bringing together expertise in electrical engineering, materials science, nanotechnology, optics, and device physics. Research within the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering spans integrated photonic devices and circuits, optical interconnects, modulators, detectors, quantum photonics, and emerging photonic-computing platforms. This combination of fundamental and applied research allows new concepts in light generation, manipulation, transmission, and detection to be investigated and translated into functional chip-scale devices.

A central resource supporting this work is the University of Delaware Nanofabrication Facility, or UDNF. The facility provides the infrastructure, technical expertise, and advanced processing capabilities required to fabricate and evaluate nanoscale photonic devices. Its capabilities include high-resolution lithography, material deposition, dry and wet etching, thermal processing, structural characterization, dicing, and device packaging. These resources support the fabrication of silicon and silicon-on-insulator structures such as waveguides, resonators, photonic crystals, metasurfaces, modulators, and integrated optical components.

UDNF is especially valuable because it enables researchers to carry out repeated cycles of device design, fabrication, characterization, and process optimization within a shared research facility. University of Delaware researchers have used its capabilities to fabricate silicon-based integrated-photonics platforms, including nanoscale metalens and metasurface structures for on-chip optical signal processing. The facility therefore serves not only as a fabrication center but also as an important research environment for developing new materials, improving manufacturing methods, training graduate students, and translating silicon-photonics concepts into experimentally demonstrated devices.

The campus is awesome, with a classic Mall structure with red brick buildings giving it a nice, historically cool vibe. The experience is what one puts into it of course. Sadly, I was emotionally challenged and was not able to complete my studies. I was getting A’s in Organic Chemistry but some social ability is needed to succeed.

I had a really good experience at the University of Delaware. The campus is beautiful and has a friendly, welcoming vibe. Most of my professors were very knowledgable and always willing to help when I had questions. There are so many clubs and events that it was easy for me to meet new people and feel part of the community. I also found the career services helpful when looking for internships and planning next steps. Overall, I felt supported both academically and personally, and I’m glad I chose UD.

My time at this university has been really good. The teachers explain things clearly and are always willing to help when I need support. The classes make sense and connect well to real life, which helped me feel more confident in what I’m learning. The campus is friendly, and there are many services that make studying easier, like tutoring and career advice. I’ve met great people and learned a lot about myself. I feel ready for the next step in my career, and I’m thankful for the experience I had here.