NEW CONCEPT FOR CONTROLLING MODES IN A FABRY-PEROT

法布里-珀罗由两个平行的反射镜组成，用于定义激光器、可调谐滤波器、光谱分析仪和一些调制器中的模式。反射镜通常是介电四分之一波长堆叠，其在整个厚度上以分布式方式反射。本项目的目的是证明，有效穿透长度的四分之一波长堆叠镜（也称为分布式布拉格反射器）可以成为大和负，零，或大和积极的，这取决于仔细控制的折射率。这个概念将被应用于：a）生产单模半导体激光器和B）研究高速空间光调制器。智力上的优点：这个项目源于一个新的解析解的有效穿透长度在这些分布式镜和发现的极点和零的解决方案。这些制度的存在已被计算机检查，并意味着在光学器件和系统中的一些重要的应用。定义和演示这些应用程序是令人兴奋的挑战。例如，这将是第一次通过控制其反射镜中的折射率来实现对法布里-珀罗模式间隔的控制。此外，负的穿透长度意味着超光速反射，这是一个重要的智力挑战，以解释和找到应用。为了实现这种制度与高反射率需要分布式反射器沉积在金属（或金属膜）或使用大量的层对。在任何一种情况下，都需要仔细控制薄膜的折射率。这是将在实验室中进行的技术挑战。这将有助于薄膜测量技术介绍了作者在1983年，并将使用薄膜沉积技术，是在达特茅斯。更广泛的影响：控制有效穿透长度的分布式反射镜提供了广泛的应用。其中包括：便宜的单模半导体激光器、具有更高的每脉冲功率的锁模半导体激光器、光纤法布里-珀罗可调谐滤波器的更简单的制造、实用的可变光衰减器、更好的法布里-珀罗光学传感器、VCSEL的更简单的制造以及谐振光电探测器。最后，非线性和电驱动波导调制器和空间光调制器变得实用。这里首创的概念还可以用于实现波导的面内直角弯曲，这通常需要纳米结构光子带隙材料。这项研究也将对培训工程人员产生积极影响，因为PI。是一位女性，她的博士学位提出发起这项研究的研究生也是一名妇女。达特茅斯作为一所学院，参与了最先进的研究，并为教学研究机构提供了一个模式。

A Fabry-Perot consists of two parallel mirrors used to define modes in lasers, tunable filters, spectrum analyzers, and some modulators. The mirrors are usually dielectric quarter wave stacks that reflect in a distributed way, throughout their thickness. The objective of this project is to demonstrate that the effective penetration length into the quarter wave stack mirror (also called a distributed Bragg reflector) can become large and negative, zero, or large and positive, depending on careful control of the refractive indices. This concept will then be applied to: a) producing single mode semiconductor lasers and b) investigating high speed spatial light modulators.Intellectual merit: this project stems from a new analytic solution to the effective penetration length in these distributed mirrors and the discovery of both a pole and a zero in the solution. The existence of these regimes has been checked by computer and implies a number of important applications in optical devices and systems. Defining and demonstrating these applications is the exciting challenge. For example, this will be the first time that control of a Fabry-Perot mode spacing is achieved by controlling the refractive index in its mirrors. Furthermore, a negative penetration length implies superluminal reflection, which is an important intellectual challenge to explain and find applications for.To achieve this regime with high reflectivity requires the distributed reflector be deposited on metal (or a metal film) or to use a large number of layer-pairs. In either case, careful control of the refractive indices of the films is required. This is the technical challenge that will be undertaken in the laboratory. It will be helped by a thin film measurement technique introduced by author in 1983 and will use a thin film deposition technology that was developed at Dartmouth.Broader impact: Controlling the effective penetration length of a distributed mirror offers a wide range of applications. These include: inexpensive single mode semiconductor lasers, mode-locked semiconductor lasers with more power per pulse, simpler fabrication of fiber Fabry-Perot tunable filters, a practical variable optical attenuator, better Fabry-Perot optical sensors, simpler fabrication of VCSEL's, and resonant photo-detectors. Finally, nonlinear and electrically driven waveguide modulators and spatial light modulators become practical. The concept pioneered here can also be used to achieve in-plane right angle bends in waveguides, which usually requires nanostructure photonic bandgap materials.This research will also have a positive impact on training engineering personnel, since the P. I. is a woman and the Ph. D. graduate student proposed to initiate the research is also a woman. Dartmouth as a college is involved in state-of-the-art research and provides a model for teaching-research institutions.