MRI: Acquisition of Instrumentation for Optical Propagation Loss Measurement in Novel Waveguide Materials

MRI：购买用于新型波导材料中光传播损耗测量的仪器

• 批准号: 0520707
• 负责人: David McGee
• 金额: $ 10.86万
• 依托单位: Drew University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2005
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2005-09-01 至 2007-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0520707&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: MRI; Acquisition; Instrumentation; Optical; Propagation

Integrated optical waveguides for information processing and transmission are characterized by core and cladding structures of slightly different refractive index. The refractive index contrast guides light rays within the core via total internal reflection. There is considerable motivation to develop materials synthesis and processing techniques that free integrated optics from complex vapor deposition fabrication processes. There is likewise demand for new materials and architectures that offer increased bandwidth and greater compositional flexibility than conventional silica-glass based and crystalline waveguide materials. We present results demonstrating that polymeric, glass nanocomposite, and colloidal sol-gel materials are highly promising waveguide materials that combine compositional flexibility with fast and relatively inexpensive processing requirements. Initial waveguide propagation loss investigations reveal these materials exhibit losses of order 2 dB/cm. Ongoing studies reveal that thermal reflowing of sol-gel waveguides is likely to reduce this loss below 1 dB/cm. Continuing investigation of polymeric guides has demonstrated that fluorinated branched electro-optic dyes can be incorporated in low loss polymer hosts with thin-film losses of well below 1 dB/cm. Both studies provide compelling evidence that these are promising new materials for waveguide applications. In addition, we present important results demonstrating that waveguide design, fabrication, and characterization is an excellent training opportunity for advanced physics and chemistry undergraduates, and fills a critical need in preparing students for advanced study in materials science. Continued progress on both research and student training is contingent on the acquisition of precision positioning and imaging equipment for the accurate measurement of optical propagation loss. Materials research has transformed the technological landscape through innovations such as optical fibers and lasers. For example, highly efficient semiconductor lasers are well-matched to low-loss optical fiber, resulting in a wealth of telecommunications developments such as high speed Internet transmission. The devices which prepare light signals for eventual transmission over fiber optic lines are referred to as integrated optics. All integrated optics have in common material structures called waveguides that confine light signals to well-defined regions smaller than the thickness of a human hair. There is considerable motivation for materials synthesis and processing techniques that simplify the fabrication of waveguide structures. At the same time, there is an urgent need to make the study of waveguide materials more accessible to undergraduate science students, in order to provide properly trained students for both graduate research and industry. Several promising approaches that satisfy both the technological and training needs of the materials research community are based on polymeric and colloidal sol-gel materials. Waveguides can be fabricated from these materials using simple coating techniques, and both offer considerable compositional flexibility. The utility of any novel waveguide material depends on its ability to transmit light with minimal attenuation, thus making the assessment of optical losses due to absorption and scattering an essential component of any waveguide materials research effort. Our preliminary results strongly suggest that polymeric and colloidal sol-gel materials can yield optical losses suitable for applications. Continued progress on both research and student training is contingent on the development of precision positioning and imaging equipment for the accurate measurement of optical propagation loss.

用于信息处理和传输的集成光波导的特征是核心和覆层结构略有不同。 折射指数对比度通过整个内部反射来指导芯内的光线。 开发材料合成和加工技术有很大的动力，可以从复杂的蒸气沉积制造工艺中免费整合光学器件。 与常规的基于二氧化硅玻璃和晶体波导材料相比，对新材料和体系结构的需求同样需要增加带宽和更大的组成柔韧性。 我们提出的结果表明，聚合物，玻璃纳米复合材料和胶体溶胶 - 凝胶材料是高度有希望的波导材料，可以将组成柔韧性与快速和相对廉价的加工要求相结合。 最初的波导传播损失研究表明，这些材料显示出2 dB/cm的损失。 正在进行的研究表明，溶胶 - 凝胶波导的热回流可能会降低到1 dB/cm以下。 对聚合物指南的持续研究表明，氟化的分支电染料可以掺入薄膜损失低于1 dB/cm的低损耗聚合物宿主中。 两项研究都提供了令人信服的证据，表明这些有望用于波导应用的新材料。 此外，我们提出了重要的结果，表明波导设计，制造和表征是高级物理和化学本科生的绝佳培训机会，并填补了为学生提供材料科学高级研究的迫切需求。 研究和学生培训的持续进展取决于获得精确定位和成像设备，以准确测量光学传播损失。 材料研究通过光纤和激光等创新改变了技术景观。 例如，高效的半导体激光器与低损坏光纤相匹配，从而产生了许多电信开发，例如高速互联网传输。 准备光信号的设备最终通过光纤线路传输称为集成光学元件。 所有集成的光学元件都具有称为波导的通用材料结构，该结构将光信号限制在明确的区域，而不是人头发的厚度。 材料合成和加工技术具有相当大的动力，可以简化波导结构的制造。同时，迫切需要使本科科学专业的学生更容易获得波导材料的研究，以便为研究生研究和行业提供适当培训的学生。 满足材料研究界的技术和培训需求的几种有希望的方法是基于聚合物和胶体溶胶材料的。 可以使用简单的涂层技术从这些材料中制造波导，并且都具有相当大的组成灵活性。 任何新型波导材料的效用都取决于其以最小的衰减传输光的能力，从而评估了由于吸收和散射而导致的光学损失，这是任何波导材料研究工作的重要组成部分。 我们的初步结果强烈表明聚合物和胶体溶胶 - 凝胶材料可以产生适合应用的光损失。 研究和学生培训的持续进展取决于精确定位和成像设备的开发，以准确测量光学传播损失。