Ion Beam Engineering of Single-Crystal Sapphire Fibers for Fabrication of Buried Optical Claddings in Harsh Environment Sensing Applications

用于在恶劣环境传感应用中制造埋入光学包层的单晶蓝宝石光纤的离子束工程

• 批准号: 0926141
• 负责人: MengBing Huang
• 金额: $ 23.38万
• 依托单位: SUNY at Albany
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2009
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2009-09-01 至 2011-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0926141&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Ion; Beam; Engineering; Single; Crystal

The implementation of advanced sensing technology based on single-crystal sapphire fiber optics in harsh environment sensing applications is hindered by the lack of an appropriate cladding structure for sapphire fibers that is able to function without degradation or failure under harsh conditions. This NSF project aims to address the challenge by exploring a solution relying on ion implantation and thermal annealing for achieving buried optical claddings within single-crystal sapphire fibers. Basic knowledge about the effects of ion implantation and thermal annealing on the optical and structural properties of single-crystal sapphire fibers, will be acquired. On the basis of such knowledge, design and fabrication of embedded claddings in sapphire fibers will be performed. The performance of prototyped sapphire fiber claddings will be evaluated under harsh conditions encountered in combustion processes of industrial applications (e.g., power plants and engines). Possible correlation between the performance characteristics of such claddings and the material properties of sapphire fibers, will be identified to optimize materials processing in fabrication of high-quality buried claddings in single-crystal sapphire fibers. The success of the research would be very useful for industrial applications requiring harsh environment sensing. The project will facilitate a close collaboration/partnership between university and industry, promising a rapid transfer of enabling harsh-condition sensing technology from an academic setting to the industry if the technology proves viable. The research will enable a coherent integration of research with education, by establishing connections between basic scientific concepts and industrial applications in teaching of graduate student courses, and by providing the involved graduate student and underrepresented undergraduate students with various research experiences on materials processing and characterization, as well as fabrication and testing of fiber-based optical devices. These will prepare the students for their future research careers, and in turn will help the industry recruit talents for its R&D programs.

基于单晶蓝宝石光纤光学器件的先进传感技术在恶劣环境传感应用中的实施受到蓝宝石光纤缺乏合适的包层结构的阻碍，该包层结构能够在恶劣条件下不退化或失效地起作用。这个NSF项目旨在通过探索一种依靠离子注入和热退火的解决方案来解决这一挑战，以在单晶蓝宝石光纤中实现埋入式光学包层。本课程将介绍离子注入和热退火对单晶蓝宝石光纤光学和结构特性影响的基本知识。在此基础上，将进行蓝宝石光纤包层的设计与制作。原型蓝宝石光纤包层的性能将在工业应用的燃烧过程中遇到的苛刻条件下进行评估（例如，发电厂和发动机）。这种包层的性能特性和蓝宝石光纤的材料特性之间的可能的相关性，将被确定，以优化材料处理在单晶蓝宝石光纤中的高质量的掩埋包层的制造。该研究的成功对于需要恶劣环境传感的工业应用非常有用。该项目将促进大学和行业之间的密切合作/伙伴关系，如果技术证明可行，则有望将使恶劣条件传感技术从学术环境快速转移到行业。该研究将通过在研究生课程教学中建立基本科学概念和工业应用之间的联系，并通过为参与的研究生和代表性不足的本科生提供材料加工和表征方面的各种研究经验，以及基于光纤的光学设备的制造和测试，使研究与教育相结合。这将为学生未来的研究事业做好准备，反过来也将有助于行业为其研发计划招募人才。