STTR Phase I: Development of Materials for Optical Band Gaps in Magneto-Photonic Crystals for Switching and Biosensor Applications

这个小企业技术转让（STTR）第一阶段项目旨在开发磁光子晶体中布里渊区内的新型光学带隙，这种带隙对外部刺激反应非常灵敏。这些带隙是由于磁光光子晶体环境中不同偏振光学模式的混合而产生的。它们在功能光子晶体中的形成允许对晶体的光学响应进行磁性控制以用于快速切换应用。本计画所要解决的问题是在具有大频宽的双折射非互易周期性磁光石榴石薄膜中形成这些磁可调光学带隙所需的材料。在定制衬底上的薄磁光石榴石薄膜的液相外延将针对所有这些特性进行优化。 这些薄膜的特点将是在平面波导中采用光刻和聚焦离子束图案化实现磁光子晶体结构，这将用于证明这种方法在实现所需光学带隙方面的有效性。更广泛的影响/商业潜力将是开发具有商业应用的多功能智能材料，如高度敏感的芯片上生物传感器，可控快速光开关、滤波器和调制器以及磁场/电流传感器。生化物质的检测和分析在环境监测、生物医学研究、医疗保健和国土安全方面有着广泛的应用。光学生物传感器构成了用于检测多种类型的分析物的重要且强大的工具，所述分析物的范围从细菌和细菌孢子到病毒和DNA，以及有毒和无毒物质。简并带隙光子晶体的一个有趣的特征是能够调节带隙，从而使得该结构对于光学滤波器或开关的开发具有吸引力。光开关用于电信光信号的路由和逻辑操作。磁光开关时间比液晶、热或机械开关更快是可能的。光纤磁光传感器在基础设施、电力、汽车、电力电子、航空航天、军事、危险环境、教育和非破坏性测试等领域具有特定的应用。该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助的。

This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project seeks to develop new types of optical band gaps inside the Brillouin zone in magneto-photonic crystals that will be extremely responsive to external stimuli. These band gaps arise as a result of the hybridization of differently polarized optical modes in a magneto-optic photonic crystal environment. Their formation in functional photonic crystals permits the magnetic control of the crystals' optical response for fast switching applications. The problem to be addressed in this project is the materials requirements for the formation of these magnetically tunable optical band gaps in birefringent non-reciprocal periodic magneto-optic garnet films with large bandwidth. Liquid Phase Epitaxy of thin magneto-optic garnet films on custom substrates will be optimized for all these properties. The films will be characterized by the lithographic and focused-ion-beam patterning implementation of magneto-photonic crystal structures in planar waveguides, which will be used to demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach in achieving the desired optical band gaps.The broader impact/commercial potential will be the development of multi-functional smart materials with commercial applications, as highly sensitive on-chip biosensors, controllable fast optical switches, filters and modulators and magnetic field/current sensors. The detection and analysis of biochemical substances has vast applications in environmental monitoring, biomedical research, healthcare, and homeland security. Optical biosensors constitute an important and powerful tool for the detection of multiple types of analytes ranging from bacteria and bacterial spores to virus and DNA, as well as toxic and non-toxic substances. An interesting feature of the degenerate band gap photonic crystals is the ability to tune a band gap, thus making the structure attractive for the development of optical filters or switches. Optical switching is used in the routing of optical signals for telecommunications and in logic operations. Magneto-optic switching times faster than liquid-crystal, thermal or mechanically based switches are possible. Optical fiber magneto-optic sensors have specific applications in the areas of infrastructure, electric power, automotive, power electronics, aerospace, military, hazardous environments, educational and non-destructive testing. This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).