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

这一小型企业技术转让(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，该带隙将对外部刺激做出极大的响应。这些带隙的产生是磁光光子晶体环境中不同偏振光学模式杂化的结果。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控制，以实现快速切换应用。本项目要解决的问题是在大带宽的双折射非互易周期磁光石榴石薄膜中形成这些磁可调光学带隙所需的材料。在定制衬底上的石榴石磁光薄膜的液相外延将针对所有这些特性进行优化。这些薄膜的特征是在平面波导中实现磁光子晶体结构的光刻和聚焦离子束图案化，这将被用来展示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，如高灵敏度的片上生物传感器、可控的快速光开关、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等方面有着广泛的应用。光学生物传感器是检测从细菌和细菌孢子到病毒和DNA以及有毒和无毒物质等多种分析物的重要而强大的工具。简并带隙光子晶体的一个有趣的特征是能够调节带隙，从而使这种结构对光学滤光器或开关的发展具有吸引力。光交换用于电信和逻辑运算的光信号的路由。磁光开关的速度可能比液晶、热或机械开关更快。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、教育和无损检测等领域有着特殊的应用。该奖项是根据2009年《美国复苏和再投资法案》(公法111-5)提供资金的。

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).