Collaborative Research: EAGER: Generation and Manipulation of New Sources in 20-60 micron on a Chip

摘要：（非技术性）尽管具有广泛的应用，但从未证明具有该范围内的长波长的激光辐射。它的有用性使得它的生成，操作和检测成为光子学社区面临的关键任务。目前还没有任何关于导波方法在20-60微米的长波长范围内产生、操纵和检测辐射的研究，因此我们认为拟议的研究将有助于启动这一令人兴奋的新领域。 为了实现在芯片上产生长波长辐射、其操纵和检测的总体目标，我们的目标是识别材料并构建光学差频产生设备，开发用于差频产生的紧凑型激光源，并在芯片上构建集成的长波长信号处理器。 在芯片上产生、操纵和检测长波长辐射的能力将对包括吸收光谱、成像和光通信在内的许多应用产生重大影响。这项研究不仅将推进芯片级集成远红外辐射系统的基础科学和技术，还将探索生物学、化学、安全、物理学和天文学等领域的新应用。该项目将为研究生和本科生提供科学培训，并促进与圣地亚哥初中和高中的外联、教育和合作。通过我们与斯威特沃特，普鲁斯和高科技高中的关系，我们将继续成功地吸引不同种族，性别和经济背景的学生在科学，技术，工程和数学（干）。（技术）波长在20至60微米之间的辐射在生物学、化学、安全、物理学和天文学等领域有着广泛的应用。它的有用性使得它的生成，操作和检测成为光子学社区面临的关键任务。在光辐射的这个光谱范围内的技术的最新水平处于萌芽状态，目前的研究集中在自由空间实现上。 长波长辐射的产生通常利用使用近红外激光源的频率混合，并产生约数十瓦的功率水平，这受到自由空间实现方式的相位匹配和对应的相互作用长度的限制。 此外，对长波长辐射的有效检测也提出了关键的挑战。很明显，在芯片上实现导波将对推进长波长光谱范围内的光子学产生巨大影响，因为它允许工程混合材料结构具有大的非线性和透明度，这与工程相位匹配一起将使长波长辐射的有效产生，传输和检测成为可能。 该提案的总体目标是建立芯片级集成技术，用于产生、操纵和检测波长范围为20-60微米的光辐射。具体来说，我们的目标是全面理解和实验证明：（1）各种材料平台，其具有与芯片级实现兼容的传输和有效差频产生所需的性质，（2）向下选择的材料的特性，包括它们的非线性损伤阈值，（3）用于在所选材料中产生差频的紧凑激光源，以及（4）具有工程相位匹配的导波配置的设计和制造方法，用于长波长辐射的有效生成和检测。 所提出的芯片级集成长波长处理器将对包括吸收光谱、成像和光通信在内的众多应用产生重大影响。拟议的研究不仅将推进芯片级集成远红外系统的基础科学和技术，还将使生物学，化学，安全，物理学和天文学的新应用探索成为可能。

Abstract: (Non-technical)A laser radiation with long wavelengths in the range has never been demonstrated even though it has a wide range of applications. Its usefulness makes its generation, manipulation and detection a critical task faced by the photonics community. There has not been any research on the guided wave approach to the generation, manipulation and detection of radiation in the long wavelength range of 20-60 micrometers, and therefore we feel that the proposed research will help to start this new and exciting field. To achieve the overarching goal on creating long wavelength radiation, its manipulation and detection on a chip, we aim to identify materials and construct optical difference-frequency generating devices, develop compact laser sources for difference-frequency generation, and construct integrated long wavelength signal processors on a chip. The ability to generate, manipulate and detect long wavelength radiation on a chip will have a significant impact on numerous applications including absorption spectroscopy, imaging and optical communications. The proposed research will not only advance the basic science and technology of chip-scale integrated far infrared radiation systems, but will also enable exploration of novel applications in biology, chemistry, security, physics, and astronomy. The project will provide scientific training for students at graduate and undergraduate levels as well as contribute to outreach, education and collaborative efforts with San Diego middle and high schools. Through our relationships with the Sweetwater, Preuss, and High Tech High Schools, we will continue to successfully engage students of diverse ethnicity, gender and economic backgrounds in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). (Technical) Radiation with wavelengths ranging from 20 to 60 micrometers has a wide range of applications in such fields as biology, chemistry, security, physics, and astronomy. Its usefulness makes its generation, manipulation and detection a critical task faced by the photonics community. The state of the art of the technology in this spectral range of optical radiation is in embryonic state with the current research focused on free space realizations. The generation of long wavelength radiation typically exploits frequency mixing using near-infrared laser sources and produces power levels of about tens of nanowatts, limited by phase matching and corresponding interaction length for free space implementations. Moreover, efficient detection of long wavelength radiation also imposes a critical challenge. It is evident that guided wave realizations on a chip will have a huge impact on advancing photonics in long wavelength spectral range because it allows engineering hybrid material structures with large nonlinearities and transparency, which together with engineering phase matching will enable efficient generation, transmission and detection of long wavelength radiation. The overall goal of this proposal is to establish chip-scale integrated technology for generation, manipulation and detection of optical radiation in the wavelength range of 20-60 micrometers. Specifically, our objectives aim to comprehensively understand and experimentally demonstrate: (1) various material platforms with properties necessary for transmission and efficient difference-frequency generation compatible with chip-scale realizations, (2) characteristics of the down-selected materials, including their nonlinear damage thresholds, (3) compact laser sources for difference-frequency generation in selected materials, and (4) designs and fabrication methodology of guided wave configurations with engineered phase matching for efficient generation and detection of the long wavelength radiation. The proposed chip-scale integrated long wavelength processors will have a significant impact on numerous applications including absorption spectroscopy, imaging and optical communications. The proposed research will not only advance the basic science and technology of chip-scale integrated far infrared systems, but will also enable exploration of novel applications in biology, chemistry, security, physics, and astronomy.