GOALI: Spatially selective phase transformations of glass to single crystal and electrically conducting 3D architectures

非技术描述：正如集成电路技术减小了尺寸、降低了成本并使复杂的电子设备能够被大众所使用一样，从表面上的离散光学元件的2D组装到3D集成光学平台的过渡预计会产生类似的变革性影响，特别是随着对信息和数据传输的需求不断增加。需要特殊透明单晶的光子操纵本质上要困难得多，这使得集成光学成为一个持续的挑战，而电子很容易通过任何导线流动。这个产学合作项目推进了新的制造方法，以实现适用于实际设备的玻璃中的光学活性单晶结构，同时通过新颖的巴斯德合作伙伴博士（P3）模型教育博士生。这些学生追求由教师和公司科学家共同建议的使用启发的多学科研究，并获得在工业，学术界，国家实验室等成功职业的基本技能。 技术规格：如果没有光学有源元件，工作的集成“微光学芯片”将是不完整的，这些光学有源元件也可用于接收电信号。这样的元件需要是结合在波导电路内的高质量电光单晶。该项目建立在玻璃中的铁电单晶结构（SCAG）的成功演示的基础上，该结构是使用飞秒激光在3D中构建的。然而，这种SCAG波导的光损耗太高。通常SCAG的形成伴随着玻璃和晶体之间元素的重新分配。此外，晶格的SCAG的修改所产生的应力在结晶过程中的生长前沿的密度变化。通过对周围玻璃限制下晶体生长的这些特征的基本理解，该项目通过在晶体内创建渐变折射率分布来减少光学损耗。通过适当强度分布的激光束对温度的动态控制来引入所需的折射率变化。与此同时，该项目正在通过fs激光照射形成金属纳米颗粒或导电氧化物的沉淀物来形成导电路径。该项目为一系列光子和光电应用引入了制造3D玻璃中晶体超材料的新方法。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

NON-TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION: Just as integrated circuit technology reduced the size, lowered the cost and made sophisticated electronic devices accessible to masses, a similar transformative impact is expected from the transition of 2D assembly of discrete optical elements on a surface to a 3D integrated optics platform, especially with ever increasing demand for information and data transmission. Manipulation of photons that require special transparent single crystals is inherently much more difficult, making integrated optics a persistent challenge vs. that of electrons that flow readily through any conducting wire. This industry-university collaborative project advances new fabrication methods for realizing optically active single crystal architecture in glass suitable for practical devices, while educating doctoral students through a novel Pasteur Partners PhD (P3) model. These students pursue use-inspired multidisciplinary research co-advised by a faculty and a company scientist, and acquire essential skills for successful careers in industry, academia, national labs, etc. TECHNICAL DETAILS: A working integrated ‘micro-optics chip’ would not be complete without optically active elements that are also accessible to receive an electrical signal. Such elements need to be high quality electro-optic single crystals incorporated within a circuit of waveguides. This project builds on the successful demonstration of ferroelectric single crystal architecture in glass (SCAG) which is constructed in 3D using femtosecond lasers. However, the optical loss of such SCAG waveguides has been too high. Often the SCAG formation is accompanied by a redistribution of elements between glass and crystal. Also, the lattice of SCAG is modified by the stresses resulting from change in density at the growth front during crystallization. Through a fundamental understanding of these features of crystal growth under the confinement by the surrounding glass, this project is reducing optical loss by creating a graded refractive index profile within the crystal. The desired variation of refractive index is introduced through dynamic control of temperature by a laser beam of appropriate intensity profile. In parallel, this project is pursuing formation of conducting paths by forming metallic nanoparticles or precipitates of a conducting oxide by fs laser irradiation. The project is introducing new methodologies for fabricating 3D crystal-in-glass metamaterials for a range of photonic and optoelectronic applications.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.