Mid-infrared optical sources for sensing applications

在该合作项目的框架内，将开发波长范围为2.0 μ m至4.5 μm的中红外超紧凑和低能耗光源。为此，我们建议使用硫系玻璃作为主要的工程材料，其独特的非线性和透明度在中红外。开发的源包括可调谐激光器，波长转换器，超连续谱源和放大器，用于紧凑的化学传感器设备。这些光源主要用于工业和生物医学领域，以应对当前中红外照明手段的缺乏。 该项目涉及麦吉尔大学和Coractive High-Tech之间的密切合作。我们共同带来了硫系玻璃净化、光纤和光源架构方面的集体专业知识。参与该项目的劳动力包括博士生和本科生，他们将成为这一创新研究领域的专家。 加拿大工业将受益于该项目框架内开发的知识产权和高素质人才。在硫系化合物微丝的研究过程中，我们已经开发了三项专利。随着对中红外光源的重要需求以及硫系玻璃在该波长区域的强大潜力，我们打算开发一种独特的IP包，为加拿大社会创造财富。Coractive高科技的工业合作者通过提供现金和实物捐助积极参与该项目。此外，鉴于他们与光子市场的密切互动，他们是项目方向的宝贵建议来源。特种纤维行业Coractive将非常适合利用IP包。

Ultra-compact and low energy consuming optical sources in the wavelength range of 2.0 um to 4.5 µm of the mid-infrared will be developed in the framework of this collaborative project. For this purpose, we propose to use chalcogenide glasses as the main engineering material, with their unique nonlinearity and transparency in the mid-infrared. The sources developed include tunable lasers, wavelength converters, supercontinuum sources and amplifiers to be used in compact chemical sensors devices. These sources respond to the current lack of illumination means in the mid-infrared, mainly for the industrial and biomedical communities. The project involves close collaborations in between McGill University and Coractive High-Tech. Together, we bring a collective expertise with chalcogenide glass purification, optical fibers and optical sources architectures. The workforce involved in this project includes students at the PhD level and undergraduate students, who will become experts in this innovative field of research. The Canadian industry will benefit from the intellectual property and highly qualified personnel developed in the framework of this project. We have already developed three patents in the course of the research on chalcogenide microwires. With the important need for optical sources in the mid-infrared and the strong potential of chalcogenide glass in this wavelength region, we intend to develop a unique IP package that will generate wealth for the Canadian society. The industrial collaborators from Coractive high-tech are strongly involved in the project by providing cash and in-kind contribution. In addition, they are source of precious advice for the direction of the project in light of their close interaction with the photonics market. Coractive, a specialty fiber industry, would be perfectly suited to take advantage of the IP package.