Hollow waveguides and micro-cavities for optofluidics

拟议的研究在于集成光学，微机电系统（MEMS）和微流体之间日益重要的交叉点。我们的长期目标是通过将光学器件（例如波导、谐振腔）、机电元件（例如电和磁控制结构）以及微流体或原子输送通道和储存器紧密集成，展示复杂的"芯片上的光流体系统"。* 该提案的基础是我们先前开发的一种新型MEMS类屈曲自组装工艺，该工艺使我们能够在硅基芯片上制造低缺陷的空心结构。这些空芯网络可以包括微流体通道、低损耗光波导、光谱色散元件和高质量微腔。* 在此基础上，我们的主要目标是开发空芯光学微腔阵列，与空心波导和微流体输送机制单片集成。这种类型的开放式光学微腔可以渗透液体，气体或原子，并且具有解决光学传感和信息处理领域内的关键需求的巨大潜力：芯片实验室系统中的光学传感-微流体与光学检测设备（微腔、微光谱仪等）的紧密集成被广泛寻求。最终目标是实现功能强大，低成本，便携式和广泛分布的传感和分析设备。拟议的工作有很大潜力在这方面取得进展，并可能对卫生、能源和环境监测部门产生影响。* 二.量子信息处理-量子网络有望在计算和安全通信方面取得巨大进步，并将深入了解量子力学的基本性质。光与原子在光学谐振腔内的相互作用，有时被称为腔量子电动力学（CQED），被认为是实现这些目标的领先候选技术。到目前为止，还没有一种实用的方法来在芯片上实现高精细度、开放式微腔的大阵列。拟议的工作有很大的潜力来满足这一需要。* 总之，我们将开发新的光学集成技术，并将这些技术应用于传感和信息科学。*****

The proposed research lies at the increasingly important intersection between integrated optics, micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS), and microfluidics. Our long-term aim is to demonstrate complex `optofluidic systems on a chip' by targeting close integration of optical devices (e.g. waveguides, resonant cavities), electromechanical elements (e.g. electrical and magnetic control structures), and microfluidic or atom delivery channels and reservoirs. ***Underpinning the proposal is our previous development of a novel MEMS-like, buckling self-assembly process, which enables us to fabricate low-defect, air-core structures on a silicon-based chip. These air-core networks can encompass microfluidic channels, low-loss optical waveguides, spectral dispersion elements, and high quality micro-cavities. ***Building on this, our main objective is to develop arrays of air-core optical micro-cavities, monolithically integrated with hollow waveguides and microfluidic delivery mechanisms. Open-access optical micro-cavities of this kind can be infiltrated with liquids, gases, or atoms, and have great potential to address key needs within both the optical sensing and information processing fields: ***i. Optical sensing in lab-on-a-chip systems - Close integration of microfluidics with optical detection devices (micro-cavities, micro-spectrometers, etc.) is widely sought. The ultimate goal is the realization of powerful, low-cost, portable, and widely distributed sensing and analysis devices. The proposed work has strong potential to enable progress in this regard, and could have implications for the health, energy, and environmental monitoring sectors. ***ii. Quantum information processing - Quantum networks are expected to enable great advances in computing and secure communications, and will also yield insights into the fundamental nature of quantum mechanics. Interaction of atoms and light within optical resonant cavities, sometimes termed cavity quantum electrodynamics (CQED), is considered a leading candidate technology to achieve these goals. To date, there is no practical approach to the implementation of large arrays of high-finesse, open-access micro-cavities on a chip. The proposed work has strong potential to address this need. ***In summary, we will develop new optical integration technologies, and will apply these technologies to applications in sensing and information science. *****