Structured photonic devices for advanced sensing

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The development of new materials with distinctive optical properties has led to major scientific breakthroughs in recent years. For example, the 2014 Nobel Prize for Physics was awarded to a group of Japanese researchers for the development of blue light emitting diodes that now enable to light the world in a manner that is much more efficient and environmentally sound than traditional incandescent lights. This technological revolution clearly shows the impact that optical material engineering has had on the technological advancement of modern society. The proposed research program follows this movement by targeting the development of a new generation of laser micro- and even nano-structured photonic band gap materials. The advanced optical properties of these new materials, specifically the propagation of structural slow light that lead to high optical confinement, will support the development of far-reaching technological innovations in coming years. Various flagship applications for sensing will be developed in collaboration with a number of academic and industrial researchers whose expertise complements mine. This research program will enable the training of 14 highly qualified persons as well as the development of a new research field at Université Laval. A first research thrust will focus on the study of the fundamental properties and the optimization of the periodic structuration of transparent materials by femtosecond lasers. The non-resonating interaction of ultrafast and intense pulses focussed inside transparent materials will trigger the photosensitivity that will be used to precisely modify their refractive index. We will study this interaction in an interference context and optimize the performance of written structures for various optical materials, some of which are already well-known, like silica, and others less explored, like fluoride and chalcogenide glasses, as well as for other new materials of interest for sensing applications that will be developed within this project. A novel method for writing waveguides and Bragg gratings directly on a fiber during the drawing process will also be developed and will spur the deployment of a new generation of distributed sensors. A second research thrust will focus on the development of innovative sensors which take advantage of the structured components that are the outcome of work from the first thrust. Three major projects will be set in motion based on a collaborative approach. Two passive sensing technologies will be developed: distributed sensors suited for harsh environments and strain sensors with extreme sensitivity based on the propagation of structural slow light. An active sensor technology based on mid-infrared innovative sources will also be developed for remote spectroscopy of chemical agents to enable new high-end applications in various fields such environment, defense/security and medicine.