Innovative Designs of Optical Fiber Components, Devices, and Sources Compatible with the Mid-Infrared

与中红外兼容的光纤元件、器件和光源的创新设计

• 批准号: RGPIN-2022-03989
• 负责人: Rochette, Martin
• 金额: $ 2.4万
• 依托单位: McGill University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=752245
• 关键词: Innovative; Designs; Optical; Fiber; Components

Mid-infrared (mid-IR) components, devices, and sources in the 2-25 µm molecular fingerprint region are in high demand for a wide range of applications including optical coherence tomography, remote sensing, molecular spectroscopy, and hyperspectral imaging. For instance, chemical substances exhibit vibrational and rotational absorption bands in the mid-IR, and the unique signature left by these fundamental bands provides a universal means for their identification and quantification. Despite a vast range of applications, photonics technologies in the mid-IR have barely emerged with respect to widespread photonics technologies in the near-IR (0.7-2.0 µm). This is due to the optical transmission of silica fiber, a fundamental component of fiber optics, that is limited to the spectral range of 0.4-2.0 µm. Fiber optics in the mid-IR therefore require transmission media other than silica to become viable. In the past years, my research has successfully demonstrated new designs of optical fiber components, optical fiber devices, and optical fiber sources (OF-CDS) such as couplers, wavelength converters, fiber lasers, and supercontinuum sources. Chalcogenide glasses have been central to the fabrication of those OF-CDS, mainly because of their high-nonlinearity. However, chalcogenide glasses also provides OF-CDS a good degree of compatibility with the mid-IR, thanks to their transparency in this wavelength range. In response to the current need of mid-IR photonics and taking advantage of the strong momentum of my research group for the fabrication of OF-CDS using chalcogenide glasses, my research program for the next 5 years will consist into the development of innovative designs of OF-CDS compatible with the mid-IR. Building blocks that will be used for the fabrication of OF-CDS include new chalcogenide fiber compositions to extend the transparency at long wavelengths, fluoride fibers for the gain they can provide, and recently developed fiber couplers to build laser cavities. The proposed program addresses a growing concern across Canada, that is, the development of monitoring and sensing tools for health services, environment, and industry. This program harnesses current photonics technologies and scientifically mature optical materials, namely chalcogenide and fluoride glasses, to close an important gap in the market offerings of mid-IR fiber optics. Innovative OF-CDS will emerge from this program, leading to intellectual property and maintaining the Canadian industry at the forefront of photonics technologies. The proposed program will also contribute to the training of at least 18 HQP at the PhD, MEng, and BEng levels, in both fundamental and applied aspects of photonics. The budget is mostly devoted to training HQP, a reflection that one of the most important outcome of the program will be the HQP that contribute to continued Canadian innovation and leadership in high technologies at the service of industry, health services, and environment.

2-25 µm 分子指纹区域的中红外 (mid-IR) 组件、设备和光源对于光学相干断层扫描、遥感、分子光谱和高光谱成像等广泛应用有着很高的需求。例如，化学物质在中红外中表现出振动和旋转吸收带，这些基本带留下的独特特征为其识别和定量提供了通用方法。尽管应用范围广泛，但与广泛应用的近红外（0.7-2.0 µm）光子技术相比，中红外光子技术还几乎没有出现。这是由于石英光纤（光纤的基本组成部分）的光传输仅限于 0.4-2.0 µm 的光谱范围。因此，中红外光纤需要二氧化硅以外的传输介质才能变得可行。在过去的几年里，我的研究成功地展示了光纤元件、光纤器件和光纤源（OF-CDS）的新设计，例如耦合器、波长转换器、光纤激光器和超连续谱源。硫族化物玻璃一直是 OF-CDS 制造的核心，主要是因为它们具有高度非线性。然而，硫族化物玻璃还为 OF-CDS 提供了与中红外的良好兼容性，这要归功于其在该波长范围内的透明度。为了满足当前中红外光子学的需求，并利用我的研究小组使用硫系玻璃制造 OF-CDS 的强劲势头，我未来 5 年的研究计划将包括开发与中红外兼容的 OF-CDS 创新设计。 用于制造 OF-CDS 的构建模块包括用于扩展长波长透明度的新型硫族化物光纤成分、用于提供增益的氟化物光纤，以及最近开发的用于构建激光腔的光纤耦合器。拟议的计划解决了加拿大各地日益关注的问题，即为卫生服务、环境和工业开发监测和传感工具。该计划利用当前的光子技术和科学上成熟的光学材料，即硫族化物和氟化物玻璃，来缩小中红外光纤市场产品的重要差距。该计划将产生创新的 OF-CDS，从而带来知识产权并保持加拿大行业处于光子技术的前沿。拟议的计划还将有助于在光子学基础和应用方面培训至少 18 名博士、硕士和工程学士级别的高级人才。预算主要用于培训 HQP，这反映出该计划最重要的成果之一将是 HQP 为加拿大在工业、卫生服务和环境服务的高科技方面的持续创新和领导力做出贡献。