SBIR Phase II: Laser Direct-Writing Technique to Produce Integrated Optical Amplifier/Splitter

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第二阶段项目将继续第一阶段项目的成功工作，并通过激光直接写入湿化学衍生的掺铒涂层来开发集成放大器/分离器。前驱体溶液将在分子水平上混合，以产生纯净而均匀的材料。波导结构将用激光写入掺铒氟化物涂层中，这将提高其折射率以限制光。掺铒通道波导将被980 nm的源泵浦，以放大1550 nm的信号。集成光学设备（如放大分光器）的市场总价值达1亿美元。这种设备将加速光纤的最后一英里，因为它将取代目前的离散分路器和放大器的串行排列，由于组件和互连的数量，这种排列既笨重又昂贵。所提出的集成技术也将使光学集成电路和下一代计算成为可能。原型将在第二阶段制造。TPL在湿化学处理方面拥有丰富的经验，并展示了将其技术商业化的能力。该学院是激光发射、溶胶-凝胶衍生薄膜的先驱研究者。光径科技将协助TPL进行设备和市场开发。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)Phase II project will continue the successfulwork from the Phase I project and develop integrated amplifier/splitters through laserdirect writing of wet-chemically derived, erbium-doped coatings. Precursor solutions willbe mixed on the molecular level to produce pure and homogeneous materials. Waveguidestructures will be written into the erbium-doped fluoride coatings with a laser, whichraises its index of refraction to confine light. The erbium-doped channel waveguides willbe pumped with a 980 nm source to amplify 1550 nm signals.Markets in which integrated optical devices, such as amplified splitters, can be usedtotal several $100 million. This device will expedite bringing fiber the last mile becauseit will replace the current serial arrangement of discrete splitters and amplifiers, whichis bulky and expensive due to the number of components and interconnects. The proposedintegration techniques will also enable optical integrated circuits and next-generationcomputing.Prototypes will be fabricated during Phase II. TPL has extensive experience inwet-chemical processing and demonstrated ability to commercialize its technologies. The PIis a pioneering researcher of laser-fired, sol-gel derived films. LightPath Technologieswill assist TPL with device and marketing development.