NER: Flexible Photonic Crystals - A New Pathway to Tunability

建议进行探索性的研究和教育计划，以开发和展示基于柔性光子晶体（PC）的新的动态可调纳米光子器件概念。柔性PC由高折射率介电材料和低折射率柔性聚合物的周期性阵列组成。可调谐性通过由微机械致动器施加机械力来实现，该致动器引起晶体结构的变化以及随后的光子带结构的变化。将解决的基础科学和工程是（1）通过广泛的数值模拟开发新型可调光子晶体器件设计，（2）使用光刻技术制造这种可调纳米光子器件和（3）通过结构和光学表征技术进行全面的器件表征。该项目是首次尝试将纳米光子学和纳米/微机电系统（NEMS/MEMS）技术这两个传统上互不相关的领域联合收割机结合起来，为实现纳米光子器件的可调谐性提供了一条全新的途径，具有很强的探索性，将为研究生提供一个很好的研究机会。它还建议开发专题讲座的基础上，本研究项目，可用于现有的和新开发的研究生课程在美国科罗拉多大学博尔德分校（UCB）和得克萨斯大学达拉斯。它将大大有助于UCB教师正在进行的努力，以建立一个专注于纳米光子学的教育计划。它还将有助于UCB光学科学和工程的NSF-IGERT计划。拟议中的计划对科罗拉多州和得克萨斯州具有额外的重要性，因为那里有高度集中的光子和电信公司。该提案旨在通过开发具有高商业潜力的新纳米光子器件概念以及提供训练有素的工程师来支持本地和国家的光子/微电子行业。此外，研究成果将通过传统和非传统的方式，如大学网站，NSF数字图书馆和CD-ROM广泛传播。

It is proposed to conduct an exploratory research and education program to develop and demonstrate new dynamically tunable nano-photonic device concept based on flexible photonic crystals (PCs). The flexible PC is comprised of a periodic array of high index dielectric material and a low index flexible polymer. The tunability is achieved by applying mechanical force by a micromachined actuator, which induces changes in the crystal structure and subsequently in the photonic band structure. The fundamental science and engineering that will be addressed are (1) development of novel tunable photonic crystal device design by extensive numerical simulations, (2) fabrication of such tunable nano-photonic devices using lithography techniques and (3) comprehensive device characterization by both structural and optical characterization techniques. The proposed program is highly exploratory as it represents the first attempt, to our knowledge, to combine two traditionally unrelated fields, namely, nano-photonics and nano-/micro-electro-mechanical systems (NEMS/MEMS) technology, providing a completely new pathway to achieve tunability in nano-photonic devices.This program will provide an excellent research opportunity for graduate students. It is also proposed to develop special topic lectures based on this research project that can be used for both existing and newly developed graduate courses at both University of Colorado at Boulder (UCB) and University of Texas at Dallas. It will significantly contribute to the on-going effort by the UCB faculty to build a focused educational program on nano-photonics. It will also contribute to the NSF-IGERT program on optical science and engineering at UCB. The proposed program has an added importance to the states of Colorado and Texas where high concentrations of photonics and telecommunication companies are located. This proposal is intended to support the photonics/microelectronics industry, both local and national, by developing new nano-photonic device concepts with high commercial potential and also by supplying well-trained engineers. Also, the research results will be broadly disseminated by both conventional and unconventional means such as the university websites, NSF digital library and CD-ROMs.