GOALI: Magnetooptical Materials for Integrated Optical Isolators

非技术描述：未来的超高速通信和数据处理将使用光子芯片进行，其中数据使用光(而不是传统的电流)传输。这些光子芯片包括微型激光器和其他产生和调制光束的设备。光子芯片的一个重要部件被称为隔离器，它充当光的单向阀。隔离器是由透明磁性材料制成的，该项目的目标是为这些关键部件开发和测试新的和改进的材料，这将使制造完整的集成光学芯片成为可能。研究生和本科生研究人员将对该项目进行研究，并将与行业合作伙伴合作。此外，还将开展外联活动，例如在高中演示光通信系统。技术细节：这项工作很重要，因为它将探索基于钙钛矿晶格的一系列材料的性能，这些材料以前从未被考虑用于隔离器。如果成功，一系列的光子或数据存储应用是可能的。该项目将涉及制作钙钛矿结构材料，式ABO3，其中金属离子A和B关闭，使材料将是磁性的，并具有高的法拉第旋转。早期对石榴石材料的研究表明，A位的Bi或Ce和B位的Co和Fe等离子将是有希望的候选者。薄膜将采用脉冲激光沉积的方法制备，并对薄膜的结构、光学、磁性和磁光性能进行表征。这些性质将被模型化，并与离子的配位和价态相关。研究生和本科生将接受先进材料合成、测量和建模方面的培训，并将有机会与光电子公司合作并进行实习。

NON-TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION: Future ultra-fast communications and data processing will be carried out using photonic chips, in which the data is transmitted using light (instead of conventional electric current). These photonic chips include miniature lasers and other devices that produce and modulate beams of light. One important component of a photonic chip is called an isolator, which acts as one-way valve for light. Isolators are made from transparent magnetic materials, and the aim of this project is to develop and test new and improved materials for these critical components, which will make it possible to create complete integrated optical chips. Graduate and undergraduate student researchers will carry out research on this project and will collaborate with industrial partners. Additionally, outreach activities will be developed such as high school demonstrations of optical communications systems. TECHNICAL DETAILS: This work is important because it will explore the properties of a family of materials based on the perovskite lattice which have previously not been considered for isolators. If successful, a range of photonic or data storage applications are possible. The project will involve the fabrication of perovskite-structured materials, of formula ABO3, where metal ions A and B are closen such that the material will be magnetic and have a high Faraday rotation. Earlier work on garnet materials suggests that ions such as Bi or Ce in the A sites and Co and Fe in the B sites will be promising candidates. Films will be made by pulsed laser deposition and characterized in terms of structure, optical, magnetic and magnetooptical properties. The properties will be modeled and related to the coordination and valence state of the ions. Graduate and undergraduate students will be trained in advanced materials synthesis, measurement and modeling, and will have the opportunity to collaborate with photonics companies and work on internships.