Novel active nanophotonic devices in rare-earth doped double tungstates

Informations projet

RE-ACT

N° de convention de subvention: 293891

Projet clôturé

Date de début 1 Août 2011

Date de fin 31 Juillet 2015

Financé au titre de

• Specific programme "People" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013)

Coût total € 100 000,00

Contribution de l’UE € 100 000,00

Coordonné par

UNIVERSITEIT TWENTE
Netherlands

Final Report Summary - RE-ACT (Novel active nanophotonic devices in rare-earth doped double tungstates)

The development of very compact photonic integrated circuits, the size of which should be comparable to the size of electronic circuits, on-chip sources with very narrow linewidths, on-chip high-bit-rate amplifiers and novel devices capable of all-optical advanced functionalities requiring inexpensive fabrication techniques compatible with integration onto a CMOS platform is needed. The ultimate objective of Re-ACT is to set the basis towards the development of a toolbox of building blocks that will enable the realization of the aforementioned integrated active nanophotonic devices. To that aim, the combination of plasmonics and rare-earth doped crystalline potassium double tungstate (KREW) gain materials will be explored.

During the four years of Re-ACT, many technology and device concept development has been carried out in the following research areas:

1. High-contrast waveguide devices in rare-earth doped KREW:

KREW is a crystalline gain material. Only isolated devices in this material had been reported before the start of Re-ACT. The reason was that, in order to obtain high optical quality crystalline layers, the doped layers should be grown on lattice matched substrates, limiting the range of materials onto which the devices can be integrated. In Re-ACT, heterogeneous integration techniques have been proposed to perform the integration of KREW onto different substrates, such as SiO2 and silicon [1,2] . Both, ion slicing with light ions (i.e. H2+ and He+) and lapping and polishing were investigated for the transfer of a thin KREW membrane. The integration of KREW onto passive photonic platforms will permit the realization of devices with different functionalities.

The “Active materials” module from the commercial software package PhoeniX B.V. was adapted to the models of the materials used in this project. Tapered amplifier sections to enhance the coupling to the amplifier waveguide were designed. In order to optimize the size of the taper sections, a novel methodology for the design of non-linear tapers was proposed and numerically demonstrated [3]. Bends on waveguides made on KREW [4] as well as gain compensation in different plasmonic waveguide structures using KREW [5,6] were numerically investigated.

2. Reduction of total bend losses by the introduction of a thin metal layer underneath the core of an optical waveguide

During the Re-ACT project, it was numerically and experimentally demonstrated that the introduction of a thin metal layer underneath the core of a low-contrast waveguide reduced the overall bend losses [7,8,9]. This study was realized on SU8 waveguides on SiO2 substrates, but it can be applied to any other low contrast waveguide architecture.

3. Waveguide-SERS sensors:

A new activity that started during the Re-ACT project and that has led to a fully funded project (STW-HTSM “Waterprint”) was the development of surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) sensors integrated on top of optical waveguides. The sensors can have multiple applications in different fields. A feasibility study on the use of these sensors for toxicology tests in waste water has started in the last month of the Re-ACT project.

The results obtained within Re-ACT have acted as “seeds” that led to larger funded projects to fully realize the proposed ideas. The HiReAmp (STW-HTSM), Memphis (STW-Perspectief) and RENOS (ERC-Consolidator) grants will further explore the utilization of high-contrast waveguides in KREW for the realization of on-chip amplifiers, lasers and novel frequency generation based on the expected enhancement of the non-linear properties of the material. The Waterprint (STW-HTSM) project will utilize plasmonic nanoparticles in combination to passive waveguides to realize SERS sensors for the detection of contaminants in drinking water.
The results achieved during this project will pave the road towards highly integrated photonic systems with applications in telecommunications and sensors. The possibility to integrate as much functionality on the chip as desired, with almost unlimited bandwidth and with very low power consumption will open the door to new concepts in telecommunications, computing and personal entertainment that will revolutionize the way human communications will take place. Several breakthroughs in diagnostics, medical imaging and environmental monitoring are also expected. Re-ACT has been instrumental for the PI to achieve her tenure and integrate at the University of Twente as tenured Associate Professor.

[1] M. A. Sefunc et. al., Proc. IEEE Photonics Benelux, Mons, Belgium (2012).
[2] M. A. Sefunc et. al., in preparation.
[3] A. Rubini et. al., Proc. IEEE Photonics Benelux, Brussels, Belgium (2015).
[4] T. Dubbink et.al. Proc. ICTON 2013, Cartagena, Spain (2013).
[5] S. M. García-Blanco et.al. Proc. ICTON 2012, Coventry, UK (2012).
[6] S. M. García-Blanco et.al. Opt. Express 19, 25298-25310 (2011).
[7] M. A. Sefunc et.al. Opt. Express 21, 29808-29817 (2013).
[8] M. A. Sefunc et.al. Proc. IEEE Photonics Benelux, Eindhoven, Netherlands (2013).
[9] M. A. Sefunc et.al. Proc. SPIE 9365, 93650V (2015).

Documents connexes

• final1-figures-of-the-final-publishable-summary.docx