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At least 73 records · Page 4
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2008

Delaying Trains of Short Light Pulses in WGM Resonators

Suitably configured whispering-gallery-mode (WGM) optical resonators have been proposed as delay lines for trains of short light pulses. Until now, it has been common practice to implement an optical delay line as a coiled long optical fiber, which is bulky and tends to be noisy. An alternative has been to implement an optical delay line as a coupled-resonator optical waveguide (a chain of coupled optical resonators), which is compact but limits the width of the pulse spectrum to the width of an optical resonance and thereby places a lower limit on the duration of a pulse. In contrast, a delay line according to the proposal could be implemented as a single WGM resonator, and the pulses delayed by the resonator could be so short that their spectral widths could greatly exceed the spectral width of any single resonance. The proposal emerged from theoretical and experimental studies of the propagation of a pulse train in a WGM resonator. An important element of the theoretical study was recognition that the traditional definition of group velocity in effect, the velocity of a single pulse comprising a packet of waves propagating in a medium, the responsivity of which is a monotonous function of frequency does not necessarily apply in the case of a WGM resonator or other medium having a spectrum consisting of discrete resonance peaks at different frequencies. A new definition of group velocity, applicable to a train of pulses propagating in such a medium, was introduced and found to lead to the discovery of previously unknown features of propagation. Notably, it was found that in a micro - sphere optical resonator that supports a suitable combination of WGM modes, the group velocity for a train of light pulses could be positive, zero, or negative. A positive group velocity could be so small that the delay could be much longer than the ring-down time of the resonator; a delay of such great length is impossible for a single pulse interacting with either a linearly responding lossless resonator or a coupled- resonator optical waveguide.

Matsko, Andrey↗
NASA NTRS1969

Optical frequency waveguide and ion transmission system

Electromagnetically generated, high-dielectric tube forms a waveguide which retains the electromagnetic energy within the beam, the trapped beam establishes an optical frequency waveguide appropriate for its own conduction with minimum diffraction loss.

Chiao, R. Y.↗
NASA NTRS2009

Integrated Miniature Arrays of Optical Biomolecule Detectors

Integrated miniature planar arrays of optical sensors for detecting specific biochemicals in extremely small quantities have been proposed. An array of this type would have an area of about 1 cm2. Each element of the array would include an optical microresonator that would have a high value of the resonance quality factor (Q . 107). The surface of each microresonator would be derivatized to make it bind molecules of a species of interest, and such binding would introduce a measurable change in the optical properties of the microresonator. Because each microresonator could be derivatized for detection of a specific biochemical different from those of the other microresonators, it would be possible to detect multiple specific biochemicals by simultaneous or sequential interrogation of all the elements in the array. Moreover, the derivatization would make it unnecessary to prepare samples by chemical tagging. Such interrogation would be effected by means of a grid of row and column polymer-based optical waveguides that would be integral parts of a chip on which the array would be fabricated. The row and column polymer-based optical waveguides would intersect at the elements of the array (see figure). At each intersection, the row and column waveguides would be optically coupled to one of the microresonators. The polymer-based waveguides would be connected via optical fibers to external light sources and photodetectors. One set of waveguides and fibers (e.g., the row waveguides and fibers) would couple light from the sources to the resonators; the other set of waveguides and fibers (e.g., the column waveguides and fibers) would couple light from the microresonators to the photodetectors. Each microresonator could be addressed individually by row and column for measurement of its optical transmission. Optionally, the chip could be fabricated so that each microresonator would lie inside a microwell, into which a microscopic liquid sample could be dispensed.

Iltchenko, Vladimir↗
NASA NTRS1994

Modes in light wave propagating in semiconductor laser

The study of semiconductor laser based on an analogy of the Schrodinger equation and an equation describing light wave propagation in nonhomogeneous medium is developed. The active region of semiconductor laser is considered as optical waveguide confining the electromagnetic field in the cross-section (x,y) and allowing waveguide propagation along the laser resonator (z). The mode structure is investigated taking into account the transversal and what is the important part of the suggested consideration longitudinal nonhomogeneity of the optical waveguide. It is shown that the Gaussian modes in the case correspond to spatial squeezing and correlation. Spatially squeezed two-mode structure of nonhomogeneous optical waveguide is given explicitly. Distribution of light among the laser discrete modes is presented. Properties of the spatially squeezed two-mode field are described. The analog of Franck-Condon principle for finding the maxima of the distribution function and the analog of Ramsauer effect for control of spatial distribution of laser emission are discussed.

Manko, Margarita A.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Fabrication and Characterization of Thin Film Ion Implanted Composite Materials for Integrated Nonlinear Optical Devices

Ion implantation has been shown to produce a high density of metal colloids within the layer regions of glasses and crystalline materials. The high-precipitate volume fraction and small size of metal nanoclusters formed leads to values for the third-order susceptibility much greater than those for metal doped solids. This has stimulated interest in use of ion implantation to make nonlinear optical materials. On the other side, LiNbO3 has proved to be a good material for optical waveguides produced by MeV ion implantation. Light confinement in these waveguides is produced by refractive index step difference between the implanted region and the bulk material. Implantation of LiNbO3 with MeV metal ions can therefore result into nonlinear optical waveguide structures with great potential in a variety of device applications. We describe linear and nonlinear optical properties of a waveguide structure in LiNbO3-based composite material produced by silver ion implantation in connection with mechanisms of its formation.

Sarkisov, S.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Optical fiber waveguide sagnac interferometer. Phase 1: Multiturn one meter diameter, single mode

A rotating ring interferometer was constructed using a 100 meters of single mode optical fiber wound on a crystal cylinder. A 20 inch diameter fiber interferometer gyroscope was built and its sensitivity was evaluated. Major noise sources were identified and improvements for the next phase of development were determined. The accuracy of .01 of a fringe can be improved to .0001 by the removal of the noise source.

Vali, V.↗
NASA NTRS2007

WGM-Resonator/Tapered-Waveguide White-Light Sensor Optics

Theoretical and experimental investigations have demonstrated the feasibility of compact white-light sensor optics consisting of unitary combinations of (1) low-profile whispering-gallery-mode (WGM) resonators and (2) tapered rod optical waveguides. These sensors are highly wavelength-dispersive and are expected to be especially useful in biochemical applications for measuring absorption spectra of liquids. These sensor optics exploit the properties of a special class of non-diffracting light beams that are denoted Bessel beams because their amplitudes are proportional to Bessel functions of the radii from their central axes. High-order Bessel beams can have large values of angular momentum. In a sensor optic of this type, a low-profile WGM resonator that supports modes having large angular momenta is used to generate high-order Bessel beams. As used here, "low-profile" signifies that the WGM resonator is an integral part of the rod optical waveguide but has a radius slightly different from that of the adjacent part(s).

Stekalov, Dmitry↗
NASA NTRS1985

Hybrid Fiber-Optic/CCD Chip

Low noise and linearity of charge-coupled devices (CCD's) combined with optical waveguide components in hybrid, integrated chip package. Concept used to measure laser flux in fiber-gyro application using sensing fibers that range from several to several tens of kilometers in length. Potential applications include optical delay measurement and linear detector of light flux emanating from fiber-optic waveguides.

Goss, W. C.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Protein Sensors Based on Optical Ring Resonators

Prototype transducers based on integrated optical ring resonators have been demonstrated to be useful for detecting the protein avidin in extremely dilute solutions. In an experiment, one of the transducers proved to be capable of indicating the presence of avidin at a concentration of as little as 300 pM in a buffer solution a detection sensitivity comparable to that achievable by previously reported protein-detection techniques. These transducers are serving as models for the further development of integrated-optics sensors for detecting small quantities of other proteins and protein-like substances. The basic principle of these transducers was described in Chemical Sensors Based on Optical Ring Resonators (NPO-40601), NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 29, No. 10 (October 2005), page 32. The differences between the present transducers and the ones described in the cited prior article lie in details of implementation of the basic principle. As before, the resonator in a transducer of the present type is a closed-circuit dielectric optical waveguide. The outermost layer of this waveguide, analogous to the optical cladding layer on an optical fiber, consists of a layer comprising sublayers having indices of refraction lower than that of the waveguide core. The outermost sublayer absorbs the chemical of interest (in this case, avidin). The index of refraction of the outermost sublayer changes with the concentration of absorbed avidin. The resonator is designed to operate with relatively strong evanescent-wave coupling between the outer sublayer and the electromagnetic field propagating along the waveguide core. By virtue of this coupling, the chemically induced change in the index of refraction of the outermost sublayer causes a measurable change in the spectrum of the resonator output.

Lin, Ying↗
NASA NTRS2007

Nonlinear Optics and Applications

Nonlinear optics is the result of laser beam interaction with materials and started with the advent of lasers in the early 1960s. The field is growing daily and plays a major role in emerging photonic technology. Nonlinear optics play a major role in many of the optical applications such as optical signal processing, optical computers, ultrafast switches, ultra-short pulsed lasers, sensors, laser amplifiers, and many others. This special review volume on Nonlinear Optics and Applications is intended for those who want to be aware of the most recent technology. This book presents a survey of the recent advances of nonlinear optical applications. Emphasis will be on novel devices and materials, switching technology, optical computing, and important experimental results. Recent developments in topics which are of historical interest to researchers, and in the same time of potential use in the fields of all-optical communication and computing technologies, are also included. Additionally, a few new related topics which might provoke discussion are presented. The book includes chapters on nonlinear optics and applications; the nonlinear Schrodinger and associated equations that model spatio-temporal propagation; the supercontinuum light source; wideband ultrashort pulse fiber laser sources; lattice fabrication as well as their linear and nonlinear light guiding properties; the second-order EO effect (Pockels), the third-order (Kerr) and thermo-optical effects in optical waveguides and their applications in optical communication; and, the effect of magnetic field and its role in nonlinear optics, among other chapters.

Abdeldayem, Hossin A.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Waveguides in Thin Film Polymeric Materials

Results on the fabrication of integrated optical components in polymeric materials using photo printing methods will be presented. Optical waveguides were fabricated by spin coating preoxidized silicon wafers with organic dye/polymer solution followed by soft baking. The waveguide modes were studied using prism coupling technique. Propagation losses were measured by collecting light scattered from the trace of a propagation mode by either scanning photodetector or CCD camera. We observed the formation of graded index waveguides in photosensitive polyimides after exposure of UV light from a mercury arc lamp. By using a theoretical model, an index profile was reconstructed which is in agreement with the profile reconstructed by the Wentzel-Kramers-Brillouin calculation technique using a modal spectrum of the waveguides. Proposed mechanism for the formation of the graded index includes photocrosslinking followed by UV curing accompanied with optical absorption increase. We also developed the prototype of a novel single-arm double-mode interferometric sensor based on our waveguides. It demonstrates high sensitivity to the chance of ambient temperature. The device can find possible applications in aeropropulsion control systems.

Sakisov, Sergey↗
NASA NTRS1974

Mode conversion in periodically disturbed thin-film waveguides

Mode conversion in a periodically perturbed thin-film optical waveguide is studied in detail. Three different types of perturbations are considered: periodic index of refraction of the film, periodic index of refraction of the substrate, and periodic boundary. The applications in filters, mode converters, and distributed feedback lasers are discussed.

Elachi, C.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Investigation of a GaAlAs Mach-Zehnder electro-optic modulator

A GaAs modulator operating at 0.78 to 0.88 micron wavelength has the potential to be integrated with a GaAs/GaAlAs laser diode for an integrated fiber-optic transmitter. A travelling-wave Mach-Zehnder modulator using the electro-optic effect of GaAs and operating at a wavelength of 0.82 microns has been investigated for the first time. A four layer Strip-loaded ridge optical waveguide has been analyzed using the effective index method and single mode waveguides have been designed. The electro-optic effect of GaAs has also been analyzed and a modulator using the geometry producing the maximum phase shift has been designed. A coplanar transmission line structure is used in an effort to tap the potentially higher bandwidth of travelling-wave electrodes. The modulator bandwidth has been calculated at 11.95 GHz with a required drive power of 2.335 Watts for full intensity modulation. Finally, some preliminary experiments were performed to characterize a fabrication process for the modulator.

Materna, David M.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Optically activated switch/modulator using a photoconductor and two channel waveguides

An optically activated switch was fabricated on LiNbO3 substrate by deposition of photoconductor-metal electrode structure on two channel waveguides obtained by the outdiffusion process. One waveguide was overcoated with a CdS film, and served as a light detector which converted the optical signal in that waveguide into an electric signal. Utilizing the electrooptic effect, this electric signal modulated the light propagating in the second waveguide by changing the refractive index, and the cutoff condition, of the waveguiding channel between two metal electrodes. The waveguides in the optically controlled switch can be either single or multimode. The length of the device can be short in comparison with other switching schemes. When binary optical signals are applied to the two waveguides, the switch can perform logic AND, NEGATION, OR and pseudo-amplification operations.

Goldberg, L.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Buried-Dielectric-Microstrip Network

Problem of obtaining very-broadband frequency response resolved with buried-dielectric-microstrip matching network incorporated into infraredwaveguide structure. Waveguide modulator structure represents state-of-the-art of integrated optical devices: Has three-dimensional shape to accommodate three quarter-wavelength-transformers for microwave impendance matching at both input and output terminals. Microwave network, along with microstrip line designed with aid of computer, integrated with optical waveguide and used to tune line-selectable CO2 laser that provides total tuning range of 30 GHz in two sidebands.

Cheo, P. K.↗