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A 2007 SBIR contract with NASA enabled AdvR to develop an optical waveguide circuit that has provided significant benefits for NASA’s Earth Science Division. The technology at the heart of this effort has also been a boon for AdvR’s growth, with sales to universities, businesses across multiple commercial industries worldwide, and a wide range of U.S. government agencies.
The design and experimental measurements are described of an optically pumped far-infrared (FIR) waveguide maser; preliminary measurements on a FIR waveguide amplifier are presented. The FIR maser was found to operate satisfactorily in a chopped CW mode using either methanol (CH3OH) or acetonitrile (CH3CN) as the active molecule. Two other gases, difluoroethane and difluoroethylene, produced an unstable output with high threshold and low output power when operated in the chopped CW mode. Experimental measurements include FIR output versus cavity length, output beam pattern, output power versus pressure, and input power. The FIR output was the input to an amplifier which was constructed similar to the oscillator. An increase of 10% in output power was noted on the 118.8 microns line of methanol.
The status and near term potential of materials and processes available for the fabrication of single mode integrated electro-optical components are discussed. Issues discussed are host material and orientation, waveguide formation, optical loss mechanisms, wavelength selection, polarization effects and control, laser to integrated optics coupling fiber optic waveguides to integrated optics coupling, sources, and detectors. Recommendations of the best materials, technology, and processes for fabrication of integrated optical components for communications and fiber gyro applications are given.
Tuner utilizes a metal plated dielectric grid inserted into the cross sectional plane of an oversized waveguide. It provides both variable susceptance and variable longitudinal position along the waveguide to provide a wide matching range.
Both the linear electro-optic (Pockel's) effect and electroabsorption (Franz-Keldysh effect) in waveguiding junctions of InGaAsP were measured. The electro-optic coefficient is found to be 0.1-0.14x10 to the -12 power m/V at lambda = 1.54 - 1.65 micrometers. Possibly this is the first reported measurement of the electro-optic coefficient for InGaAsP. The value found for the electroabsorption is on the order of 7x10 to the -4 power cm to the -1 power/(V/cm) or approximately 100 cm/1 for fields of 200,000 V/cm at lambda 1.3 micrometers. All measurements were made on a quaternary film with a bandgap wavelength of 1.23 micrometers. Because of the rapid commercial introduction of quaternary lasers, LEDs, and detectors to take advantage of large optical fiber bandwidths and low losses in the 1.2- to 1.7- micrometer region, these measurements are significant in providing some of the basic physical constants needed to design modulators and switches capable of operating at microwave frequencies in this wavelength region.
The results will be reported on the study of integrated optical components based on nonlinear optical polymeric films. Polymers poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and polyimide (PI) doped with organic laser dyes 4-dicyanomethylene-2-methyl-6-p dimethylaminostyryl-4H pyran (DCM) and 1, 3, 5, 7, 8 - pentamethyl-2,6 -diethyl-pyrromethene -BF2-complex (Pyrommethene 567, PM-567) were selected as materials for light guiding films. Additionally, UV polymerized polydiacetylene (PDA) on glass substrate was used as a waveguide material. Optical waveguides were fabricated using spin coating of preoxidized silicon wafers (1.5 micrometer silicon oxide layer) with organic dye/polymer solution followed by soft baking. the modes in slab waveguides were studied using prism coupling techniques. Measured values of mode coupling angles in multimode waveguides were used to calculate film thickness and refractive index for different polarizations. Refractive index anisotropy was found in PDA waveguide. The optimal conditions of spin coating for single mode waveguide fabrication were estimated. Propagation losses were measured by collecting the light scattered from the trace of a propagating mode either by scanning photo detector or by CCD camera. Different types of light coupling techniques were used including end-dire coupling, prism and grating coupling. Mechanical printing technique was developed for coupling grating fabrication resulting in gratings with 4% diffraction efficiency. The gratings demonstrated good stability with diffraction efficiency relaxation rate 2.4 dB/hour at a temperature approximately 15-20 C below glass transition point. Dye doped waveguides were transversally pumped with frequency doubled Nd:YAG Q-switched laser producing intensive light emission with apparent 6 kW/sq cm pump threshold and spectrum narrowing near 617 nm peak in the case of DCM doped waveguide. PM-567 doped waveguide pumped with CW Ar(+) laser (514 nm wavelength) far below threshold (0.1 W/sq.cm pump power) demonstrated emission spectrum narrowing near 616 nm peak with 18% power conversion slope efficiency. In this case emission spectrum modification was caused by the enhanced light absorption along the direction of propagating waveguide modes. Changing length, thickness, and other morphlogical waveguide parameters one can modify emission spectrum in predictable direction. The results show that polymeric waveguides, especially based on high temperature polymers such as Pl, can be used to produce a varietiy of active and passive silicon compatible integrated optical components for aerospace applications.
Engineering the optical properties of waveguides is important for the optimization of their guided optical mode characteristics. Here, we document the dynamic control of the refractive index and composition of crystalline films, via the substrate temperature, during pulsed-laser-deposition growth of Er(1%)-doped yttrium gallium garnet on <100>-orientated single-crystal yttrium aluminium garnet. An increasing substrate temperature is observed to reduce the gallium content in the grown film, with a corresponding reduction of refractive index. We demonstrate the ability to accurately control the refractive index via this technique and use it to grow a complex multi-core crystal waveguide. Our results highlight the potential of using pulsed laser deposition to fabricate crystal films with bespoke optical properties and thus engineer passive and active waveguide devices in situ.
Electro-Optic Polymers hold great promise in increased electro-optic coefficients as compared to their inorganic corollaries. Many researchers have focused on quantum chemistry to describe how the dipoles respond to temperature and electric fields. Much work has also been done for single layer films to confirm these results. For optical applications, waveguide structures are utilized to guide the optical waves in 3 layer stacks. Electrode poling is the only practical poling method for these structures. This research takes an electrical engineering approach to develop poling models and electrical and optical transfer functions of the waveguide structure. The key aspect of the poling model is the large boundary charge density deposited during the poling process. The boundary charge density also has a large effect on the electrical transfer function which is used to explain the transient response of the system. These models are experimentally verified. Exploratory experiment design is used to study poling parameters including time, temperature, and voltage. These studies verify the poling conditions for CLDX/APC and CLDZ/APEC guest host electro optic polymer films in waveguide stacks predicted by the theoretical developments.
The materials and processes available for the fabrication of single mode integrated electrooptical components are described. Issues included in the study are: (1) host material and orientation, (2) waveguide formation, (3) optical loss mechanisms, (4) wavelength selection, (5) polarization effects and control, (6) laser to integrated optics coupling,(7) fiber optic waveguides to integrated optics coupling, (8) souces, (9) detectors. The best materials, technology and processes for fabrication of integrated optical components for communications and fiber gyro applications are recommended.
A 12-GHz fiber-optic system is a critical part of a test configuration that was proposed for measuring the fractional frequency stability of the Deep Space Station (DSS)-13 beam-waveguide (BWG) antenna. This fiber-optic system is used to carry Ku-band (12-GHz) signals from a reference antenna to the DSS-13 BWG pedestal room. Tests performed only on the fiber-optic system portion of the overall test configuration showed that the 12-GHz fiber-optic system (installed at DSS-13) has a frequency stability of about 1.1 x 10(exp -16) for sampling time tau = 1000 sec for a nighttime run. This preliminary result establishes the lowest noise floor that can probably be achieved for the test configuration that will be used to measure the frequency stability of the DSS-13 BWG antenna.
Single-arm dual-mode optical waveguide interferometer utilizes interference between two modes of different order. Sensing effect results from the change in propagation conditions of the modes caused by the environment. The waveguide is made as an open asymmetric structure containing a dye-doped polymer film onto a quartz substrate. It is more sensitive to the change of environment than its conventional polarimetric analog using orthogonal modes (TE and TM) of the same order. The sensor still preserves the option of operating in polarimetric regime using a variety of mode combinations such as TE(sub 0)/TM(sub 0) (conventional) TE(sub 0)/TM(sub 1), TE(sub 1)/TM(sub 0), or TE(sub 1)/TM(sub 1) but can also work in nonpolarimetric regime using combinations TE(sub 0)/TE(sub 1) or TM(sub 0)/TM(sub 1). Utilization of different mode combinations simultaneously makes the device more versatile. Application of the sensor to gas sensing is based on doping polymer film with an organic indicator dye targeting a particular gaseous reagent. Change of the optical absorption spectrum of the dye caused by the gaseous pollutant results in change of the reactive index of the dye-doped polymer film that can be detected by the sensor. As indicator dyes we utilize Bromocresol Purple doped into polymer poly(methyl) methacrylate that is sensitive to small concentrations of ammonia. The indicator dye demonstrated an irreversible increase in optical absorption near the peak at 350 nm being exposed to 5% ammonia in pure nitrogen at 600 Torr. The dye also showed reversible growth of the absorption peak near 600 nm after exposure to a vapor of standard medical ammonia spirit (65% alcohol). We have built a breadboard prototype of the sensor with He-Ne laser as a light source and with a single mode fiber input and a multimode fiber output. The prototype showed a sensitivity to temperature change of the order of 2 C per 2pi phase shift. The sensitivity of the sensor to the presence of dTy ammonia is not less than 300 ppm per 2pi phase shift. The proposed sensor can be used as a robust stand-alone instrument for continuous environment pollution monitoring.
Single-arm double-mode double-order optical waveguide interferometer utilizes interference between two propagating modes of different orders. Sensing effect results from the change in propagation conditions of the modes caused by the environment. The waveguide is made as an open asymmetric slab structure containing a dye-doped polymer film onto a fused quartz substrate. It is more sensitive to the change of environment than its conventional polarimetric analog using orthogonal modes (TE and TM) of the same order. The sensor still preserves the option of operating in polarimetric regime using a variety of mode combinations such as TE(sub 0)/TM(sub 0) (conventional), TE(sub 0)/TM(sub 1), TE(sub 1)/TM(sub 0), or TE(sub 1)/TM(sub 1) but can also work in nonpolarimetric regime using combinations TE(sub 0)/TM(sub 1) or TE(sub 0)/TM(sub 1). Utilization of different mode combinations simultaneously makes the device more versatile. Application of the sensor to gas sensing is based on doping polymer film with an organic indicator dye sensitive to a particular gas. Change of optical absorption spectrum of the dye caused by the gaseous pollutant results change of the reactive index of the dye-doped polymer film that can be detected by the sensor. As an indicator dyes, we utilize Bromocresol Purple doped into polymer poly(methyl) methacrylate, which shows a reversible growth of the absorption peak neat 600 nm after exposure to wet ammonia. We have built a breadboard prototype of the sensor with He-Ne laser as a light source and with a single mode fiber input and a multimode fiber output. The prototype showed sensitivity to temperature change of the order of 2 C per one full oscillation of the signal. The sensitivity of the sensor to the presence of wet ammonia is 200 ppm per one full oscillation of the signal. The further improvements include switching to a longer wavelength laser source (750-nm semiconductor laser), substitution of poly(methyl) methacrylate with hydrophilic high-temperature polyimide, and increase the doping rate of indicator dye. All these improvements are expected to bring sensitivity to 10 ppm of ammonia per one full oscillation of signal independent on the humidity of ambient air. The proposed sensor can be used as a robust and inexpensive stand-alone instrument for continuous environment pollution monitoring.
Holding device made by etching V-shaped grooves in silicon in coupler close tolerances are achieved for high-efficiency coupling between optical fibers with core diameter of 5 um and 110 um in cross section. Fibers are held in V-shaped grooves on silicon chips.
A survey of the developments in the field of fiber optics sensor technology is presented along with a discussion of the advantages of optical measuring instruments as compared with electronic sensors. The two primary types of fiber optics sensors, specifically those with multiwave fibers and those with monowave fibers, are described. Examples of each major sensor type are presented and discussed. Multiwave detectors include external and internal fiber optics sensors. Among the monowave detectors are Mach-Zender interferometers, Michelson interferometers, Sagnac interferometers (optical gyroscopes), waveguide resonators, and polarimeter sensors. Integrated optical sensors and their application in spectroscopy are briefly discussed.
Optical pressure sensors have been fabricated which use an integrated optical channel waveguide that is part of an interferometer to measure the pressure-induced strain in a micromachined silicon diaphragm. A silicon substrate is etched from the back of the wafer leaving a rectangular diaphragm. On the opposite side of the wafer, ring resonator and Mach-Zehnder interferometers are formed with optical channel waveguides made from a low pressure chemical vapor deposited film of silicon oxynitride. The interferometer's phase is altered by pressure-induced stress in a channel segment positioned over the long edge of the diaphragm. The phase change in the ring resonator is monitored using a link-insensitive swept frequency laser diode, while in the Mach-Zehnder it is determined using a broad band super luminescent diode with subsequent wavelength separation. The ring resonator was found to be highly temperature sensitive, while the Mach-Zehnder, which had a smaller optical path length difference, was proportionally less so. The quasi-TM mode was more sensitive to pressure, in accord with calculations. Waveguide and sensor theory, sensitivity calculations, a fabrication sequence, and experimental results are presented.
Future space systems will he based on components evolving from the development and refinement of new and existing photonic materials. Optically based sensors, inertial guidance, tracking systems, communications, diagnostics, imaging and high speed optical processing are but a few of the applications expected to widely utilize photonic materials. The response of these materials to space environment effects (SEE) such as spacecraft charging, orbital debris, atomic oxygen, ultraviolet irradiation, temperature and ionizing radiation will be paramount to ensuring successful space applications. The intent of this paper is to, address the latter two environments via a succinct comparison of the known sensitivities of selected photonic materials to the temperature and ionizing radiation conditions found in space and enhanced space environments Delineation of the known temperature and radiation induced responses in LiNbO3, AlGaN, AlGsAs,TeO2, Si:Ge, and several organic polymers are presented. Photonic materials are realizing rapid transition into applications for many proposed space components and systems including: optical interconnects, optical gyros, waveguide and spatial light modulators, light emitting diodes, lasers, optical fibers and fiber optic amplifiers. Changes to material parameters such as electrooptic coefficients, absorption coefficients, polarization, conductivity, coupling coefficients, diffraction efficiencies, and other pertinent material properties examined for thermo-optic and radiation induced effect. Conclusions and recommendations provide the reader with an understanding of the limitations or attributes of material choices for specific applications.
The figure is a simplified depiction of a proposed spectrometer optical unit that would be suitable for incorporation into a remote-sensing instrumentation system. Relative to prior spectrometer optical assemblies, this unit would be compact and simple, largely by virtue of its predominantly two-dimensional character. The proposed unit would be a combination of two optical components. One component would be an arrayed-waveguide grating (AWG) an integrated-optics device, developed for use in wavelength multiplexing in telecommunications. The other component would be a diffraction grating superimposed on part of the AWG. The function of an AWG is conceptually simple. Input light propagates along a single-mode optical waveguide to a point where it is split to propagate along some number (N) of side-by-side waveguides. The lengths of the optical paths along these waveguides differ such that, considering the paths in a sequence proceeding across the array of waveguides, the path length increases linearly. These waveguides launch quasi-free-space waves into a planar waveguide-coupling region. The waves propagate through this region to interfere onto an array of output waveguides. Through proper choice of key design parameters (waveguide lengths, size and shape of the waveguide coupling region, and lateral distances between waveguides), one can cause the input light to be channeled into wavelength bins nominally corresponding to the output waveguides.
Microwave signals modulate optical signals in unit integrable with GaAs and GaAIAs devices. Experimental GaAIAs electro-optical modulators designed and built for operation at wavelength of 0.82 micrometers. Easily integrable with GaAs monolithic microwave integrated circuits. Integrated optical and microwave waveguides in electro-optical materials constitute traveling-wave electro-optical modulator in configuration of Mach-Zehnder interferometer. Because characteristic impedance of waveguide 50 ohms - standard value - no impedance-matching network required.