Matching Items (4)
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- All Subjects: Nanophotonics
- Creators: Palais, Joseph
Description
Nanolasers represents the research frontier in both the areas of photonics and nanotechnology for its interesting properties in low dimension physics, its appealing prospects in integrated photonics, and other on-chip applications. In this thesis, I present my research work on fabrication and characterization of a new type of nanolasers: metallic cavity nanolasers. The last ten years witnessed a dramatic paradigm shift from pure dielectric cavity to metallic cavity in the research of nanolasers. By using low loss metals such as silver, which is highly reflective at near infrared, light can be confined in an ultra small cavity or waveguide with sub-wavelength dimensions, thus enabling sub-wavelength cavity lasers. Based on this idea, I fabricated two different kinds of metallic cavity nanolasers with rectangular and circular geometries with InGaAs as the gain material and silver as the metallic shell. The lasing wavelength is around 1.55 μm, intended for optical communication applications. Continuous wave (CW) lasing at cryogenic temperature under current injection was achieved on devices with a deep sub-wavelength physical cavity volume smaller than 0.2 λ3. Improving device fabrication process is one of the main challenges in the development of metallic cavity nanolasers due to its ultra-small size. With improved fabrication process and device design, CW lasing at room temperature was demonstrated as well on a sub-wavelength rectangular device with a physical cavity volume of 0.67 λ3. Experiments verified that a small circular nanolasers supporting TE¬01 mode can generate an azimuthal polarized laser beam, providing a compact such source under electrical injection. Sources with such polarizations could have many special applications. Study of digital modulation of circular nanolasers showed that laser noise is an important factor that will affect the data rate of the nanolaser when used as the light source in optical interconnects. For future development, improving device fabrication processes is required to improve device performance. In addition, techniques need to be developed to realize nanolaser/Si waveguide integration. In essence, resolving these two critical issues will finally pave the way for these nanolasers to be used in various practical applications.
ContributorsDing, Kang (Author) / Ning, Cun-Zheng (Thesis advisor) / Yu, Hongbin (Committee member) / Palais, Joseph (Committee member) / Zhang, Yong-Hang (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2014
Description
Nanophotonics studies the interaction of light with nanoscale devices and nanostructures. This thesis focuses on developing nanoscale devices for optical modulation (saturable absorber and all-optical modulator) and investigating light scattering from nanoparticles for underwater navigation and energy sector application. Saturable absorbers and all-optical modulators are essential to generate ultrashort high-power laser pulses and high-speed communications. Graphene-based devices are broadband, ultrafast, and compatible with different substrates and fibers. Nevertheless, the required fluence to saturate or modulate the optical signal with graphene is still high to realize low-threshold, compact broadband devices, which are essential for many applications. This dissertation emphasizes that the strong light-matter interaction in graphene-plasmonic hybrid metasurface greatly enhances monolayer graphene’s saturable absorption and optical signal modulation effect while maintaining graphene’s ultrafast carrier dynamics. Furthermore, based on this concept, simulation models and experimental demonstrations are presented in this dissertation to demonstrate both subwavelength (~λ/5 in near-infrared and ~λ/10 in mid-infrared) thick graphene-based saturable absorber (with record-low saturation fluence (~0.1μJ/cm2), and ultrashort recovery time (~60fs) at near-infrared wavelengths) and all-optical modulators ( with 40% reflection modulation at 6.5μm with ~55μJ/cm2 pump fluence and ultrafast relaxation time of ~1ps at 1.56μm with less than 8μJ/cm2 pump fluence).
Underwater navigation is essential for various underwater vehicles. However, there is no reliable method for underwater navigation. This dissertation presents a numerical simulation model and algorithm for navigation based on underwater polarization mapping data. With the methods developed, for clear water in the swimming pool, it is possible to achieve a sun position error of 0.35˚ azimuth and 0.03˚ zenith angle, and the corresponding location prediction error is ~23Km. For turbid lake water, a location determination error of ~100Km is achieved. Furthermore, maintenance of heliostat mirrors and receiver tubes is essential for properly operating concentrated solar power (CSP) plants. This dissertation demonstrates a fast and field deployable inspection method to measure the heliostat mirror soiling levels and receiver tube defect detection based on polarization images. Under sunny and clear sky conditions, accurate reflection efficiency (error ~1%) measurement for mirrors with different soiling levels is achieved, and detection of receiver tube defects is demonstrated.
ContributorsRafique, Md Zubair Ebne (Author) / Yao, Yu (Thesis advisor) / Palais, Joseph (Committee member) / Zhang, Yong-Hang (Committee member) / Sukharev, Maxim (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022
Metasurface-Based Optoelectronic Devices for Polarization Detection and Ultrafast Optical Modulation
Description
Optical metasurfaces, i.e. artificially engineered arrays of subwavelength building blocks supporting abrupt and substantial light confinement, was employed to demonstrate a novel generation of devices for circularly polarized detection, full-Stokes polarimetry and all-optical modulation with ultra-compact footprint and chip-integrability.
Optical chirality is essential for generation, manipulation and detection of circularly polarized light (CPL), thus finds many applications in quantum computing, communication, spectroscopy, biomedical diagnosis, imaging and sensing. Compared to natural chiral materials, chiral metamaterials and metasurfaces enable much stronger chirality on subwavelength scale; therefore, they are ideal for device miniaturization and system integration. However, they are usually associated with low performance due to limited fabrication tolerance and high dissipation mainly caused by plasmonic materials. Here, a bio-inspired submicron-thick chiral metamaterial structure was designed and demonstrated experimentally with high contrast (extinction ratio >35) detection of CPL with different handedness and high efficiency (>80%) of the overall device. Furthermore, integration of left- and right-handed CPL detection units with nanograting linear polarization filters enabled full-Stokes polarimetry of arbitrarily input polarization states with high accuracy and very low insertion loss, all on a submillimeter single chip. These unprecedented highly efficient and high extinction ratio devices pave the way for on-chip polarimetric measurements.
All-optical modulation is widely used for optical interconnects, communication, information processing, and ultrafast spectroscopy. Yet, there’s deficiency of ultrafast, compact and energy-efficient solutions all in one device. Here, all-optical modulation of light in the near- and mid-infrared regimes were experimentally demonstrated based on a graphene-integrated plasmonic nanoantenna array. The remarkable feature of the device design is its simultaneous near-field enhancement for pump and probe (signal) beams, owing to the localized surface plasmon resonance excitation, while preserving the ultrafast photocarrier relaxation in graphene. Hence, a distinct modulation at 1560nm with record-low pump fluence (<8μJ/cm^2) was reported with ~1ps response time. Besides, relying on broadband interaction of graphene with incident light, a first-time demonstration of graphene-based all-optical modulation in mid-infrared spectral region (6-7μm) was reported based on the above double-enhancement design concept. Relying on the tunability of metasurface design, the proposed device can be used for ultrafast optical modulation from near-infrared to terahertz regime.
Optical chirality is essential for generation, manipulation and detection of circularly polarized light (CPL), thus finds many applications in quantum computing, communication, spectroscopy, biomedical diagnosis, imaging and sensing. Compared to natural chiral materials, chiral metamaterials and metasurfaces enable much stronger chirality on subwavelength scale; therefore, they are ideal for device miniaturization and system integration. However, they are usually associated with low performance due to limited fabrication tolerance and high dissipation mainly caused by plasmonic materials. Here, a bio-inspired submicron-thick chiral metamaterial structure was designed and demonstrated experimentally with high contrast (extinction ratio >35) detection of CPL with different handedness and high efficiency (>80%) of the overall device. Furthermore, integration of left- and right-handed CPL detection units with nanograting linear polarization filters enabled full-Stokes polarimetry of arbitrarily input polarization states with high accuracy and very low insertion loss, all on a submillimeter single chip. These unprecedented highly efficient and high extinction ratio devices pave the way for on-chip polarimetric measurements.
All-optical modulation is widely used for optical interconnects, communication, information processing, and ultrafast spectroscopy. Yet, there’s deficiency of ultrafast, compact and energy-efficient solutions all in one device. Here, all-optical modulation of light in the near- and mid-infrared regimes were experimentally demonstrated based on a graphene-integrated plasmonic nanoantenna array. The remarkable feature of the device design is its simultaneous near-field enhancement for pump and probe (signal) beams, owing to the localized surface plasmon resonance excitation, while preserving the ultrafast photocarrier relaxation in graphene. Hence, a distinct modulation at 1560nm with record-low pump fluence (<8μJ/cm^2) was reported with ~1ps response time. Besides, relying on broadband interaction of graphene with incident light, a first-time demonstration of graphene-based all-optical modulation in mid-infrared spectral region (6-7μm) was reported based on the above double-enhancement design concept. Relying on the tunability of metasurface design, the proposed device can be used for ultrafast optical modulation from near-infrared to terahertz regime.
ContributorsBasiri, Ali (Author) / Yao, Yu (Thesis advisor) / Ning, Cun-Zheng (Committee member) / Palais, Joseph (Committee member) / Zhang, Yong-Hang (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2020
Description
Since the advent of High Impedance Surfaces (HISs) and metasurfaces, researchers
have proposed many low profile antenna configurations. HISs possess in-phase reflection, which reinforces the radiation, and enhances the directivity and matching bandwidth of radiating elements. Most of the proposed dipole and loop element designs that have used HISs as a ground plane, have attained a maximum directivity of 8 dBi. While HISs are more attractive ground planes for low profile antennas, these HISs result in a low directivity as compared to PEC ground planes. Various studies have shown that Perfect Electric Conductor (PEC) ground planes are capable of achieving higher directivity, at the expense of matching efficiency, when the spacing
between the radiating element and the PEC ground plane is less than 0.25 lambda. To establish an efficient ground plane for low profile applications, PEC (Perfect Electric Conductor) and PMC (Perfect Magnetic Conductor) ground planes are examined in the vicinity of electric and magnetic radiating elements. The limitation of the two ground planes, in terms of radiation efficiency and the impedance matching, are discussed. Far-field analytical formulations are derived and the results are compared with full-wave EM simulations performed using the High-Frequency Structure Simulator (HFSS). Based on PEC and PMC designs, two engineered ground planes are proposed.
The designed ground planes depend on two metasurface properties; namely in-phase reflection and excitation of surface waves. Two ground plane geometries are considered. The first one is designed for a circular loop radiating element, which utilizes a
circular HIS ring deployed on a circular ground plane. The integration of the loop element with the circular HIS ground plane enhances the maximum directivity up to 10.5 dB with a 13% fractional bandwidth. The second ground plane is designed for a square loop radiating element. Unlike the first design, rectangular HIS patches are utilized to control the excitation of surface waves in the principal planes. The final design operates from 3.8 to 5 GHz (27% fractional bandwidth) with a stable broadside maximum realized gain up to 11.9 dBi. To verify the proposed designs, a prototype was fabricated and measurements were conducted. A good agreement between simulations and measurements was observed. Furthermore, multiple square ring elements are embedded within the periodic patches to form a surface wave planar antenna array. Linear and circular polarizations are proposed and compared to a conventional square ring array. The implementation of periodic patches results in a better matching bandwidth and higher broadside gain compared to a conventional array.
have proposed many low profile antenna configurations. HISs possess in-phase reflection, which reinforces the radiation, and enhances the directivity and matching bandwidth of radiating elements. Most of the proposed dipole and loop element designs that have used HISs as a ground plane, have attained a maximum directivity of 8 dBi. While HISs are more attractive ground planes for low profile antennas, these HISs result in a low directivity as compared to PEC ground planes. Various studies have shown that Perfect Electric Conductor (PEC) ground planes are capable of achieving higher directivity, at the expense of matching efficiency, when the spacing
between the radiating element and the PEC ground plane is less than 0.25 lambda. To establish an efficient ground plane for low profile applications, PEC (Perfect Electric Conductor) and PMC (Perfect Magnetic Conductor) ground planes are examined in the vicinity of electric and magnetic radiating elements. The limitation of the two ground planes, in terms of radiation efficiency and the impedance matching, are discussed. Far-field analytical formulations are derived and the results are compared with full-wave EM simulations performed using the High-Frequency Structure Simulator (HFSS). Based on PEC and PMC designs, two engineered ground planes are proposed.
The designed ground planes depend on two metasurface properties; namely in-phase reflection and excitation of surface waves. Two ground plane geometries are considered. The first one is designed for a circular loop radiating element, which utilizes a
circular HIS ring deployed on a circular ground plane. The integration of the loop element with the circular HIS ground plane enhances the maximum directivity up to 10.5 dB with a 13% fractional bandwidth. The second ground plane is designed for a square loop radiating element. Unlike the first design, rectangular HIS patches are utilized to control the excitation of surface waves in the principal planes. The final design operates from 3.8 to 5 GHz (27% fractional bandwidth) with a stable broadside maximum realized gain up to 11.9 dBi. To verify the proposed designs, a prototype was fabricated and measurements were conducted. A good agreement between simulations and measurements was observed. Furthermore, multiple square ring elements are embedded within the periodic patches to form a surface wave planar antenna array. Linear and circular polarizations are proposed and compared to a conventional square ring array. The implementation of periodic patches results in a better matching bandwidth and higher broadside gain compared to a conventional array.
ContributorsAlharbi, Mohammed (Author) / Balanis, Constantine A (Thesis advisor) / Aberle, James T (Committee member) / Palais, Joseph (Committee member) / Trichopoulos, Georgios C (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2020