By Cnr Ifn
Glass photonics activity is the research mainstream of the CNR-IFN CSMFO (Characterization and Development of Materials for Photonics and Optoelectronics) Lab. headed by A. Chiasera. This scientific and technical activity refers to the strategic areas identified by European Union in the Photonics21 technological platform and the corresponding Technological Italian Platforms devoted to Sources and Photonic Sensors, Nanotechnologies, and Concentrated Solar Energy. The research activity of CSMFO unit is focalized on preparation and characterization of dielectric glass-based materials for photonics and optoelectronics. The silica on silicon (SOS) technique is fundamental for optical integration and today is at very early stage of development. The optimization of waveguiding materials could avoid some limits related to both the SOS functionality and to the chemical-physical characteristics of the silica. An interesting contribution could derive from the sol-gel technique which, as proved also by the works published by our research group, allows the development of photonics materials with controlled optical, spectroscopic and structural properties. Other non-conventional materials, such as hybrid structures and IR glasses could be fabricated to extend the photonics applications. Preparation: - preparation by sol-gel route and RF-sputtering of ultratransparent glass ceramics and planar waveguides deposited on silica-on-silicon, v-SiO2 and flexible substrates Materials: - silica-based glasses - fluoride-based glasses - organic-inorganic hybrid systems - IR glasses Activation: - rare-earth (RE) ions and/or metallic nanoparticles -co-doping - organic chromophores Characterization: - study of the optical properties by m-line spectroscopy and attenuation measurements - study of the spectroscopic and structural properties by Raman, Brillouin and luminescence spectroscopy, also under mechanical deformation - modeling of the structure, mechanisms and architecture of the devices Developing: - integrated optical amplifiers, lossless splitters, for application in the S,C,L telecom bands - ultratransparent RE-doped glass ceramics systems operating in up-conversion - PBG on dielectric or hybrid structures - active and passive microresonators - all-optical chemical or mechanical sensors
