Practical and High-Energy Near- to Mid-Infrared Femtosecond Oscillators for Directly Writing Silicon Waveguides in Three Dimensions
Lead Research Organisation:
Heriot-Watt University
Department Name: Sch of Engineering and Physical Science
Abstract
Direct-writing of optical waveguides using femtosecond lasers has been the subject of much research since the first demonstration 10 years ago. Despite the great potential of optically-written semiconductor waveguides, there remains an almost universal absence of research in this area. The most likely explanation for this is a practical one; only Ti:sapphire amplifiers can typically provide sufficient pulse energy for waveguide creation but their 800nm wavelength is not transmitted by semiconductors such as silicon, so the creation of sub-surface waveguides is impossible. We propose to address this problem by developing a new energy-scaling approach to femtosecond optical parametric oscillators based on combining cavity-dumping with extended-cavity operation. In this way we expect to produce near- and mid-infrared pulses with energies around 1uJ which should be sufficient to write waveguides in various materials, and we intend to verify this by concentrating on waveguide creation in silicon wafers. The project combines broad expertise in the Ultrafast Optics Group in femtosecond laser machining , sub-surface silicon microscopy and femtosecond parametric source development .
Publications
Beecher SJ
(2011)
Strain field manipulation in ultrafast laser inscribed BiB3O6 optical waveguides for nonlinear applications.
in Optics letters
Benayas A
(2010)
Ultrafast laser writing of optical waveguides in ceramic Yb:YAG: a study of thermal and non-thermal regimes
in Applied Physics A
Ferreiro TI
(2010)
Locking the carrier-envelope-offset frequency of an optical parametric oscillator without f-2f self-referencing.
in Optics letters
Lamour TP
(2011)
650-nJ pulses from a cavity-dumped Yb:fiber-pumped ultrafast optical parametric oscillator.
in Optics express
Lamour TP
(2010)
Wavelength stabilization of a synchronously pumped optical parametric oscillator: optimizing proportional-integral control.
in The Review of scientific instruments
Lamour TP
(2009)
Yb:fiber-laser-pumped high-energy picosecond optical parametric oscillator.
in Optics express
Reid D
(2011)
Advances in ultrafast optical parametric oscillators
in Laser Physics Letters
Zheltikov A
(2007)
Weak-guidance-theory review of dispersion and birefringence management by laser inscription
in Laser Physics Letters
Description | We wanted to explore how the pulse energy of near- and mid-infrared lasers known as "femtosecond OPOs" could be scaled to a level suitable for materials processing. We achieved energies compatible with material processing levels, but more importantly developed fundamental new techniques for energy scaling, resulting in not only academic papers but also a granted patent for "cavity dumping a femtosecond OPO". |
Exploitation Route | The technology is suitable for material processing of infrared materials. |
Sectors | Education,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology |
Description | The development of high power and high energy femtosecond OPOs in this and a related project (EP/I005773/1) was part of the stimulus for the spinning out of Chromacity Ltd. from Heriot-Watt. Chromacity now employs 4 full-time staff and has sold laser / OPO systems in the UK and abroad. |
First Year Of Impact | 2013 |
Sector | Education,Healthcare,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology |
Impact Types | Economic |
Description | Broad-range detection of airborne chemical hazards using a femtosecond OPGaP optical parametric oscillator |
Amount | £80,559 (GBP) |
Funding ID | CDE 37047 |
Organisation | Defence Science & Technology Laboratory (DSTL) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2015 |
End | 08/2015 |
Description | Femtosecond comb optical parametric oscillators for high-resolution spectroscopy in the mid-infrared |
Amount | £492,352 (GBP) |
Funding ID | Grant agrmt # 605057 |
Organisation | European Commission |
Sector | Public |
Country | European Union (EU) |
Start | 08/2013 |
End | 07/2015 |
Description | Frequency-comb enabled metrology for manufacturing |
Amount | £724,989 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/N002547/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2016 |
End | 06/2019 |
Description | Industrial CASE award: Remote Sensing of Greenhouse Gases with an Asynchronous Femtosecond OPO |
Amount | £91,531 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/L505456/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 11/2013 |
End | 04/2017 |
Description | Coherent Scotland Ltd |
Organisation | Coherent |
Department | Coherent Scotland |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
Start Year | 2007 |
Title | OPTICAL APPARATUS |
Description | An optical parametric oscillator (OPO) comprises a resonant cavity for signal light; and an optically non-linear medium disposed in the resonant cavity for converting pump light into the signal light, wherein the resonant cavity is arranged so that in operation signal light is repeatedly output from and returned to the optically non-linear medium along a signal light path in a continuously repeating cycle; and the OPO comprises delay means for extending the time taken for signal light output from the optically non-linear medium in operation to return to the optically non-linear medium along the signal light path. |
IP Reference | WO2010136761 |
Protection | Patent granted |
Year Protection Granted | 2010 |
Licensed | Commercial In Confidence |
Impact | The spin-out company Chromacity Ltd which was formed from my research group in 2013 has rights to license this patent from Heriot-Watt University. |
Company Name | Chromacity Ltd. |
Description | Manufacturer of tunable femtosecond lasers for life sciences and spectroscopy. |
Year Established | 2013 |
Impact | Employment of 4 staff. Commercialisation of a one-box femtosecond OPO (tunable mid-IR laser). |
Website | http://www.chromacitylasers.com |
Description | Scotland on Sunday |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Feature on using laser frequency combs for extra-solar planet hunting. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |