NanoPlasmonics, Microphotonics & Imaging

CMOS scaling driven by “Moore’s Law” has allowed great improvements in microelectronic integrated circuit technology. In addition, high index contrast SOI optical waveguides are receiving much attention for their potential in implementing high density photonic integrated circuits alongside microelectronics. This project entails the design, fabrication, and experimental demonstration of a tunable SOI microring optical modulator with the potential for integration with CMOS microelectronics.

Project end date: 07/24/07

There is a need to develop a compact in dimension, high speed, bi-axial scanning, and robust scanner with Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) technology for in vivo imaging in Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) applications. These MEMS based endoscoopes with distal beam scanning can image with higher speed, precision, and repeatability than conventional linear scanning endoscopes in which the entire endoscope is mechanically translated with respect to the observed tissue. Most importantly, with bi-axial scanning capability of the MEMS scanner, three dimensional in vivo real time...

Tunable micro-lenses have been the focus of many studies recently. However, due to the inert complexity of the fluid-solid interaction, arraying has yet to be achieved. This project focuses on creating an efficient fabrication process with new design and materials. These improvements make the new design readily applicable to collimators and Shack-Harmon Sensors. Furthermore, we will study performance of various lens liquids, more specifically ones that will increase the working temperature range. We will then characterize the new lens liquids and hydrophobic layer under various...

Optical sensors have applications in chemical detection, thermal imaging, motion sensing, and temperature measurement. A narrow-band optical filter is often used to confine radiation intensity measurement to a specific range of optical wavelengths. Similarly, devices such as optical displays require precise filtration and modulation of light. The current project seeks to create a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device with narrow-band optical filtering and modulation properties. This research will result in technology to decrease sensor size and improve sensor functionality,...