Active optical devices in Silicon and Silicon Oxides
Poling of oxides with nanocrystals
Silicon oxide is without challenge the most important material in photonics. Optical fibres and
integrated components are some of the most prominent applications. With the use of thermal poling
it is possible to extend the applications to active optical
components such as frequency mixing and linear electro-optical
modulators and switches. The purpose of this project is to
investigate poling effects in glass materials containing metal or
semiconductor nanocrystals. It should be investigated if the
resonances in the nanocrystals (direct interband transitions) can be
found in the nonlinear optical spectra of the materials. In the case
of metal particles plasmon effects may give orders of magnitude
enhancement of the nonlinearities in the materials.
The project will contain the following:
1. Techniques for thermal poling of glasses
2. Theory of Second-Harmonic Generation (SHG)
Ge nanocrystals in
3. SHG spectroscopy on poled structures (YAG laser+OPO)
SiO2
4. Synthesis of nanocrystals (if time allows it)
Kjeld Pedersen
Oxide
Silicon