Optics and Photonics Lab at the University of Michigan

MY NOTE: THE RECENT PRESS RELEASE FROM THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION, PEAKED MY INTEREST IN THE RESEARCH UNDERWAY AT A NUMBER OF THE UNIVERSITIES RECEIVING AWARDS. ONE UNIVERSITY, THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN HAS A NUMBER OF INTERESTING DEPARTMENTS, WORKING , (AMONG OTHER THINGS),  IN PHOTONICS AND TERAHERTZ.

http://www.eecs.umich.edu/optics/index.html

Welcome to the Optics and Photonics Laboratory

Ted Norris, Director
Optics and photonics faculty and students are exploring biophotonics, photonic MEMS, optoelectronics in quantum structures, nanophotonics, ultrafast optics, quantum optics, and fiber and integrated photonics and lasers. Research ranges from fundamental science to emerging applications and devices, including quantum computing, on-chip micron-scaled resonators, microsensors, metamaterials, in vivo biological imaging and sensing, and biophysical studies of biomolecular structure.

Related Labs, Centers, and Groups Center for Ultrafast Optical Science Optics and Photonics Laboratory Ultrafast Optics Overview Ultrafast optics is concerned with the generation, amplification, manipulation, and applications of femtosecond (10-15 s) pulses of light. The University of Michigan is home to the Center for Ultrafast Optical Science, which is an interdisciplinary research center in the College of Engineering and one of the leading laboratories in the field. Research areas at CUOS include ultrafast high power fiber lasers, applications of femtosecond pulses to semiconductor optoelectronics, quantum structures, materials science, micromachining, biophotonics, nanophotonics, and high field science. CUOS is home to the world’s highest intensity laser, HERCULES, which has demonstrated 1022 W/cm2 peak intensity on target. Applications of ultra-intense lasers include relativistic optics, laser-plasma interactions, laboratory astrophysics, electron and ion acceleration, and short-wavelength generation. CUOS has active interactions with many other UM laboratories and centers, including the Nuclear Engineering and Radiolocical Sciences department, the Biomedical Engineering and Materials Science and Engineering departments, the Michigan Nanotechnology Institute for Medicine and Biological Sciences, and the Michigan Nanofabrication Facility. Ultrafast Optics Web Page Faculty Galvanauskas, Almantas Krushelnick, Karl M. Norris, Theodore B. Steel, Duncan Yanovsky, Victor Affiliated Faculty Whitaker, John Related Labs, Centers, and Groups Center for Ultrafast Optical Science Optics and Photonics Laboratory Ultrafast and Nonlinear Spectroscopy Laboratory Nanophotonics Overview Nanophotonics is concerned with two general problems: the interaction of light with sub-wavelength (nanoscale) particles, and the control of the flow of light on the nanoscale. One area of intense activity is the spectroscopy and coherent control of single quantum dots. Nano-structures of semiconductors such as InAs are being fabricated that confine both the electron and the hole, creating gigantic optical dipole moments that result in strong interactions with light. This is changing the nature of opto-electronics as it now becomes possible to imagine using coherent light produced on a chip to control electronic interactions on the same chip. A second area concerns nanoparticles doped with rare earth ions, which have recently been used to create a new family of optical solids with applications to light sources that were unforeseen only a few years ago. Specifically, transparent ceramics are novel media that offer novel laser hosts with properties ideal for ultra high power laser technology at the 100 kW level. At more modest power levels they also offer novel functionality linked to the nano-structuring of traditional laser solids. We are currently fabricating intense, solid-state UV-C emission sources based on transparent Sc:á-Al2O3 and developing new processing techniques to make the first Ti3+:Al2O3 ceramic fiber laser. A third area is the field of nanoplasmonics – the application of metal nanoparticles and their complexes to engineer novel optical structures. Novel nanoplasmonic structures are being investigated for applications in biophotonics and new methods are being developed for nanometer-resolution imaging of the plasmon modes. Finally, we are investigating on-chip micron-scaled resonators. Enhancing the optical intensity is accomplished by nano-control of the surface finish (to minimize scattering). This has enabled the first observation of radiation-pressure-induced micro-mechanical vibration and chip-based visible continuous emitters by third-harmonic generation. We have also shown level crossing between optical modes in a toroidal cavity. Fiber and Integrated Photonics and Lasers Overview The research in this area ranges from the development of novel fiber lasers with unprecedented output power to the use of femtosecond lasers for writing waveguides directly into glass substrates. Much of the work is driven by the desire to create compact sources and novel photonic devices with increased functionality and capacity for integration. Faculty Galvanauskas, Almantas Islam, Mohammed N. Rand, Stephen Related Labs, Centers, and Groups Center for Ultrafast Optical Science Optics and Photonics Laboratory Projects Active ring resonator sensors Glass ion exchange waveguide devices Integrated optics for interferometric astronomical imaging Mid-IR integrated optics Nano-structured ceramic solid state lasers Quantum optics on a chip (pending effort) Thermally poled EO and nonlinear optic glass waveguide devices Biophotonics Overview Biophotonics is concerned with the application of optics and photonics technology to biomedical problems, as well as to fundamental biology and biophysics. Novel photonic devices are being developed for both imaging and sensing. Fiber-based in vivo fluorescence sensors are being used to detect the dynamics of drug delivery in nanomedicine. Photonic crystal structures are being used to perform ultrahigh-sensitivity assays of biomolecular binding. Multiphoton fluorescence is being used to perform in vivo flow cytometry to study the dynamics of circulating cancer cells. Coherent control techniques are being developed to exploit the capabilities of shaped femtosecond pulses to perform selective excitation of biologically important fluorophores. Novel methods are being developed to perform fluorescence measurements simultaneously across the entire optical spectrum, thus enabling assays with many biomarkers. Working at the level of single biomolecules, it is now possible to perform biochemical measurements at the femto-mole level, creating new opportunities for building sensors and developing new methodologies to understand the origin of molecular-based disease. Faculty Guo, Lingjie (Jay)                                     Islam, Mohammed N. Norris, Theodore B. Steel, Duncan  Nonlinear Optics and MEMS Overview Nonlinear optics involves a non-proportional response of material to light. One of the applications is a laser pointer, which is actually invisible but is converted to a visible green or red light by nonlinear response of the material. MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems). one such system is an array of many tiny mirrors that deflect light in a computer projector to form a power point presentation. Optics is primarily concerned with Photonic MEMS, such as when the mechanical degree of freedom affects the properties of an optical device via the pressure applied by light. Faculty Carmon, Tal Rand, Stephen Winful, Herbert Related Labs, Centers, and Groups Center for Ultrafast Optical Science Ultrafast and Nonlinear Spectroscopy Laboratory Projects Femtosecond Micromachining of Glass Waveguide Devices Nonlinear Dynamics of Fiber Laser Arrays: Theoretical Studies of Phase Locking, Self-Synchronization, Instabilities and Chaos in Coupled Fiber Lasers Nonlinear Optical Phenomena in Photonic Crystals and in Metamaterials On-Chip Visible Emitters: Visible Continuous Emission by Third-Harmonic Generation in a Micron-Scaled Cavity. Optical Magnetism - Experiments and Numerical Simulations of Time-Resolved Nonlinear Magneto-Optic Response in Transparent Dielectrics and Micro-Cavities Optically-induced refractive index changes in natural materials Photonic MEMS Stimulated Brillouin Scattering and Its Suppression in Fiber Lasers Thermally Poled Glass Waveguide Devices for Electro-Optics and Nonlinear Optics Optoelectronics Overview The field of optoelectronics exploits a variety of photonic structures for both passive and active device applications, ranging from semiconductor light emitting diodes, lasers, photodetectors, optical modulators, to optical memories, to name an important few. Optoelectronics primarily utilize a number of inorganic and organic semiconductor materials, and quantum nanostructures such as quantum wells and quantum dots. The photonic structures include integrated optical waveguides, photonic bandgap structures, optical microcavities, surface plasmons at the interface of dielectric and metal materials. Contemporary research topics include on-demand single photon source, nanoscale current-injection laser, microsensors, metamaterials with novel optical properties. Faculty Bhattacharya, Pallab Forrest, Stephen R. Guo, Lingjie (Jay) Islam, Mohammed N. Ku, Pei-Cheng (P.C.) Kushner, Mark J. Norris, Theodore B. Phillips, Jamie D. Zimmerman, Jeramy Affiliated Faculty Whitaker, John Related Labs, Centers, and Groups Center for Ultrafast Optical Science Optoelectronic Components and Materials Group Projects Artificial Eye EBL Fabricated Negative Refractive Index Materials Based on Metallic Strips Embedded in a Dielectric Fabrication of Micron-Size Lens Arrays to Enhance Light Extraction Efficiency of Organic Light Emitting Diodes Growth and Optical Characterization of ZnO/MgZno Single- and Multi-Quantum Wells III-Nitride Quantum Well and Quantum Dot Opto-Electronic Devices Long Wavelength (1.55 ìm) InAs Quantum Dot Lasers on GaAs Modeling of LWIR HgCdTe Infrared Detectors Under Non-Equilibrium Operation Optimization of Random Diffraction Gratings in Thin-Film Solar Cells Using Genetic Algorithms Organic Solar Cells and Light Emitting Diodes with Semi-Transparent Metal Electrode Replacing ITO Quantum Dot Lasers and Integrated Guided-Wave Devices Monolithically Grown on Si Quantum Dot Photodetectors for THz Detection Quantum Dot Photonics Crystal Microcavity Light Emitter Surface Plasmon Enabled Nanocavity Sub-Wavelength Injection Laser ZnO/ZnTe Heterojunction Diodes Quantum Optics and Information Overview This area emphasizes core concepts of quantum mechanics currently being exploited for the design and fabrication of state-of-the-art electrical, optical and mechanical technology relevant to a number of new applications, such as quantum information. In addition, Moore's law for exponential growth in the number of transistors in a chip is nearing an end and the feature size in many parts of the devices approach the level where quantum effects become important. This means that the devices will likely no longer work in their standard manner and new ideas will need to emerge to continue to allow the continued growth of information processes. Also, new demands for light sources for communications and sensors for detections are pushing boundaries of quantum behavior. Research in this area includes things like slow light for information storage, electromagnetically-induced transparency for advanced upconversion lasers, spectroscopy of advanced nano-materials for technology, nanophotonics, and medicine, and quantum computing based on semiconductor quantum dots. There are many groups involved in this area centralized in the Optics and Photonics Laboratory with strong connections to the Physics Department, the Applied Physics Program, Materials Science, and Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences. Faculty Rand, Stephen Steel, Duncan Related Labs, Centers, and Groups Center for Ultrafast Optical Science Optics and Photonics Laboratory Projects Density matrix calculations of quantum optical magnetism Development of an Optically Driven Quantum Computer Development of Optically Driven Quantum Devices Ultrafast laser experiments characterizing resonant optical magnetism