Enhancement of Microwave Properties of Planar Filters and Antennas using Photonic Bandgap (PBG) Structures

In this thesis, we explore the design, computation, and experimental analysis of photonic crystals, with a special emphasis on structures and devices that make a connection with practically realizable systems. First, we analyze the propenies of photonic-crystal: periodic dielectric structures that have a band gap for propagation. The band gap of periodically loaded air column on a dielectric substrate is computed using Eigen solvers in a plane wave basis. Then this idea is extended to planar filters and antennas at microwave regime. The main objectives covered in this thesis are:• Computation of Band Gap origin in Photonic crystal with the abet of Maxwell's equation and Bloch-Floquet's theorem • Extension of Band Gap to Planar structures at microwave regime • Predict the dielectric constant - synthesized dieletric cmstant of the substrates when loaded with Photonic Band Gap (PBG) structures in a microstrip transmission line • Identify the resonant characteristic of the PBG cell and extract the equivalent circuit based on PBG cell and substrate parameters for microstrip transmission line • Miniaturize PBG as Defected Ground Structures (DGS) and use the property to be implemented in planar filters with microstrip transmission line • Extended the band stop effect of PBG / DGS to coplanar waveguide and asymmetric coplanar waveguide. • Formulate design equations for the PBG / DGS filters • Use these PBG / DGS ground plane as ground plane of microstrip antennas • Analysis of filters and antennas using FDID method

“Fabrication and characterization of polymer optical fibers for photonic device applications

Although the main application of optical fibers are in the field of telecommunication, optical fiber based sensors of various designs are becoming valuable devices for wide industrial applications. The advantages of optical fiber-based sensors include high sensitivity, insensitivity to electromagnetic radiation; spark free, light weight and minimal intrusiveness due to their relatively small size and deployment in harsh and hostile environments. It has been proved that POI-7 based sensors can be employed to detect a great variety of parameters including temperature, humidity, pressure, refractive index etc. The proposed thesis presented in six chapters deals with the work carried on dye doped and undoped POF for photonic device applications such as amplifier, laser and sensor

Fabrication, Optical Analysis and Photonic Applications of Certain Metallic Nanostructure-Integrated Dye Doped Polymer Optical Fibers” submitted by Ms. Suneetha Sebastian

Polymer Optical Fibers have occupied historically a place for large core flexible fibers operating in short distances. In addition to their practical passive application in short-haul communication they constitute a potential research field as active devices with organic dopants. Organic dyes are preferred as dopants over organic semiconductors due to their higher optical cross section. Thus organic dyes as gain media in a polymer fiber is used to develop efficient and narrow laser sources with a tunability throughout the visible region or optical amplifier with high gain. Dyes incorporated in fiber form has added advantage over other solid state forms such as films since the pump power required to excite the molecules in the core of the fiber is less thereby utilising the pump power effectively. In 1987, Muto et.al investigated a dye doped step index polymer fiber laser. Afterwards, numerous researches have been carried out in this area demonstrating laser emission from step index, graded index and hollow optical fibers incorporating various dyes. Among various dyes, Rhodamine6G is the most widely and commonly used laser dye for the last four decades. Rhodamine6G has many desirable optical properties which make it preferable over other organic dyes such as Coumarin, Nile Blue, Curcumin etc. The research focus on the implementation of efficient fiber lasers and amplifiers for short fiber distances. Developing efficient plastic lasers with electrical pumping can be a new proposal in this field which demands lowest possible threshold pump energy of the gain medium in the cavity as an important parameter. One way of improving the efficiency of the lasers, through low threshold pump energy, is by modifying the gain of the amplifiers in the resonator/cavity. Success in the field of Radiative Decay Engineering can pave way to this problem. Laser gain media consisting of dye-nanoparticle composites can improve the efficiency by lowering the lasing threshold and enhancing the photostability. The electric field confined near the surface of metal nanoparticles due to Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance can be very effective for the excitation of active centers to impart high optical gain for lasing. Since the Surface Plasmon Resonance of nanoparticles of gold and silver lies in the visible range, it can affect the spectral emission characteristics of organic dyes such as Rhodamine6G through plasmon field generated by the particles. The change in emission of the dye placed near metal nanoparticles depend on plasmon field strength which in turn depends on the type of metal, size of nanoparticle, surface modification of the particle and the wavelength of incident light. Progress in fabrication of different types of nanostructures lead to the advent of nanospheres, nanoalloys, core-shell and nanowires to name a few. The thesis deals with the fabrication and characterisation of polymer optical fibers with various metallic and bimetallic nanostructures incorporated in the gain media for efficient fiber lasers with low threshold and improved photostability.

Fabrication and Characterization of Chalcogenide nano composite based materials for Photonic device applications

In this context,in search of new materials based on chalcogenide glasses,we have developed a novel technique for fabrication of chalcogenide nano composites which are presented in this theis.The techniques includes the dissolution of bulk chalcogenide glasses in amine solvent.This solution casting method allows to retain the attractive optical properties of chalcogenide glasses enabling new fabrication routes for realization of large area thick-thin films with less cost. Chalcogenide glass fiber geometry opens new possibilities for a large number of applications in optics,like remote temperature measurements ,CO2 laser power delivery, and optical sensing and single mode propagation of IR light.We have fabricated new optical polymer fibers doped with chalcogenide glasses which can be used for many optical applications.The present thesis also describes the structural,thermal and optical characterization of certain chalocogenide based materials prepared for different methods and its applications.

Design, Fabrication and Characterization of Passive and Active Polymer Photonic Devices

The rapid developments in fields such as fibre optic communication engineering and integrated optical electronics have expanded the interest and have increased the expectations about guided wave optics, in which optical waveguides and optical fibres play a central role. The technology of guided wave photonics now plays a role in generating information (guided-wave sensors) and processing information (spectral analysis, analog-to-digital conversion and other optical communication schemes) in addition to its original application of transmitting information (fibre optic communication). Passive and active polymer devices have generated much research interest recently because of the versatility of the fabrication techniques and the potential applications in two important areas – short distant communication network and special functionality optical devices such as amplifiers, switches and sensors. Polymer optical waveguides and fibres are often designed to have large cores with 10-1000 micrometer diameter to facilitate easy connection and splicing. Large diameter polymer optical fibres being less fragile and vastly easier to work with than glass fibres, are attractive in sensing applications. Sensors using commercial plastic optical fibres are based on ideas already used in silica glass sensors, but exploiting the flexible and cost effective nature of the plastic optical fibre for harsh environments and throw-away sensors. In the field of Photonics, considerable attention is centering on the use of polymer waveguides and fibres, as they have a great potential to create all-optical devices. By attaching organic dyes to the polymer system we can incorporate a variety of optical functions. Organic dye doped polymer waveguides and fibres are potential candidates for solid state gain media. High power and high gain optical amplification in organic dye-doped polymer waveguide amplifier is possible due to extremely large emission cross sections of dyes. Also, an extensive choice of organic dye dopants is possible resulting in amplification covering a wide range in the visible region.

Two new fluorescent heterocyclic perimidines: first syntheses, crystal structure and spectral characterization

An efficient one-pot synthesis of two new heterocyclic perimidines 4-(2,3-dihydro-1H-perimidin-2-yl)-2-methoxyphenol and 2-(quinoxalin-2-yl)-2,3-dihydro-1H-perimidine in good yields is presented. This methodology provides a simple, straightforward synthetic route to these interesting classes of heterocycles. Crystal structure, solvatochromism and antibacterial activity of these organic compounds are discussed.

Photoacoustic studies on thermal parameters of liquid crystal mixtures

Complete thermal characterization of liquid crystal mixtures in the smectic phase consisting of various relative volume fractions of cholesterol and 1-hexadecanol have been carried out using the photoacoustic technique. Thermal diffusivity values of these liquid crystal mixtures are evaluated using the open cell photoacoustic technique whereas the thermal effusivity value is measured using the conventional photoacoustic technique. From the measured values of these transient thermophysical parameters, the thermal conductivity and heat capacity of the sample under investigation are calculated. Analyses of the results show that all the thermophysical parameters depend strongly on the volume fraction of the constituents. Results are interpreted in terms of enhanced hydrogen bonding and the consequent enhancement in cohesive thermal energy transport with increasing volume fraction of 1-hexadecanol

Photoacoustic studies on thermal parameters of liquid crystal mixtures

Complete thermal characterization of liquid crystal mixtures in the smectic phase consisting of various relative volume fractions of cholesterol and 1-hexadecanol have been carried out using the photoacoustic technique. Thermal diffusivity values of these liquid crystal mixtures are evaluated using the open cell photoacoustic technique whereas the thermal effusivity value is measured using the conventional photoacoustic technique. From the measured values of these transient thermophysical parameters, the thermal conductivity and heat capacity of the sample under investigation are calculated. Analyses of the results show that all the thermophysical parameters depend strongly on the volume fraction of the constituents. Results are interpreted in terms of enhanced hydrogen bonding and the consequent enhancement in cohesive thermal energy transport with increasing volume fraction of 1-hexadecanol

Photoacoustic studies on thermal parameters of liquid crystal mixtures

Complete thermal characterization of liquid crystal mixtures in the smectic phase consisting of various relative volume fractions of cholesterol and 1-hexadecanol have been carried out using the photoacoustic technique. Thermal diffusivity values of these liquid crystal mixtures are evaluated using the open cell photoacoustic technique whereas the thermal effusivity value is measured using the conventional photoacoustic technique. From the measured values of these transient thermophysical parameters, the thermal conductivity and heat capacity of the sample under investigation are calculated. Analyses of the results show that all the thermophysical parameters depend strongly on the volume fraction of the constituents. Results are interpreted in terms of enhanced hydrogen bonding and the consequent enhancement in cohesive thermal energy transport with increasing volume fraction of 1-hexadecanol

Use of photoacoustic effect for the detection of phase transitions in liquid crystal mixtures

We report on a laser induced photoacoustic study of the nematic-to-isotropic transition in certain commercial nematic liquid crystal mixtures, namely BL001, BL002, BL032 and BL035. A simple analysis of the experimental data using the Rosencwaig–Gersho theory shows that the heat capacities of all these compounds exhibit a sharp peak as the temperature of the sample is varied across the transition region. Also, substantial differences in the photoacoustic signal amplitudes in nematic and isotropic phases have been noticed for all the mixtures. The increased light scattering property of the nematic phase may be the reason for the enhanced photoacoustic signal amplitude in this phase.

Use of photoacoustic effect for the detection of phase transitions in liquid crystal mixtures

We report on a laser induced photoacoustic study of the nematic-to-isotropic transition in certain commercial nematic liquid crystal mixtures, namely BL001, BL002, BL032 and BL035. A simple analysis of the experimental data using the Rosencwaig–Gersho theory shows that the heat capacities of all these compounds exhibit a sharp peak as the temperature of the sample is varied across the transition region. Also, substantial differences in the photoacoustic signal amplitudes in nematic and isotropic phases have been noticed for all the mixtures. The increased light scattering property of the nematic phase may be the reason for the enhanced photoacoustic signal amplitude in this phase

Use of photoacoustic effect for the detection of phase transitions in liquid crystal mixtures

We report on a laser induced photoacoustic study of the nematic-to-isotropic transition in certain commercial nematic liquid crystal mixtures, namely BL001, BL002, BL032 and BL035. A simple analysis of the experimental data using the Rosencwaig–Gersho theory shows that the heat capacities of all these compounds exhibit a sharp peak as the temperature of the sample is varied across the transition region. Also, substantial differences in the photoacoustic signal amplitudes in nematic and isotropic phases have been noticed for all the mixtures. The increased light scattering property of the nematic phase may be the reason for the enhanced photoacoustic signal amplitude in this phase.

Material Characterisation and Electro-Optical Studies of a Ferroelectric Liquid Crystal

Department of Electronics, Cochin University of Science and Technology

Synthesis and crystal structure of cobalt(III) complex with a Schiff base and azide

The cobalt(III) complex, [Co(L)2(N3)2]2(ClO4)2, L being a Schiff base N-[phenyl(pyridin-2-yl)methylene]aniline has been synthesized and the crystal structure determined using X-ray crystallography. The complex crystallizes in triclinic system, space group P-1 with unit cell parameters a=10.9367(9) , b=18.0817(17) , c=20.1629(16) , α=111.341(2), β=91.622(2), γ=107.5030(10), V=3499.1(5) 3 and Z=2. It crystallizes with two independent molecules in the asymmetric unit. The two cobalt atoms are hexa-coordinate and have a distorted octahedral geometry, satisfied by four nitrogen atoms from two molecules of the Schiff base and two nitrogen atoms from the monodentate azide group. The perchlorate ions are non-coordinating.

Copper(II) complexes of N(4)-substituted thiosemicarbazones derived from pyridine-2-carbaldehyde: Crystal structure of a binuclear complex

Ten copper(II) complexes {[CuL1Cl] (1), [CuL1NO3]2 (2), [CuL1N3]2 · 2/3H2O (3), [CuL1]2(ClO4)2 · 2H2O (4), [CuL2Cl]2 (5), [CuL2N3] (6), [Cu(HL2)SO4]2 · 4H2O (7), [Cu(HL2)2] (ClO4)2 · 1/2EtOH (8), [CuL3Cl]2 (9), [CuL3NCS] · 1/2H2O (10)} of three NNS donor thiosemicarbazone ligands {pyridine-2-carbaldehyde-N(4)-p-methoxyphenyl thiosemicarbazone [HL1], pyridine-2-carbaldehyde-N(4)-2-phenethyl thiosemicarbazone [HL2] and pyridine-2-carbaldehyde N(4)-(methyl), N(4)-(phenyl) thiosemicarbazone [HL3]} were synthesized and physico-chemically characterized. The crystal structure of compound 9 has been determined by X-ray diffraction studies and is found that the dimer consists of two square pyramidal Cu(II) centers linked by two chlorine atoms.