Polarization multiplexed write-once-read-many optical data storage in bacteriorhodopsin films

In polymeric films of bacteriorhodopsin (BR) a photoconversion product, which was named the F620 state, was observed on excitation of the film with 532 nm nanosecond laser pulses. This photoproduct shows a strong nonlinear absorption. Such BR films can be used for write-once-read-many (WORM) optical data storage. We demonstrate that a photoproduct similar or even identical to that obtained with nanosecond pulses is generated on excitation with 532 mn femtosecond pulses. This photoproduct also shows strong anisotropic absorption, which facilitates polarization storage of data. The product is thermally stable and is irretrievable to the initial B state either by photochemical reaction or through a thermal pathway. The experimental results indicate that the product is formed by a two-photon absorption process. Optical WORM storage is demonstrated by use of two polarization states, but more polarization states may be used. The combination of polarization data multiplexing and extremely short recording time in the femtosecond range enables very high data volumes to be stored within a very short time. (c) 2005 Optical Society of America.

Photochromic diarylethene for polarization holographic optical recording

Photochromic diarylethene, 1,2-bis[2-methyl-5-(3-fluorophenyl)-3-thienyl] perfluorocyleopentene (1a), was synthesized. The compound showed good photochromic reactions both in solution and in PMMA matrix by photo-irradiation. Using the diarylethene lb/PMMA film as recording medium and a He-Ne laser for recording and readout, four types of polarization holographic optical recording were accomplished for the first time. The results show that the orthogonal circular polarization recording is the best method for holographic optical recording when the target photochromic diarylethene is used as recording material. (c) 2006 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Optical image contrast reversal using bacteriorhodopsin films

The implementation of image contrast reversal by using a photochromic material of Bacteriorhodopsin (BR) films is demonstrated with two methods based on the optical properties of BR. One is based on the absorption difference between the B and M states. Images recorded by green light can be contrast reversed readout by violet light. The other is based on the photoinduced anisotropy of BR when it is excited by linear polarization light. By placing the BR film between two crossed polarizers (i.e. a polarizer and an analyser), the difference of polarization states of the recorded area and the unrecorded area can be detected, and thus different contrast images can be obtained by rotating the polarization axis of the analyser.

Six-wave mixing phase-dispersion by optical heterodyne detection in dressed reverse N-type four-level system

We have investigated the dressed effects of non-degenerate four-wave mixing (NDFWM) and demonstrated a phase-sensitive method of studying the fifth-order nonlinear susceptibility due to atomic coherence in RN-type four-level system. In the presence of a strong coupling field, NDFWM spectrum exhibits Autler-Townes splitting, accompanied by either suppression or enhancement of the NDFWM signal, which is directly related to the competition between the absorption and dispersion contributions. The heterodyne-detected nonlinear absorption and dispersion of six-wave mixing signal in the RN-type system show that the hybrid radiation-matter detuning damping oscillation is in the THz range and can be controlled and modified through the colour-locked correlation of twin noisy fields.

Mode field diameter and nonlinear properties of air-core nanowires

Exact solutions of Maxwell's equations describing the lightwave through 3-layer-structured cylindrical waveguide are obtained and the mode field diameter and nonlinear coefficient of air-core nanowires (ACNWs) are numerically calculated. The simulation results show that ACNWs offer some unique optical properties, such as tight field confining ability and extremely high nonlinearity. At a certain wavelength and air core radius, we optimize the waveguide design to maximize the nonlinear coefficient and minimize the mode field diameter. Our results show that the ACNWs may be powerful potential tools for novel micro-photonic devices in the near future.

Compact and efficient triple-pass optical parametric chirped pulse amplification

Compact and efficient triple-pass optical parametric chirped pulse amplification in a single crystal has been demonstrated. The signal was triple-pass amplified in a single nonlinear crystal by a nanosecond pump pulse. The first-pass optical parametric amplification is completely phase matched in the plane of the maximum effective nonlinearity, and the other two passes work symmetrically near to the first-pass optical parametric amplification plane. This architecture efficiently increases the overall gain, overcomes the optical parametric fluorescence, and clearly simplifies the amplification scheme.

Research on micro-optical lenses fabrication technology

We present a detail investigation on the development of a series of gradient index (GRIN) optical glass microlens and polymer microlens and microlens arrays in our laboratory in recent years. The special glass material GRIN lenses have been fabricated mainly by using ion-exchange technology, which are applied to construct micro-optic devices and other applications. On one hand, we demonstrated the light propagation and imaging properties of GRIN lenses and the results analyzed. On the other hand, we have explored a drop-on-demand ink-jet printing method to produce microlens array using nano-scale polymer droplets involved with a uniform ultraviolet light and heat solidifying process. The experimental setup for manufacturing polymer microlens array and the performance of refractive microlens elements are also given in this paper. (C) 2006 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Solid-core tellurite glass fiber for infrared and nonlinear applications

By optimizing glass composition and using a multistage dehydration process, a ternary 80TeO(2)-10ZnO-10Na(2)O glass is obtained that shows excellent transparency in the wavelength range from 0.38 mu m up to 6.10 mu m. Based on this optimized composition, we report on the fabrication of a single-mode solid-core tellurite glass fiber with large mode area of 103 mu m(2) and low loss of 0.24 similar to 0.7 dB/m at 1550 nm. By using the continuous-wave self-phase modulation method, the non-resonant nonlinear refractive index n(2) and the effective nonlinear parameter gamma of this made tellurite glass fiber were estimated to be 3.8x10(-1)9 m(2)/W and 10.6 W-1.m(-1) at 1550 nm, respectively. (C) 2009 Optical Society of America

All-optical switching application of germano-silicate optical fiber incorporated with Ag nanocrystals

银纳米晶体掺杂的高非线性石英光纤的全光转换应用

Analysis of the optical confinement factor in semiconductor lasers

We derive formulas for the optical confinement factor Gamma from Maxwell's equations for TE and TM modes in the slab waveguide. The numerical results show that the formulas yield correct mode gain for the modes propagating in the waveguide. We also compare the formulas with the standard definition of Gamma as the ratio of power flow in the active region to the total power flow. The results show that the standard definition will underestimate the difference of optical confinement factors between TE and TM modes, and will underestimate the difference of material gains necessary for polarization insensitive semiconductor laser amplifiers. It is important to use correct optical confinement factors for designing polarization insensitive semiconductor laser amplifiers. For vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers, the numerical results show that Gamma can be defined as the proportion of the product of the refractive index and the squared electric field in the active region. (C) 1996 American Institute of physics.

Structural and Optical Performance of GaN Thick Film Grown by HVPE

Thick GaN films were grown on GaN/sapphire template in a vertical HVPE reactor. Various material characterization techniques,including AFM, SEM, XRD, RBS/Channeling, CL, PL, and XPS, were used to characterize these GaN epitaxial films. It was found that stepped/terraced structures appeared on the film surface,which were indicative of a nearly step-flow mode of growth for the HVPE GaN despite the high growth rate. A few hexagonal pits appeared on the surface, which have strong light emission. After being etched in molten KOH, the wavy steps disappeared and hexagonal pits with {1010} facets appeared on the surface. An EPD of only 8 ×10~6cm~(-2) shows that the GaN film has few dislocations. Both XRD and RBS channeling indicate the high quality of the GaN thick films. Sharp band-edge emission with a full width at half maximum（FWHM）of 67meV was observed, while the yellow and infrared emissions were also found. These emissions are likely caused by native defects and C and O impurities.

Optical properties of AIInGaN quaternary alloys

Carrier recombination dynamics in AlInGaN alloy has been studied by photoluminescence (PL) and time-resolved photoluminescence (TRPL). The fast redshift of PL peak energy is observed and well fitted by a physical model considering the thermal activation and transfer processes. This result provides evidence for the exciton localization in the quantum dot (QD)-like potentials in our AlInGaN alloy. The TRPL signals are found to be described by a stretched exponential function of exp[(-t/tau)(beta)], indicating the presence of a significant disorder in the material. The disorder is attributed to a randomly distributed quantum dots or clusters caused by indium fluctuations. By studying the dependence of the dispersive exponent 8 on the temperature and emission energy, we suggest that the exciton hopping dominate the diffusion of carriers localized in the disordered quantum dots. Furthermore, the localized states are found to have OD density of states up to 250 K, since the radiative lifetime remains almost unchanged with increasing temperature.

A novel polarization-insensitive semiconductor optical amplifier structure with large 3dB bandwidth

A novel approach to achieving a polarization-insensitive semiconductor optical amplifier is presented. The active layer consists of graded tensile strained bulk-like structure. which can not only enhance TM mode material gain and further realize polarization-insensitivity, but also get a large 3dB bandwidth due to different strain introduced into the active layer. 3dB bandwidth more than 40nm. 65nm has been obtained in die experiment and theory, respectively. The characteristics of such polarization insensitive structure have been analyzed, The influence of the amount of strain and of the thickness of strain layer on the polarization insensitivity has been discussed.

Design and fabrication of polarization-insensitive 1550 mm semiconductor optical amplifiers

Polarization-insensitive semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOA's) with tensile-strained multi-quantum-wells as actice regions are designed and fabricated. The 6x6 Luttinger-Kohn model and Bir-Pikus Hamiltonian are employed to calculate the valence subband structures of strained quantum wells, and then a Lorentzian line-shape function is combined to calculate the material gain spectra for TE and TM modes. The device structure for polarization insensitive SOA is designed based on the materialde gain spectra of TE and TM modes and the gain factors for multilayer slab waveguide. Based on the designed structure parameters, we grow the SOA wafer by MOCVD and get nearly magnitude of output power for TE and TM modes from the broad-area semiconductor lasers fabricated from the wafer.

Silicon: the promising material for phontonic integrated circuits platform

The development of optical network demands integrated arid multiple functionality modules to lowing cost and acquire highly reliability. Among the various contender materials to be photonic integrated circuits platform, silicon exhibits dominant characteristics and is the most promising platform materials. The paper compares the characteristics of some candidate materials with silicon and reviews recent progress in silicon based photonic integration technology. Tile challenges to silicon for optical integration for optical networking application arc also indicated.