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Highly Efficient All-Optical Beam Modulation Utilizing Thermo-optic Effects

Summary

Suspensions of plasmonic nanoparticles can diffract optical beams due to the combination of thermal lensing and self-phase modulation. Here, we demonstrate extremely efficient optical continuous wave (CW) beam switching across the visible range in optimized suspensions of 5-nm Au and Ag nanoparticles in non-polar solvents, such as hexane and decane. On-axis modulation of greater than 30 dB is achieved at incident beam intensities as low as 100 W/cm2 with response times under 200 μs, at initial solution transparency above 70%. No evidence of laser-induced degradation is observed for the highest intensities used. Numerical modeling of experimental data reveals thermo-optic coefficients of up to −1.3 × 10−3 /K, which, to our knowledge, is the highest observed to date in such nanoparticle suspensions.
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Summary

Suspensions of plasmonic nanoparticles can diffract optical beams due to the combination of thermal lensing and self-phase modulation. Here, we demonstrate extremely efficient optical continuous wave (CW) beam switching across the visible range in optimized suspensions of 5-nm Au and Ag nanoparticles in non-polar solvents, such as hexane and decane...

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Large-format Geiger-mode avalanche photodiode arrays and readout circuits

Published in:
IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron., Vol. 24, No. 2, March/April 2018, 3800510.

Summary

Over the past 20 years, we have developed arrays of custom-fabricated silicon and InP Geiger-mode avalanche photodiode arrays, CMOS readout circuits to digitally count or time stamp single-photon detection events, and techniques to integrate these two components to make back-illuminated solid-state image sensors for lidar, optical communications, and passive imaging. Starting with 4 × 4 arrays, we have recently demonstrated 256 × 256 arrays, and are working to scale to megapixel-class imagers. In this paper, we review this progress and discuss key technical challenges to scaling to large format.
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Summary

Over the past 20 years, we have developed arrays of custom-fabricated silicon and InP Geiger-mode avalanche photodiode arrays, CMOS readout circuits to digitally count or time stamp single-photon detection events, and techniques to integrate these two components to make back-illuminated solid-state image sensors for lidar, optical communications, and passive imaging...

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Directly deposited optical-blocking filters for single-photon x-ray imaging spectroscopy

Published in:
J. Astron. Telesc. Instrum. Syst., Vol. 3, No. 3 (2017), 036001.

Summary

Directly deposited optical-blocking filters (DD OBFs) have the potential to improve filter performance and lower risk and cost for future x-ray imaging spectroscopy missions. However, they have not been fully characterized on high-performance charge coupled devices (CCDs). This paper reports the results of DD OBFs processed on high-performance photon-counting CCDs. It is found that CCD performance is not degraded by deposition of such filters. X-ray and optical transmission through the OBF is characterized and found to match theoretical expectation. Light-leaks through pinholes and the side and back surfaces are found to lower the optical extinction ratio; various coating processes are developed to resolve these issues.
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Summary

Directly deposited optical-blocking filters (DD OBFs) have the potential to improve filter performance and lower risk and cost for future x-ray imaging spectroscopy missions. However, they have not been fully characterized on high-performance charge coupled devices (CCDs). This paper reports the results of DD OBFs processed on high-performance photon-counting CCDs...

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Germanium CCDs for large-format SWIR and x-ray imaging

Summary

Germanium exhibits high sensitivity to short-wave infrared (SWIR) and X-ray radiation, making it an interesting candidate for imaging applications in these bands. Recent advances in germanium processing allow for high-quality charge-coupled devices (CCDs) to be realized in this material. In this article, we discuss our evaluation of germanium as an absorber material for CCDs via fabrication and analysis of discrete devices such as diodes, metal-insulator-semiconductor capacitors, and buried-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs). We then describe fabrication of our first imaging device on germanium, a 32 x 1 x 8.1 um linear shift register. Based on this work, we find that germanium is a promising material for CCDs imaging in the SWIR and X-ray bands.
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Summary

Germanium exhibits high sensitivity to short-wave infrared (SWIR) and X-ray radiation, making it an interesting candidate for imaging applications in these bands. Recent advances in germanium processing allow for high-quality charge-coupled devices (CCDs) to be realized in this material. In this article, we discuss our evaluation of germanium as an...

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Strong effect of azodye layer thickness on RM-stabilized photoalignment

Published in:
SID Symp. Digest of Tech. Papers, Vol. 48, No. 1, May 2017, pp. 578-81.

Summary

We have previously proposed a process for stabilizing azodye photo-alignment layers using a surface localized reactive mesogen (RM) layer applied by dissolving the monomer in a liquid crystal prior to filling the cell. Surprisingly, thin azodye layers (~3 nm) exhibit improved stability upon exposure to polarized light compared to thicker layers (~40 nm).
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Summary

We have previously proposed a process for stabilizing azodye photo-alignment layers using a surface localized reactive mesogen (RM) layer applied by dissolving the monomer in a liquid crystal prior to filling the cell. Surprisingly, thin azodye layers (~3 nm) exhibit improved stability upon exposure to polarized light compared to thicker...

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Nonlinear equalization of microwave photonic links

Published in:
IEEE Int. Topical Meeting on Microwave Photonics, MWP 2016, 31 October - 3 November 2016.

Summary

High dynamic range is a key requirement in advanced microwave photonic systems. We demonstrate compensation of nonlinearities occurring in microwave photonic links using a novel digital nonlinear equalization technique and demonstrate suppression of distortion products by 33 dB with a small number of equalizer coefficients.
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Summary

High dynamic range is a key requirement in advanced microwave photonic systems. We demonstrate compensation of nonlinearities occurring in microwave photonic links using a novel digital nonlinear equalization technique and demonstrate suppression of distortion products by 33 dB with a small number of equalizer coefficients.

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Crosstalk characterization and mitigation in Geiger-mode avalanche photodiode arrays

Summary

Intra focal plane array (FPA) crosstalk is a primary development limiter of large, fine-pixel Geiger-mode avalanche photodiode (Gm-APD) arrays beyond 256×256 pixels. General analysis methods and results from MIT Lincoln Laboratory (MIT/LL) InP-based detector arrays will be presented.
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Summary

Intra focal plane array (FPA) crosstalk is a primary development limiter of large, fine-pixel Geiger-mode avalanche photodiode (Gm-APD) arrays beyond 256×256 pixels. General analysis methods and results from MIT Lincoln Laboratory (MIT/LL) InP-based detector arrays will be presented.

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Broadband Optical Switch Based on Liquid Crystal Dynamic Scattering

Published in:
Optics Express, vol. 24, no. 13

Summary

This work demonstrates a novel broadband optical switch, based on dynamic-scattering effect in liquid crystals (LCs). Dynamic-scattering-mode technology was developed for display applications over four decades ago, but was displaced in favor of the twisted-nematic LCs. However, with the recent development of more stable LCs, dynamic scattering provides advantages over other technologies for optical switching. We demonstrate broadband polarization-insensitive attenuation of light directly passing thought the cell by 4 to 5 orders of magnitude at 633 nm. The attenuation is accomplished by light scattering to higher angles. Switching times of 150 μs to 10% transmission have been demonstrated. No degradation of devices is found after hundreds of switching cycles. The light-rejection mechanism is due to scattering, induced by disruption of LC director orientation with dopant ion motion with an applied electric field. Angular dependence of scattering is characterized as a function of bias voltage.
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Summary

This work demonstrates a novel broadband optical switch, based on dynamic-scattering effect in liquid crystals (LCs). Dynamic-scattering-mode technology was developed for display applications over four decades ago, but was displaced in favor of the twisted-nematic LCs. However, with the recent development of more stable LCs, dynamic scattering provides advantages over...

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Single-photon-sensitive solid-state image sensors for flash lidar

Author:
Published in:
CLEO 2016, Laser Science to Photonic Applications, 5-10 June 2016.

Summary

MIT Lincoln Laboratory has developed lidar systems based on Geiger-mode avalanche photodiodes using both silicon and InGaAs. This technology has enabled terrain mapping and foliage penetration systems with exquisite sensitivity and high area coverage rate.
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Summary

MIT Lincoln Laboratory has developed lidar systems based on Geiger-mode avalanche photodiodes using both silicon and InGaAs. This technology has enabled terrain mapping and foliage penetration systems with exquisite sensitivity and high area coverage rate.

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Wafer-scale aluminum nanoplasmonic resonators with optimized metal deposition

Published in:
ACS Photonics, Vol. 3, No. 5, 18 May 2016, pp. 796-805.

Summary

Spectroscopic ellipsometry is demonstrated to be an effective technique for assessing the quality of plasmonic resonances within aluminum nanostructures deposited with multiple techniques. The resonance quality of nanoplasmonic aluminum arrays is shown to be strongly dependent on the method of aluminum deposition. Three-layer metal-dielectric-metal nanopillar arrays were fabricated in a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) facility, with the arrays of nanopillars separated from a continuous metal underlayer by a thin dielectric spacer, to provide optimum field enhancement. Nanostructures patterned in optimized aluminum, which had been deposited with a high temperature sputtering process followed by chemical mechanical planarization, display different resonance and depolarization behavior than nanostructures deposited by the more conventional evaporation process. Full plasmonic band diagrams are mapped over a wide range of incidence angles and wavelengths using spectroscopic ellipsometry, and compared for aluminum nanostructures fabricated with two methods. The resonators fabricated from optimized aluminum exhibit a narrower bandwidth of both plasmonic resonance and depolarization parameters, indicating a higher quality resonance due to a stronger localization of the electric field. The optimized wafer-scale aluminum plasmonics fabrication should provide a pathway towards better quality devices for sensing and light detection in the ultraviolet and blue parts of the spectrum.
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Summary

Spectroscopic ellipsometry is demonstrated to be an effective technique for assessing the quality of plasmonic resonances within aluminum nanostructures deposited with multiple techniques. The resonance quality of nanoplasmonic aluminum arrays is shown to be strongly dependent on the method of aluminum deposition. Three-layer metal-dielectric-metal nanopillar arrays were fabricated in a...

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