David Lowell

Holographic fabrication of 3D photonic crystals through interference of multi-beams with 4 + 1, 5 + 1 and 6 + 1 configurations

In this paper, we are able to fabricate 3D photonic crystals or quasi-crystals through single beam and single optical element based holographic lithography. The reflective optical elements are used to generate multiple side beams with s-polarization and one central beam with circular polarization which in turn are used for interference based holographic lithography without the need of any other bulk optics. These optical elements have been used to fabricate 3D photonic crystals with 4, 5 or 6-fold symmetry. A good agreement has been observed between fabricated holographic structures and simulated interference patterns.

Electrically tunable diffraction efficiency from gratings in Al-doped ZnO

Transparent conducting aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) can be used as part of an active plasmonic device due to its electrically tunable permittivity, which is accomplished by changing the carrier concentration with electrical biasing. In this letter, we report a continuous electrical tuning of diffraction efficiency from AZO gratings in the visible range (specifically 532 nm) when the AZO is under bias voltages between −1 V and −3.5 V. The carrier concentration in AZO under negative bias has been measured and simulated. The diffraction efficiency changes have been explained by the carrier concentration variation and induced complex refractive index change at the Al2O3 and AZO interface. The reported results can lead toward the application of post-fabrication tuning of optoelectronic devices using AZO.

Holographic Fabrication of Designed Functional Defect Lines in Photonic Crystal Lattice Using a Spatial Light Modulator

We report the holographic fabrication of designed defect lines in photonic crystal lattices through phase engineering using a spatial light modulator (SLM). The diffracted beams from the SLM not only carry the defect’s content but also the defect related phase-shifting information. The phase-shifting induced lattice shifting in photonic lattices around the defects in three-beam interference is less than the one produced by five-beam interference due to the alternating shifting in lattice in three beam interference. By designing the defect line at a 45 degree orientation and using three-beam interference, the defect orientation can be aligned with the background photonic lattice, and the shifting is only in one side of the defect line, in agreement with the theory. Finally, a new design for the integration of functional defect lines in a background phase pattern reduces the relative phase shift of the defect and utilizes the different diffraction efficiency between the defect line and background phase pattern. We demonstrate that the desired and functional defect lattice can be registered into the background lattice through the direct imaging of designed phase patterns.

Localized surface plasmon polariton resonance in holographically structured Al-doped ZnO

In this paper, we studied the localized surface plasmon polariton (SPP) resonance in hole arrays in transparent conducting aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO). CMOS-compatible fabrication process was demonstrated for the AZO devices. The localized SPP resonance was observed and confirmed by electromagnetic simulations. Using a standing wave model, the observed SPP was dominated by the standing-wave resonance along (1,1) direction in square lattices. This research lays the groundwork for a fabrication technique that can contribute to the core technology of future integrated photonics through its extension into tunable conductive materials.

Holographic fabrication of graded photonic super-crystals using an integrated spatial light modulator and reflective optical element laser projection system

For the first time, to the best of our knowledge, we have combined a spatial light modulator with a single reflective optical element for the holographic fabrication of graded photonic super-crystals. The hybrid laser projection system takes advantage of the spatial light modulator for pixel-by-pixel phase control and the reflective optical element for large-area, small-feature fabrication. Graded photonic super-crystals with dual period, or with dual period and dual basis, have been fabricated with location dependence across the interference pattern. The fabricated samples have been explained by the simulation of eight-beam interference patterns.

Flexible Holographic Fabrication of 3D Photonic Crystal Templates with Polarization Control through a 3D Printed Reflective Optical Element

In this paper, we have systematically studied the holographic fabrication of three-dimensional (3D) structures using a single 3D printed reflective optical element (ROE), taking advantage of the ease of design and 3D printing of the ROE. The reflective surface was setup at non-Brewster angles to reflect both s- and p-polarized beams for the interference. The wide selection of reflective surface materials and interference angles allow control of the ratio of s- and p-polarizations, and intensity ratio of side-beam to central beam for interference lithography. Photonic bandgap simulations have also indicated that both s and p-polarized waves are sometimes needed in the reflected side beams for maximum photonic bandgap size and certain filling fractions of dielectric inside the photonic crystals. The flexibility of single ROE and single exposure based holographic fabrication of 3D structures was demonstrated with reflective surfaces of ROEs at non-Brewster angles, highlighting the capability of the ROE technique of producing umbrella configurations of side beams with arbitrary angles and polarizations and paving the way for the rapid throughput of various photonic crystal templates.

Fabrication of 4, 5, or 6-fold symmetric 3D photonic structures using single beam and single reflective optical element based holographic lithography

Here we present the holographic fabrication of large area 3D photonic structures using a single reflective optical element (ROE) with a single beam, single exposure process. The ROE consists of a 3D printed plastic support that houses 4, 5, or 6-fold symmetrically arranged reflecting surfaces which redirect a central beam into multiple side beams in an umbrella configuration to be used in multi-beam holography. With a circular polarized beam incident to silicon wafer reflecting surfaces at the Brewster angle, multiple linearly s-polarized side beams are generated. 3D photonic crystal structures of woodpile, Penrose quasi-crystal, and hexagonal symmetry were produced with ROEs that have 4+1, 5+1 and 6+1 beam configurations, respectively. Since the ROE design can be readily changed and implemented for different photonic crystal structures, this fabrication method is more versatile and cost effective than currently comparable single optical methods like prisms and phase masks.

Holographic fabrication of hole arrays in AZO for study of surface plasmon resonances

Transparent conducting oxides are part of a robust material class that is capable of supporting near-IR surface plasmon resonances (SPRs) which are strongly dependent on size, structure, and doping of the material. This study presents the implementation of holographic lithography to structure large area square lattice cylindrical hole arrays on the transparent conducting oxide thin film, aluminum doped zinc oxide (AZO). For fabricated structures on a glass substrate, SPR are indirectly measured by FTIR transmission and verified with electromagnetic simulations using a finite difference time domain method. Furthermore, it is shown that the SPR excited are standing wave resonances in the (1,1) direction of the lattice array located at the interface of the patterned AZO and glass substrate. This research extends the robust CMOS compatible fabrication techniques of holographic lithography into tunable conductive materials,and contributes to the core technology of future integrated photonics.

Design and fabrication of local fill fraction in photonic crystal templates using a spatial light modulator

We report the fabrication of designed defects and regions in photonic crystal templates with differing filling fractions using a spatial light modulator. For the hexagonal lattice, phase patterns with local variance of diffraction efficiency are created using phase tiles from other phase patterns with known diffraction efficiencies. Six-fold symmetric phase patterns are used to generate six beams with locally specified phases. Fourier transform simulations of designed phase patterns are used to guide the filtering process and also give insight into the interference pattern in the 4f plane. Photonic crystal templates are fabricated using exposure of photoresist to the interference patterns generated from the phase patterns with local diffraction efficiency variance displayed on a spatial light modulator. It is shown that local control of filling fraction is achievable using this method. For the square lattice, line defects in polymer lattices are produced using line phase defects in a checkerboard phase pattern. The shifting of the lattice due to the defect phase is investigated. The shifting of lattice around the defects in 2+1 interference is less than that produced by 4+1 interference due to the alternative shifting in lattice in the 2+1 interference. By 45 degree defect orientation and 2+1 interference, the defect orientation can be aligned with the background lattice, the shifting is alternative in lattice, and the shifting is only in one side of the defects, in agreement with the theory prediction.

Holographic fabrication of 3D photonic crystal templates with 4, 5, and 6-fold rotational symmetry using a single beam and single exposure

A method of fabricating large-volume three-dimensional (3D) photonic crystal and quasicrystal templates using holographic lithography is presented. Fabrication is accomplished using a single-beam and single exposure by a reflective optical element (ROE). The ROE is 3D printed support structure which holds reflecting surfaces composed of silicon or gallium arsenide. Large-volume 3D photonic crystal and quasicrystal templates with 4-fold, 5-fold, and 6-fold symmetry were fabricated and found to be in good agreement with simulation. Although the reflective surfaces were setup away from the Brewsters angle, the interference among the reflected s and p-polarizations still generated bicontinuous structures, demonstrating the flexibility of the ROE. The ROE, being a compact and inexpensive alternative to diffractive optical elements and top-cut prisms, facilitates the large-scale integration of holographically fabricated photonic structures into on-chip applications.