Elaine M. Behymer

Rigorous surface enhanced Raman spectral characterization of large-area high-uniformity silver-coated tapered silica nanopillar arrays

Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has been increasingly utilized as an analytical technique with significant chemical and biological applications (Qian et al 2008 Nat. Biotechnol. 26 83; Fujita et al 2009 J. Biomed. Opt. 14 024038; Chou et al 2008 Nano Lett.8 1729; Culha et al 2003 Anal. Chem. 75 6196; Willets K A 2009 Anal. Bioanal. Chem. 394 85; Han et al 2009 Anal. Bioanal. Chem. 394 1719; Sha et al 2008 J. Am. Chem. Soc. 130 17214). However, production of a robust, homogeneous and large-area SERS substrate with the same ultrahigh sensitivity and reproducibility still remains an important issue. Here, we describe a large-area ultrahigh-uniformity tapered silver nanopillar array made by laser interference lithography on the entire surface of a 6 inch wafer. Also presented is the rigorous optical characterization method of the tapered nanopillar substrate to accurately quantify the Raman enhancement factor, uniformity and repeatability. An average homogeneous enhancement factor of close to 10(8) was obtained for benzenethiol adsorbed on a silver-coated nanopillar substrate.

Plasmon Resonant Cavities in Vertical Nanowire Arrays

We investigate tunable plasmon resonant cavity arrays in paired parallel nanowire waveguides. Resonances are observed when the waveguide length is an odd multiple of quarter plasmon wavelengths, consistent with boundary conditions of node and antinode at the ends. Two nanowire waveguides satisfy the dispersion relation of a planar metal-dielectric-metal waveguide of equivalent width equal to the square field average weighted gap. Confinement factors over 10(3) are possible due to plasmon focusing in the interwire space.

Plasmonic black metals in resonant nanocavities

We investigate a plasmonic resonant structure tunable from ultra-violet to near infrared wavelengths with maximum absorbance strength over 95% due to a highly efficient coupling with incident light. Additional harmonics are excited at higher frequencies extending the absorbance range to multiple wavelengths. We propose the concept of a plasmonic black metal nanoresonator that exhibits broadband absorbance characteristics by spacing the modes closer through increasing the resonator length and by employing adiabatic plasmonic nano-focusing on the tapered end of the cavity.

Short-wavelength MEMS-tunable VCSELs

We present electrically-injected MEMS-tunable vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers with emission wavelengths below 800 nm. Operation in this wavelength range, near the oxygen A-band from 760-780 nm, is attractive for absorption-based optical gas sensing. These fully-monolithic devices are based on an oxide-aperture AlGaAs epitaxial structure and incorporate a suspended dielectric Bragg mirror for wavelength tuning. By implementing electrostatic actuation, we demonstrate the potential for tuning rates up to 1 MHz, as well as a wide wavelength tuning range of 30 nm (767-737 nm).

Photonic MEMS for NIR in-situ Gas Detection and Identification

We report on a novel sensing technique combining photonics and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) for the detection and monitoring of gas emissions in environmental, medical, and industrial applications. We discuss how MEMS-tunable vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) can be exploited for in-situ detection and NIR spectroscopy of several gases, such as O2, N2O, CH4, HF, HCl, etc., with estimated sensitivities between 0.1 and 20 ppm on footprints <<10-3 mm3. The VCSELs can be electrostatically tuned with a continuous wavelength shift up to 20 nm, allowing for unambiguous NIR signature determination. Selective concentration analysis in heterogeneous gas compositions is enabled, thus paving the way to an integrated optical platform for multiplexed gas identification by bandgap and device engineering. We will discuss here, in particular, our efforts on the development of a 760 nm AlGaAs-based tunable VCSEL for O2 detection.

Electrical and optical gain lever effects in InGaAs double quantum-well diode lasers

In multisection laser diodes, the amplitude or frequency modulation (AM or FM) efficiency can be improved using the gain lever effect. To study gain lever, InGaAs double quantum-well (DQW) edge-emitting lasers have been fabricated with integrated passive waveguides and dual sections providing a range of split ratios from 1:1 to 9:1. Both the electrical and the optical gain lever have been examined. An electrical gain lever with greater than 7-dB enhancement of AM efficiency was achieved within the range of appropriate dc biasing currents, but this gain dropped rapidly outside this range. We observed a 4-dB gain in the optical AM efficiency under nonideal biasing conditions. This value agreed with the measured gain for the electrical AM efficiency under similar conditions. We also examined the gain lever effect under large signal modulation for digital logic switching applications. To get a useful gain lever for optical gain quenched logic, a long control section is needed to preserve the gain lever strength and a long interaction length between the input optical signal and the lasing field of the diode must be provided. The gain lever parameter space has been fully characterized and validated against numerical simulations of a semi-3-D hybrid beam propagation method (BPM) model for the coupled electron-photon rate equation. We find that the optical gain lever can be treated using the electrical injection model, once the absorption in the sample is known.

Measurements of the complex refractive index of Pd and Pt films in air and upon adsorption of H 2 gas

We present complex refractive index measurements of Pd and Pt films from 700-1700 nm using variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry. Refractive index changes upon H2 gas adsorption were determined by measuring normal incidence reflection and transmission.

RadSensor: Xray Detection by Direct Modulation of an Optical Probe Beam

We present a new x-ray detection technique based on optical measurement of the effects of x-ray absorption and electron hole pair creation in a direct band-gap semiconductor. The electron-hole pairs create a frequency dependent shift in optical refractive index and absorption. This is sensed by simultaneously directing an optical carrier beam through the same volume of semiconducting medium that has experienced an xray induced modulation in the electron-hole population. If the operating wavelength of the optical carrier beam is chosen to be close to the semiconductor band-edge, the optical carrier will be modulated significantly in phase and amplitude. This approach should be simultaneously capable of very high sensitivity and excellent temporal response, even in the difficult high-energy xray regime. At xray photon energies near 10 keV and higher, we believe that sub-picosecond temporal responses are possible with near single xray photon sensitivity. The approach also allows for the convenient and EMI robust transport of high-bandwidth information via fiber optics. Furthermore, the technology can be scaled to imaging applications. The basic physics of the detector, implementation considerations, and preliminary experimental data are presented and discussed.

Nanopillars array for surface enhanced Raman scattering

We present a new class of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates based on lithographically-defined two-dimensional rectangular array of nanopillars. Two types of nanopillars within this class are discussed: vertical pillars and tapered pillars. For the vertical pillars, the gap between each pair of nanopillars is small enough (< 50 nm) such that highly confined plasmonic cavity resonances are supported between the pillars when light is incident upon them, and the anti-nodes of these resonances act as three-dimensional hotspots for SERS. For the tapered pillars, SERS enhancement arises from the nanofocusing effect due to the sharp tip on top. SERS experiments were carried out on these substrates using various concentrations of 1,2 bis-(4-pyridyl)-ethylene (BPE), benzenethiol (BT) monolayer and toluene vapor. The results show that SERS enhancement factor of over 0.5 x 109 can be achieved, and BPE can be detected down to femto-molar concentration level. The results also show promising potential for the use of these substrates in environmental monitoring of gases and vapors such as volatile organic compounds.

Integrated laser with low-loss high index-contrast waveguides for OEICs

Photonic integrated circuits require the ability to integrate both lasers and waveguides with low absorption and coupling loss. This technology is being developed at LLNL for digital logic gates for optical key generation circuits to facilitate secure communications. Here, we demonstrate an approach of integrating InGaAs DQW edge emitting lasers (EEL) with electron beam evaporated dielectric waveguides. The EELs are defined by electron cyclotron resonance etching (ECR). This approach results in highly anisotropic etched mirrors with smooth etched features (sidewall rms roughness = 28 Å, surface rms roughness = 10 Å). The mirror is etched to form both the laser cavity and define the waveguide mesa, which accommodates a dielectric stack, where the core is aligned with the active region of the laser to achieve maximum vertical mode overlapping. The waveguides are based on SiO2/Ta2O5/SiO2 which yields a high index contrast of 0.6, resulting in low loss guides (~2-3dB/cm). The design of the interface has taken into account the waveguide transmission loss, air gap spacing and tilt between the laser and waveguide. The critical feature for this deposition technique is its required high directionality or minimal sidewall deposition and corner effects. In the butt coupled EEL/waveguide system we have measured a slope efficiency to be as high as 0.45 W/A. We have in conclusion demonstrated a technology that allows direct coupling of a dielectric optical interconnect to a semiconductor laser monolithically fabricated on the semiconductor substrate.