Sedat Agan

Prism coupling technique investigation of elasto-optical properties of thin polymer films

The use of thin polymer films in optical planar integrated optical circuits is rapidly increasing. Much interest, therefore, has been devoted to characterizing the optical and mechanical properties of thin polymer films. This study focuses on measuring the elasto-optical properties of three different polymers; polystyrene, polymethyl-methacrylate, and benzocyclobutane. The out-of-plane elastic modulus, refractive index, film thickness, and birefringence of thin polymer films were determined by means of the prism coupling technique. The effect of the applied stress on the refractive index and birefringence of the films was investigated. Three-dimensional finite element method analysis was used so as to obtain the principal stresses for each polymer system, and combining them with the stress dependent refractive index measurements, the elasto-optic coefficients of the polymer films were determined. It was found that the applied stress in the out-of-plane direction of the thin films investigated leads to negative elasto-optic coefficients, as observed for all the three thin polymer films.

TEM studies of Ge nanocrystal formation in PECVD grown SiO2:Ge/SiO2 multilayers

We investigate the effect of annealing on the Ge nanocrystal formation in multilayered germanosilicate?oxide films grown on Si substrates by plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD). The multilayered samples were annealed at temperatures ranging from 750 to 900??C for 5?min under nitrogen atmosphere. The onset of formation of Ge nanocrystals, at 750??C, can be observed via high resolution TEM micrographs. The diameters of Ge nanocrystals were observed to be between 5 and 14?nm. As the annealing temperature is raised to 850??C, a second layer of Ge nanocrystals forms next to the original precipitation band, positioning itself closer to the substrate SiO2 interface. High resolution cross section TEM images, electron diffraction and electron energy-loss spectroscopy as well as energy-dispersive x-ray analysis (EDAX) data all indicate that Ge nanocrystals are present in each layer.

A simple approach for the fabrication of 3D microelectrodes for impedimetric sensing

In this paper, we present a very simple method to fabricate three-dimensional (3D) microelectrodes integrated with microfluidic devices. We form the electrodes by etching a microwire placed across a microchannel. For precise control of the electrode spacing, we employ a hydrodynamic focusing microfluidic device and control the width of the etching solution stream. The focused widths of the etchant solution and the etching time determine the gap formed between the electrodes. Using the same microfluidic device, we can fabricate integrated 3D electrodes with different electrode gaps. We have demonstrated the functionality of these electrodes using an impedimetric particle counting setup. Using 3D microelectrodes with a diameter of 25 μm, we have detected 6 μm-diameter polystyrene beads in a buffer solution as well as erythrocytes in a PBS solution. We study the effect of electrode spacing on the signal-to-noise ratio of the impedance signal and we demonstrate that the smaller the electrode spacing the higher the signal obtained from a single microparticle. The sample stream is introduced to the system using the same hydrodynamic focusing device, which ensures the alignment of the sample in between the electrodes. Utilising a 3D hydrodynamic focusing approach, we force all the particles to go through the sensing region of the electrodes. This fabrication scheme not only provides a very low-cost and easy method for rapid prototyping, but which can also be used for applications requiring 3D electric field focused through a narrow section of the microchannel.

Dispersion-strengthening effect of Cu-based Mn, Al, and Zn rich alloys

Abstract In this systematic study, dispersion-strengthening effect of the Cu–25.91Mn (wt.%), Cu–26.62Mn–8.99Al (wt.%), Cu–22.17Mn–12.32Zn (wt.%) ingot alloys have been investigated. Samples were homogenized at a high fixed temperature in different periods and cooled with different cooling rates. After processes, microanalysis of the samples were interpreted by using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and weight percentages of the elements of the occurrence phases in the samples obtained by using electron dispersion spectroscopy (EDS) technique. Additionally, some characteristic properties of the heat treated samples with different conditions of Cu–Mn, Cu–Mn–Al, Cu–Mn–Zn ingot alloys were also discussed.

Elasto‐Optical Properties of Thin Polymer Films by Prism Coupling Technique

Reliable measurement of stress dependent refractive index of thin polymer films has been achieved. The effect of the applied stress on the refractive index and birefringence of the films was investigated. The out‐of‐plane elastic moduli of the thin polymer films were deduced by using the same prism coupling setup. Three dimensional finite element method (FEM) analysis was used to obtain the principal stresses for each polymer film and combining them with the stress dependent refractive index measurements, the elasto‐optic coefficients of the polymer films were determined, for the first time.

Plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition of low loss as-grown germanosilicate layers for optical waveguides

We report on systematic growth and characterization of low-loss germanosilicate layers for use in optical waveguides. Plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) technique was used to grow the films using silane, germane and nitrous oxide as precursor gases. Chemical composition was monitored by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. N-H bond concentration of the films decreased from 0.43x1022 cm-3 down to below 0.06x1022 cm-3, by a factor of seven as the GeH4 flow rate increased from 0 to 70 sccm. A simultaneous decrease of O-H related bonds was also observed by a factor of 10 in the same germane flow range. The measured TE rate increased from 5 to 50 sccm, respectively. In contrast, the propagation loss values for TE polarization at λ=632.8 nm were found to increase from are 0.20 ± 0.02 to 6.46 ± 0.04 dB/cm as the germane flow rate increased from 5 to 50 sccm, respectively. In contrast, the propagation loss values for TE polarization at λ=1550 nm were found to decrease from 0.32 ± 0.03 down to 0.14 ± 0.06 dB/cm for the same samples leading to the lowest values reported so far in the literature, eliminating the need for high temperature annealing as is usually done for these materials to be used in waveguide devices.