Yinlan Ruan

Fabrication and characterization of low loss rib chalcogenide waveguides made by dry etching

We report the fabrication and characterization of rib chalcogenide waveguides produced by dry etching with CF4 and O2. The high index contrast waveguides (Deltan ~1) show a minimum propagation loss of 0.25 dB/cm. The high refractive nonlinearity of 100 times silica in As2S3 allowed observation of a pi phase shift due to self-phase modulation of an 8 ps duration 1573 nm pulse in a 5 cm long waveguide.

Integrated all-optical pulse regenerator in chalcogenide waveguides

We report a fully integrated, passive, all-optical regenerator capable of terabit per second operation, based on a highly nonlinear chalcogenide (As2S3) glass rib waveguide followed by an integrated Bragg grating bandpass filter. We demonstrate a clear nonlinear power transfer curve with 1.4 ps optical pulses, capable of improving the signal-to-noise ratio and reducing the bit error rate for digital signals.

Microfluidic photonic crystal double heterostructures

The support of the Australian Research Council through its Federation Fellow, Centres of Excellence, Denison Foundation, and Discovery Grant programs is gratefully acknowledged.

Self-phase modulation-based integrated optical regeneration in chalcogenide waveguides

We demonstrate integrated all-optical 2R regenerators based on Kerr optical nonlinearities (subpicosecond response) in chalcogenide glass waveguides with integrated Bragg grating filters. By combining a low loss As/sub 2/S/sub 3/ rib waveguide with an in-waveguide photo-written Bragg grating filter, we realize an integrated all-optical 2R signal regenerator with the potential to process bit rates in excess of 1 Tb/s. The device operates using a combination of self phase modulation induced spectral broadening followed by a linear filter offset from the input center wavelength. A nonlinear power transfer curve is demonstrated using 1.4 ps pulses, sufficient for suppressing noise in an amplified transmission link. We investigate the role of dispersion on the device transfer characteristics, and discuss future avenues to realizing a device capable of operation at subwatt peak power levels.

Detection of quantum-dot labelled proteins using soft glass microstructured optical fibers.

The detection of quantum-dot labeled proteins is demonstrated within lead silicate soft glass microstructured optical fibers using near infrared light. The protein concentration is measured using a new fluorescence capture approach. Light guided within the fiber is used both to excite and collect fluorescent photons, and the detection limit achieved without optimization of the fiber geometry is 1 nM, using just 3% of the guided mode of the fiber. Issues that currently restrict the detection of lower protein concentrations are discussed.

Photosensitive post tuning of chalcogenide photonic crystal waveguides.

We present experimental results on photosensitive post-tuning the dispersion of a two-dimensional photonic crystal waveguide made from chalcogenide glass. A 5 nm shift of the resonant wavelength is reported.

High-performance Bragg gratings in chalcogenide rib waveguides written with a modified Sagnac interferometer

This work was produced with the assistance of the Australian Research Council (ARC). The Centre for Ultrahigh-bandwidth Devices for Optical Systems is an ARC Centre of Excellence. M. Shokooh-Saremi appreciates the partial support of the Iranian Ministry of Science, Research and Technology.

Enhanced fluorescence sensing using microstructured optical fibers: a comparison of forward and backward collection modes

A general model of excitation and fluorescence recapturing by the forward and backward modes of filled microstructured optical fibers (MOFs) is presented. We also present experimental results for both backward and forward fluorescence recapturing within a MOF as a function of fiber length and demonstrate a good qualitative agreement between the numerical model and experimental results. We demonstrate higher efficiency of fluorescence recapturing into backward modes in comparison with that of forward modes.

Dry-etch of As2S3 thin films for optical waveguide fabrication

The supports of Australian Photonics Cooperative Research Centre, and of the Australian Research Council through its Federation Fellow Barry Luther-Davies and Centre of Excellence CUDOS programs are gratefully acknowledged.

Fabrication of high-Q chalcogenide photonic crystal resonators by e-beam lithography

The authors thank the Endeavor Australian Cheungkong award for financial support and the support of the Australian Research Council through its Federation Fellow and Centers of Excellence Programs.