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1. Periodic Poling of X-Cut Thin-Film Lithium Niobate: The Route to Submicrometer Periods

   https://doi.org/10.1109/IFCS-ISAF41089.2020.9234870  

   Rusing, M.; Roeper, M.; Amber, Z.; Kirbus, B.; Eng, L.M.; Zhao, J.; Mookherjea, S. (July 2020, 2020 Joint Conference of the IEEE International Frequency Control Symposium and International Symposium on Applications of Ferroelectrics (IFCS-ISAF))

   null (Ed.)

   Ultra-short poling periods of 1 μm and below in lithium niobate will allow nonlinear optical devices with operation to the UV regime or narrow-band counter-propagating single-photon generation. However, fabrication of such periods in bulk Lithium Niobate penetrating the complete modal areas of waveguides has been challenging. In this work, we demonstrate the fabrication of periodic domain grids with submicrometer periodicity in 300 nm x-cut thin-film lithium niobate. The poling was achieved through application of a single, shaped electrical pulse and electrodes fabricated with a combination of electron-and direct laser-writing lithography. The poling results were investigated with piezo-response force microscopy and second-harmonic microcopy and indicate the poled domains to penetrate fully across the complete film thickness. This will enable the fabrication of novel nonlinear optical devices combining the high efficiency of thin films with ultra-short domain periods. 

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2. Nanosecond Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy for In-Situ Analysis of Electron Back-Recombination and Dye Regeneration in Fully Functional, Highly Efficient, Opaque Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell Devices

   https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcc.3c05382  

   Ghadiri, Elham; Moser, Jacques-E. (December 2023, The Journal of Physical Chemistry C)

   Professor Gregory Hartland (Ed.)

   An improved optical design for nanosecond diffuse reflectance (DR) spectroscopy is presented. The in-situ analysis of the electron back-reaction and dye regeneration processes in efficient opaque dye-sensitized solar cell devices (DSCs) was scrutinized for the first time using nanosecond DR spectroscopy. The efficient DSC device is based on an opaque TiO2 double-layer film comprising 400 nm light-scattering particles and 20 nm optically transparent particles. Transmission-based laser techniques are not suitable for studying these or other devices by using the opaque morphologies of TiO2 films. However, time-resolved DR flash photolysis enables the exploration of photophysical processes in a broad variety of opaque or highly light-absorbing and light-scattering materials. We experimentally verified the three important components of DR-based spectroscopy: optical configuration, sample condition, and theoretical quantitative optical models. The large optical angle for diffusive light enables efficient light collection and measurement at a relatively low power. We tested the steady-state and time-resolved concentration dependence of the Kubelka−Munk theory for the quantitative analysis of time-resolved results and observed that the dynamics of electron back-reactions are strongly affected by the morphological parameters of the TiO2 films. With a lifetime of 50 μs, the kinetics of electron back-recombination in the device’s photoanode, which is manufactured with 400 nm TiO2 particles and 20 nm TiO2 particles, are 2 orders of magnitude faster than what has been reported to date for 20 nm particles (1 ms). In contrast to electron back-recombination, the dye regeneration process is not influenced by the TiO2 film morphology. 

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3. Ultra-fast Thermoreflectance Imaging for Electronic, Optoelectronic, and Thermal Devices

   https://doi.org/10.1109/BCICTS45179.2019.8972732  

   Bahk, Je-Hyeong; Shakouri, Ali (January 2020, 2019 IEEE BiCMOS and Compound semiconductor Integrated Circuits and Technology Symposium (BCICTS))

   We review the recent advances in thermal characterization of micro/nanoscale electronic, optoelectronic, thermal devices based on thermoreflectance imaging. Thermoreflectance imaging is a non-invasive optical technique that can visualize surface thermal response of devices and integrated circuits (IC). Recent advances of the technique have enabled high-resolution, ultra-fast transient thermal imaging with 800 ps temporal resolution. Using visible or UV illumination, spatial resolution of about 200-250 nm can be achieved. Many IC substrates, e.g. Si, GaAs, are transparent to near IR illumination in 1-1.5 μm wavelength range. Through-substrate thermal imaging of flip-chip bonded ICs with micron spatial resolution has been demonstrated. We provide key examples of various devices characterized by the technique such as CMOS ICs, GaN HEMT, nanowire transistors, thin-film solar cells, and micro-thermal cloaking devices. In addition to the validation of electrothermal models, material and fabrication defects can be identified. Finally we discuss the advantages/limitations, and perspective of thermoreflectance imaging technique. 

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4. Modeling Study of Si3N4 Waveguides on a Sapphire Platform for Photonic Integration Applications

   https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17164148  

   Zhang, Diandian; Yu, Shui-Qing; Salamo, Gregory J; Soref, Richard A; Du, Wei (August 2024, Materials)

   Sapphire has various applications in photonics due to its broadband transparency, high-contrast index, and chemical and physical stability. Photonics integration on the sapphire platform has been proposed, along with potentially high-performance lasers made of group III–V materials. In parallel with developing active devices for photonics integration applications, in this work, silicon nitride optical waveguides on a sapphire substrate were analyzed using the commercial software Comsol Multiphysics in a spectral window of 800~2400 nm, covering the operating wavelengths of III–V lasers, which could be monolithically or hybridly integrated on the same substrate. A high confinement factor of ~90% near the single-mode limit was obtained, and a low bending loss of ~0.01 dB was effectively achieved with the bending radius reaching 90 μm, 70 μm, and 40 μm for wavelengths of 2000 nm, 1550 nm, and 850 nm, respectively. Furthermore, the use of a pedestal structure or a SiO2 bottom cladding layer has shown potential to further reduce bending losses. The introduction of a SiO2 bottom cladding layer effectively eliminates the influence of the substrate’s larger refractive index, resulting in further improvement in waveguide performance. The platform enables tightly built waveguides and small bending radii with high field confinement and low propagation losses, showcasing silicon nitride waveguides on sapphire as promising passive components for the development of high-performance and cost-effective PICs. 

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5. Widely tunable single-mode interband cascade lasers based on V-coupled cavities and dependence on design parameters

   https://doi.org/10.1116/6.0003376  

   Wang, Zhanyi; Gong, Jingli; He, Jian-Jun; Li, Lu; Yang, Rui Q; Gupta, James A (March 2024, Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B)

   We report an investigation of V-coupled cavity interband cascade (IC) lasers (ICLs) emitting in the 3-μm wavelength range, employing various waveguide structures and coupler sizes. Type-II ICL devices with double-ridge waveguides exhibited wide tuning ranges exceeding 153 nm. Type-I ICL devices with deep-etched waveguides achieved single-mode emission with wavelength tunable over 100 nm at relatively high temperatures up to 250 K. All devices exhibited a side-mode suppression ratio higher than 30 dB. By comparing the performance of all devices with different sizes and configurations, a good tolerance against the structural parameter variations of the V-coupled cavity laser (VCCL) design is demonstrated, validating the advantages of the VCCL to achieve single-mode emission with wide tunability. 

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