We demonstrate all-optical intensity modulation in integrated PMMA optical waveguides doped with silicon quantum dots. The 1550 nm probe signal is absorbed by free carriers excited in silicon quantum dots with 405 nm pump light.

We demonstrate all-optical intensity modulation in integrated PMMA optical waveguides doped with silicon quantum dots. The 1550 nm probe signal is absorbed by free carriers excited in silicon quantum dots with 405 nm pump light.

We report on the results of theoretical and experimental studies of photoluminescense of silicon nanocrystals in the proximity to plasmonic modes of different types. In the studied samples, the type of plasmonic mode is determined by the filling ratio of a one-dimensional array of gold stripes which covers the thin film with silicon nanocrystals on a quartz substrate. We analyze the extinction, photoluminesce spectra and decay kinetics of silicon nanocrystals and show that the incident and emitted light is coupled to the corresponding plasmonic mode. We demonstrate the modification of the extinction and photoluminesce spectra under the transition from wide to narrow gold stripes. The experimental extinction and photoluminescense spectra are in good agreement with theoretical calculations performed by the rigorous coupled wave analysis. We study the contribution of individual silicon nanocrystals to the overall photoluminescense intensity, depending on their spacial position inside the structure.

Polymer materials offer process compatibility, design flexibility, and low cost technology as a multi-functional platform for optical communication and photonics applications. Design and thermal reflowing technology of low loss polymer waveguides, as well as demonstration of transparent wood laser are presented in this paper.

Integrated polymer photonics brings low cost and high fabrication flexibility to optoelectronic industry. However, this platform needs to overcome several issues to be effective enough for practical applications. In this letter, we experimentally demonstrate a decrease of propagation losses and polarization sensitivity of polymer waveguide-based devices as a result of thermal treatment. Heating of poly(methyl methacrylate) strip optical waveguides above the glass transition temperature initiates a waveguide surface reflow due to a decrease of the polymer viscosity and surface tension energy. This results in a decrease of surface roughness and shape change from rectangular to cylindrical. Thus, scattering losses and polarization sensitivity are minimized. 

Heating of poly(methyl methacrylate) ridge optical waveguides slightly above glass transition temperature minimizes surface roughness and provides cylindrical shape. We experimentally demonstrate propagation loss decrease and polarization insensitivity as a result of waveguide thermal treatment.

Poly-3-hexylthiophene (P3HT) nanofibers are semiconducting high-aspect ratio nanostructures with anisotropic absorption and birefringence properties found at different regions of the optical spectrum. In addition, P3HT nanofibers possess an ability to be aligned by an external electric field, while being dispersed in a liquid. In this manuscript we show that such collective ordering of nanofibers, similar to liquid crystal material, significantly changes the properties of transmitted light. With a specially fabricated opto-fluidic component, we monitored the phase and transmission modulation of light propagating through the solution of P3HT nanofibers, being placed in the electric field with strength up to 0.1 V/μm. This report describes a technique for light modulation, which can be implemented in optical fiber-based devices or on-chip integrated components.

This Letter reports the electro-optical (EO) effect of Poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT) nanofibers colloid in a polymer micro-fluidic EO cell. P3HT nanofibers are high aspect ratio semiconducting nanostructures, and can be collectively aligned by an external alternating electric field. Optical transmission modulated by the electric field is a manifestation of the electro-optical effect due to high inner crystallinity of P3HT nanofibers. According to our results, the degree of alignment reaches a maximum at 0.6 V/μm of electric field strength, implying a big polarizability value due to geometry and electrical properties of P3HT nanofibers. We believe that one-dimensional crystalline organic nanostructures have a large potential in EO devices due to their significant anisotropy, wide variety of properties, low actuation voltages, and opportunity to be tailored via adjustment of the fabrication process.

Thiol-ene polymer/Si nanocrystal bulk hybrids were synthesized from alkyl-passivated Si nanocrystal (Si NC) toluene solutions. Radicals in the polymer provided a co-passivation of “dark” Si NCs, making them optically active and leading to a substantial ensemble quantum yield increase. Optical stability over several months was confirmed. The presented materials exhibit the highest photoluminescence quantum yield (~65%) of any solid-state Si NC hybrid reported to date. The broad tunability of thiol-ene polymer reactivity provides facile glass integration, as demonstrated by a laminated structure. This, together with extremely fast polymerization, makes the demonstrated hybrid material a promising candidate for light converting applications.

Integrated polymer photonics is efficient and cheap solution for many applications, such as optical communications and sensors. Waveguides are basic elements of photonic integrated circuits, and their performance directly influences optical circuit efficiency. However, it is a challenge to develop small footprint polymer waveguides with reasonable losses due to low refractive index comparing to cladding. In this letter, we present free-standing SU-8 waveguides with high refractive index contrast. SiO2 cladding is selectively etched, leaving only air as a cladding material; waveguides are supported by thin pillars. Removal of SiO2 cladding eliminates light leakage to substrate and provides better light confinement. Straight and bending SU-8 waveguides are numerically simulated and experimentally verified lambda = 1550 nm. We also report reduced propagation and bending losses in discussed waveguides.