Photonic Integration
The breakthrough of electronics to all domains of our society has been enabled by microelectronic integration technology, which enables low-cost integration of large circuits and systems on a single chip. Photonic Integration is still in its infancy, but rapidly gaining importance. Europe is leading a novel approach based on advanced multifunctional integration technology that supports a broad range of different applications. It will lead to a dramatic reduction of the costs of Photonic ICs which will bring them within reach for many high-tech SMEs1.
Project Description:
It will be the task of the postdoc to develop fully monolithically integrated laser systems that have the capability of emitting multiple wavelengths in the wavelength range from 1800-2100 nm, in which a number of gases show significant absorption resonances. Each of the emitted wavelengths will address a single molecular absorption line.
The source should emit narrow band light (<100 MHz bandwidth) and the wavelengths are to be tuned over the specific absorption lines of the gases that have to be detected. There is a large demand for such lasers if they can be made sufficiently inexpensive, but so far they are too expensive to find a broad application. We expect that by integrating them on a single chip they can become much cheaper.
We will develop two different types of lasers that emit a wavelength multiplex centered at the absorption lines of the gases that have to be detected and tunable over a narrow range around these lines. One system will be based on a CW (continuous wave) and the other one on a pulse laser system.
