Design and modeling of polymeric photonic microstructures

Abstract

The importance of integrated photonics has grown in recent years due to its potential for application in telecommunications, sensing, diagnosis and treatment of diseases, etc. Therefore, there is a great appeal to the miniaturization of devices, as well as the search for materials that have multiple functionalities. In line with these interests, in recent years several efforts have been made to develop methods for manufacturing photonic devices, new materials with optical processes of interest, as well as the design and simulation of such devices, seeking to optimize their potential and predict their behavior . In recent years, the IFSC Photonics Group has developed methodologies for the manufacture and functionalization of photonic structures in polymers, using femtosecond pulses. In this context, the present project aims to carry out the design and modeling of polymeric photonic systems, specifically of micro-resonators such as Whispering Gallery Modes (WGM) and photonic crystals, both incorporated with optically active organic compounds. The presence of these compounds may allow active control of the resonance frequencies, in the case of the resonator, and the position of the photonic gap in the case of photonic crystals. The possibility of evaluating between different geometries and materials allows for a good level of control over the characteristics and properties of photonic devices. (AU)