Materials for photonics

Profile

Photonics is a scientific field concerned with the transmission of energy and information via photons, and in the age of information technology, it is one of the key disciplines!

In our laboratory, we focus on the preparation and study of the properties of active and passive materials i.e. optical crystals and optical glasses. Our research combines both the practical preparation and characterization of these materials with theoretical simulations of the prepared structures. The goal is to develop new materials “tailored” to photonic components.The goal is to develop new materials tailored to photonic components and to understand the relationship between a material’s chemical structure and its optical properties.

The research is currently supported by grants from the Czech Science Foundation (GA ČR) and the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic (TA ČR), as well as research projects funded by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MŠMT).

Equipment

Equipment for the preparatino of optical glass

• Optical glass melting furnace with a continuous operating temperature of 1,650 °C (maximum temperature 1,700 °C), maximum heating rate of 20 °C per minute, bottom crucible rotation, and integrated platinum (Pt) stirrer with top rotation.

• Furnace for melting and annealing glasses with inductive heating and inert atmosphere (maximum temperature 1,500 °C), maximum heating rate of 1,000 °C per minute.

Equipment for the cutting and polishing of glass substrates

Equipment for the fabrication of optical waveguides by ion exchange

Equipment for the fabrication of optical waveguides by ion exchange assisted by electric field

Equipment of hydrothermal crystal growth

Characterization methods  - We have equipment for the basic characterization of the optical properties of materials!

Polarization microscope Leica - Surface quality control of samples, measurement of optical layer thickness.

M-line spectroscopy (Metricon Prism Coupler) - The Metricon Prism Coupler is the only commercially manufactured instrument for m-line spectroscopy (prism coupling method) used for the characterization of optical properties of materials and thin films.

The Metricon Prism Coupler is a modern and unique device in its field, used by leading research institutions and universities worldwide. With the Metricon, it is possible to determine the refractive index of bulk materials (range from 1.2 to 3.1), the refractive index depth profile, and other parameters of thin films, such as the total refractive index change and the refractive index at the sample surface (n₀).

The Metricon instrument allows the characterization of optical waveguides and materials at five wavelengths, as well as the determination of waveguide dispersion or attenuation.

UV/VIS absorption spectrophotometer (Avantes AvaSpec-ULS3648) - Indicative measurement of absorption spectra of prepared samples using a fiber optic spectrometer in the UV-VIS range. Measurements can be carried out in transmission mode or in reflection arrangement.

UV/VIS/NIR absorption spectrophotometer (Perkin Elmer - Lambda 1050) - Measurement of absorption spectra in the range of 175 nm – 3 µm, precise measurement of transmittance, absorbance, or color of samples.

Luminescene spectrofluoremeter (Cary Eclipse Spectrometer, Agilent technologies)  - Fluorescence spectrometer for measuring fluorescence, phosphorescence, and related phenomena. The spectrometer is equipped with holders for both solid and liquid samples; excitation range 200–900 nm, emission range 200–900 nm.

Luminescence spectrofluorometer (Horiba Fluorolog 3 Extreme) - The modular, highly sensitive FluoroLog 3 enables fast measurements with the highest sensitivity while offering full automation for all types of fluorescence research. The Fluorolog®-3 provides high-quality fluorescence data in the ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared regions. Currently, it is possible to connect new excitation radiation sources and to perform luminescence kinetics measurements.