The third order nonlinear optical characteristics of amorphous vanadium oxide thin film

We studied the nonlinear absorptive characteristics (saturation intensity threshold and effective nonlinear absorption coefficients) and nonlinear refraction in a 50-nm-thick VO _x thin amorphous film prepared by pulsed DC magnetron reactive sputtering. The absorptive and refractive nonlinearities were investigated by pump–probe and Z-scan techniques. The closed-aperture Z-scan results reveal self-defocussing characteristics of the amorphous VO _x thin film for both nanosecond and picosecond pulse durations. Experimental results show that a phase transition does not occur in the range of intensities used for the experiments and the investigated sample can be treated as an amorphous semiconductor structure. The open-aperture Z-scan curves with nanosecond pulses exhibit saturable absorption for all input intensities. On the other hand, the open-aperture Z-scan curves with picosecond pulses exhibit nonlinear absorption/saturable absorption for low/high input intensities, respectively. Saturation intensity thresholds were found to be 15.3 MW/cm² for 4-ns pulse duration and 586 MW/cm² for 65-ps pulse duration.     

Hydrogen-induced blistering mechanisms in thin film coatings

We report on the mechanisms of hydrogen-induced blistering of multilayer coatings. Blister formation is a result of highly localized delamination occurring at the two outermost metal-on-silicon interfaces. The number, size, and type of blisters formed varied depending on the composition and ion energy of the incident flux. The results are explained in terms of the multilayer structure being simultaneously susceptible to blistering via two independent mechanisms. A high density of small blisters developed when relatively energetic (several 100 eV) ions were present. Independently, a hydrogenation process that was facilitated by the presence of a small flux of low energy ions (≤ 50 eV) induced a low density of large blisters.     

Determination of optical constants and nonlinear optical coefficients of Violet 1-doped polyvinyl alcohol thin film

The optical properties of Violet 1-doped polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) have been investigated using Wemble and Didomenico (WD) method. The optical constants such as refractive index n, the dispersion energy E _d, the oscillation energy E ₀, the lattice dielectric constant \(\varepsilon _{\infty } \), light frequency dielectric constant ε ₀ and the ratio of carrier concentration to the effective mass N/m* have been determined using reflection spectra in the wavelength range 300–900 nm. The single- beam Z-scan technique was used to determine the nonlinear optical properties of Violet 1:polyvinylalcohol (PVA) thin film. The experiments were performed using continuous wave (cw) laser with a wavelength of 635 nm. The calculated nonlinear refractive index of the film, n ₂ = ?2.79×10^?7 cm²/W and nonlinear absorption coefficient, β = 6.31×10^?3 cm /W. Optical limiting characteristics of the dye-doped polymer film was studied. The result reveals that Violet 1 can be a promising material for optical limiting applications.     

Four-layer metal-clad thin film optical waveguides

An investigation of the low order modes supported by an asymmetrical four-layered metal-clad optical waveguide is presented showing the attenuation characteristics and the field profiles. The attenuation and phase constants are examined as functions of both the thickness and refractive index of the buffer layer as well as the mode order. The results for small and large buffer layer thicknesses are discussed in terms of the modes supported by simpler asymmetrical three-layered metal-clad and dielectric-clad waveguides respectively. It is shown that the coupling of the TM polarized modes to the lossy surface plasma wave depends upon the buffer layer thickness, the refractive indices of the buffer layer and dielectric cladding and the mode order. This coupling is very dependent upon the mode order with the TM₀ mode exhibiting far weaker coupling than the higher order TM modes. Methods of controlling the amount of coupling and hence the attenuation of the TM modes are discussed.This work was performed while the author was with the Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia, 4067.     

Cerium dioxide thin film optical waveguides

Cerium dioxide thin film optical waveguides were fabricated by an RF magnetron sputtering process. The films were deposited on glass substrates and on silicon dioxide layers grown on silicon substrates. Optical loss measurements for the fabricated waveguides are reported. It is seen that the volume losses in the films were fairly high compared with the surface losses.     

Effects of pinhole diameters on beam characteristics for silicon thin film optical inspection

Peak power density stability and beam-wander precision of probe laser are important factors affecting the inspection results in the precision thin film optical measurements. Pinhole is frequently used as a spatial filter in the optical inspection system. In this work, four different diameters of pinhole are investigated experimentally. It is found that pinhole diameter of 0.3 mm is considered to be a promising candidate for mounting in front of probe laser for silicon thin film optical inspection due to better peak power density stability and better beam-wander precision.     

DNA thin film coated optical fiber biosensor

We present a simple but highly sensitive biotinylated DNA double crossover thin film coated fiber optic reflectance biosensor (DTF FORS) for the detection of streptavidin aerosols as a building block towards sensing bio-aerosols. The DNA double crossover lattice with biotin was dropped on the polymer optical fiber end face to prepare DNA Thin Film. The streptavidin aerosols were prepared using conventional aerosol technology. The DTF FORS response to streptavidin aerosol was few seconds and the sensor repeatability for air and streptavidin aerosol was found to be excellent. The presented FORS sensing approach, where the film can be changed on the end face of the optical fiber, is expected to detect atmospheric bio-aerosols with great sensitivity and effective specificity.     

Determination of the optical constants and thickness of a thin slightly absorbing film by ellipsometric measurement

On the basis of an analysis of the properties of space constructed in coordinates of the ellipsometric angles and and the thicknessd ₁ of a thin slightly absorbing film, a graphical method of determining its index of refraction, index of absorption and thickness is proposed and discussed. From the two ellipsometric measurements, either for two different angles of incidence or for two different surrounding media, it is in principle possible to determine the chosen parameters characterizing the thin slightly absorbing film. The graphical method, however, seems to be less accurate and very laborious. The calculation is therefore proposed for an automatic computer. The ellipsometric measurements were carried out on a SAAB computer, according to a program elaborated in Algol. The results obtained and the values computed for the optical constants and the thickness of the thin slightly absorbing film are in good agreement with those found independently.     

All optical switching in henna thin film

The optical nonlinearity in henna (Lawson (2- hydroxyl-1,4 naphthoquinone) film was utilized to demonstrate all optical switching. The nonlinear absorption of the henna film was calculated by measuring the transmission of the laser beam (λ = 488 nm) as a function of incident light intensities. The observed nonlinear absorption is attributed to a two-photon absorption process. The pump and probe technique was used to demonstrate all optical switching. The switching characteristics can be utilized to generate all-optical logic gates such as simple inverter switches (NOT) NOR, AND NAND logic functions.     

记录薄膜Te—In—Sb光学性质的研究

采用高频溅射方法制成Te-In-Sb系统的非晶态薄膜.系统的研究了不同组分薄膜的透射、反射谱,及其在结晶过程中的变化.用透射电镜研究了Te-In-Sb薄膜的结构和晶化过程.分析了组分对薄膜的吸收系数、介电常数、光学能隙等光学性质的影响.并由此综合评价了Te-In—Sb系统中比较适合作为光盘介质的组成.     

Effect of an optical negative index thin film on optical bistability

We investigate nonlinear transmission in a layered structure consisting of a slab of positive index material with Kerr-type nonlinearity and a subwavelength layer of linear negative index material (NIM) sandwiched between semi-infinite linear dielectrics. We find that a thin layer of NIM leads to significant changes in the hysteresis width when the nonlinear slab is illuminated at an angle near that of total internal reflection. Unidirectional diodelike transmission with enhanced operational range is demonstrated. These results may be useful for NIMs characterization and for designing novel NIMs-based devices.     

Quantum dynamics in a thin film. II. Stationary states

The spectrum of quantum waveguides simulating thin toroidal tubes and thin spherical surfaces is investigated. Asymptotic formulas are obtained and a geometric classification using the so-called Reeb graphs is carried out.     

光学薄膜界面互相关特性的确定

本文实验测量了光学薄膜的散射波场分布,根据多层光学薄膜的矢量散射理论,确定了膜层界面的互相关特性.当空间频率较低时,对于膜层层数较少的膜系,膜堆内的各界面是完全相关的;若空间频率较高,则逐渐趋于部分相关模型.实验指出,膜层界面的互相关特性亦与所采用的蒸发技术有关.     

Nonlinear optical properties of a self-organized dye thin film

A self-organized thin film of a cyanine dye is fabricated by the spin-coating technique and is characterized by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, infrared (IR) spectroscopy, small-angle X-ray diffraction, ellipsometer,and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The nonlinear optical properties of the thin films are investigated by degenerate four wave mixing (DFWM) technique. The cyanine dye thin film sample exhibits high optical nonlinearities (χ(3) = 2.55 × 10-12 esu), and the mechanism is analyzed by the exciton coupling theory.     

薄膜材料光学参量的测量

介绍了薄膜材料光学参量测量实验的原理和方法以及对GaN膜的测量结果。     

EUV reflectometry for thickness and density determination of thin film coatings

An EUV reflectometer for the analysis of surfaces and thin films regarding refractive index, surface roughness, and mass density at the wavelength of 12.98?nm was developed. The setup uses a laser produced plasma source with an oxygen gas puff target for the generation of narrow-band EUV radiation and a flexible Kirkpatrick–Baez optics for focusing. We present EUV reflectometry (EUVR) measurements conducted on a series of carbon thin films to determine thickness and mass density of the coatings. In case of the thickness measurements results are compared to data obtained from nondestructive standard methods, i.e., grazing incidence X-ray reflectometry and spectroscopic ellipsometry. In addition, we propose a method to deduce the mass density of a sample directly from the fitted index of refraction obtained from EUVR measurements.     

Solution of the optical parameters of the thin film systems and interfaces

We report on the optical parameters of the semiconductor thin films determination. The method is based on the dynamical modeling of the spectral reflectance function combined with the genetic optimization of the initial model. The spectral dependency of the thin film optical parameters computation is based on the optical transitions modeling. The combination of the dynamical modeling and the genetic optimization enable comfortable analysis of the spectral dependences of the optical parameters and incorporation of the microstructure effects on the multilayer system optical properties. The results of the optical parameters of i-a-Si thin films determination are presented.     

Diffraction-like effect on Jc-H characteristics of thin film type II superconductor

Fraunhofer pattern-like behaviours were observed in the critical current versus magnetic field characteristics of superconducting Pb-(20 wt. %) In thin films. The results are discussed in terms of current-phase relation in the type II superconductor.     

Algorithms for optical control of reactive magnetron deposition of film coatings

Algorithms for optical control of a reactive gas flow rate are considered for processes of magnetron deposition of film coatings. The algorithms are based on registration of spectral elements (lines, bands) of a cathode material and reactive/inert gases in magnetron discharge plasma spectra. The influence of instabilities in the magnetron discharge power and vacuum chamber pressure on the composition of the deposited flow and gaseous medium was studied for titanium oxide and nitride deposition that were carried out using various algorithms for optical control of the reactive gas flow rate.     

Superresolution optical disk with a thermoreversible organic thin film

Recording and retrieving small marks far beyond the optical diffraction limit in a high-speed rotating phase-change optical disk have been investigated by use of a thermoreversible organic thin film as a superresolution mask layer. The organic thin film exhibited significant thermoreversibility and rapid response on laser irradiation. Recorded marks as small as 120 nm in length could be detected by a dynamic disk tester with a laser wavelength of 635 nm and a numerical aperture of 0.6.