Papers by Author: A. Chiasera

Abstract: We report on the fabrication and on the assessment of the properties of two glass-based photonic crystals (PhCs) obtained using alternative approaches such as rf-sputtering and sol-gel techniques. (i) By means of rf-sputtering a one-dimensional dielectric photonic crystal constituted by an Er³⁺-doped SiO₂ active layer inserted between two Bragg reflectors consisting of 10 pairs of SiO₂∕TiO₂ layers has been realized. Near infrared transmittance spectra evidenced the presence of a stop band from 1500 to 2000 nm with a cavity resonance centered at 1749 nm. Intensity enhancement and narrowing of the emission band of Er³⁺ ions, due to the cavity effect have been observed and a cavity quality factor of 890 has been achieved. (ii) Through chemical route a 3D colloidal crystal based on polystyrene (PS) nanoparticles (NPs) embedded in elastomeric matrix has been realized. In the specific has been shown that the structure can produce a variation of its color applying different organic solvents that can be also easily observed by the naked eye. Optical measurements have evidenced a red shift of the diffraction peak as a function of the solvents applied. This feature has been exploited in order to create a sensitive material showing high sensitivity and reversibility of the signal change.

Abstract: The possibility to confine the light in optical planar structures represented the milestone for the development of integrated optical devices in different application areas, such as communications and sensing. In particular, rare-earth (RE) doped planar waveguides demonstrated to be an interesting solution in the realization of integrated optical lasers and amplifiers suitable for the generation/regeneration of the signal in metropolitan and local area networks. Nowadays, although these devices are commercially available, the major contribution of the research consists in discovering and developing better combinations of materials and fabrication processes, in order to reduce the costs and increase the performance of the aforesaid devices. In this context glass-ceramic waveguides, activated by RE ions, seem to fully respond to these requests. The aim of this paper is to offer a comprehensive review on the main results obtained in our Labs in the field of glassceramics. Fabrication and characterization of different silicate glass-ceramic thin films, doped with different percentages of RE ions, will be presented and discussed. The interesting results obtained make these systems quite promising for development of high performance integrated optical amplifiers and lasers.

Abstract: In the present work two different in situ amination of hydrogenated nano-crystalline diamond surfaces were studied. The effects of an UV irradiation in pure ammonia gas were compared to those produced in a mixture of pure ammonia gas with a small amount of pure oxygen. In situ XPS analysis was used to study the evolution of surface terminations from “C-H” to “CNH2”. As we will show in this work, the grafting of NH2 functional groups to the diamond surface is mediated by oxygen indicating that oxygen plays a crucial role in the process of amination.

Abstract: Multi-walled carbon nanotubes were chemically cut by acid treatments and then deposited on 2-aminoethanethiol-modified gold substrate by the application of an external electric field. 2-aminoethanethiol-capped gold nanoparticles were then covalently bonded to the nanotubes to exploit their plasmon resonances. Reaction intermediates as well as the final products were analyzed by X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy, Atomic Force Microscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy. The synergetic interaction between carbon nanotubes and gold nanoparticles leads to an efficient signal enhancement in Raman spectra. This is of particular interest for the detection of toxic molecules dangerous for the environment.

Abstract: We report experimental results obtained in our laboratories in the development of Er3+- doped glass microspherical cavities for the fabrication of compact and low threshold laser sources at 1.55 μm. We investigate three different approaches in order to fabricate the microspheres including direct melting of Er3+-doped glass powders, coating of silica microspheres with an Er3+- doped sol-gel layer, and synthesis of Er3+-doped monolithic microspheres using the sol-gel route in acid catalysis. Details of the different fabrication processes are presented together with the photoluminescence characterization in free space configuration of the microspheres and of the glass precursor. We analyse the photoluminescence spectra of the whispering gallery modes of the microspheres exited using evanescent coupling and we demonstrate laser action in a wide range of wavelengths around 1.55 μm.

Abstract: We present the details of the sol-gel processing used to realize inverse silica opal, where the silica was activated with 0.3 mol% of Er3+ ions. The template (direct opal) was obtained assembling polystyrene spheres of the dimensions of 260 nm by means of a vertical deposition technique. The Er3+-activated silica inverse opal was obtained infiltrating, into the void of the template, the silica sol doped with Er3+ ions and subsequently removing the polystyrene spheres by means of calcinations. Scanning electron microscope showed that the inverse opals possess an fcc structure with a air hollow of about 210 nm. A photonic band gap in the visible range was observed from reflectance measurements. Spectroscopic properties of Er3+activated silica inverse opal were investigated by photoluminescence spectroscopy. A bandwidth of 21 nm was measured for the 4I13/2 → 4I15/2 transition of Er3+ ions upon excitation at 514.5 nm. The luminescence decay curve of the 4I13/2 metastable state of the Er3+ ions presents a lifetime τ = 16.8 ± 0.1 ms giving a very high quantum efficiency of the fabricated system. Core-shell Er3+-activated silica spheres, where the core is the silica sphere and the shell is an Er2O3-SiO2 coating is proposed as a possible route for opal fabrication. For core-shell system a quantum efficiency of about 70% was estimated.

Abstract: Two series of xHfO2 - (100-x) SiO2 (x=10, 20, 30 mol%) glass-ceramics planar waveguides doped with 0.3 mol% Er3+ ions were prepared by the sol-gel route. A thermal treatment at 1000°C was applied to the second series of samples to nucleate HfO2 crystals. The waveguides were analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to study the effect of the Hf concentration and of the annealing on the material structure. XPS shows that in the first series of samples a Hf concentration threshold exists. Above this threshold the material undergoes a spinodal decomposition with formation of HfO2 rich domains. In the second series of samples the presence of thermal treatment lowers the concentration threshold so that the phase separation occurs also at a Hf concentration of 10%mol. In the waveguides where spinodal decomposition in present, the emission spectra from the Er3+ ions reveal a sensible narrowing of the 4I13/2 → 4I15/2 line. This demonstrates the presence of a crystalline environment for the Er3+ ions since the inhomogeneous broadening due to the disordered glassy network is suppressed. These results may have important implications for the fabrication of photonic devices with increased efficiency.

Abstract: The Raman light to vibrations coupling coefficients C(ν) of quadrupolar and symmetrical vibrational modes of spherical nanoparticles embedded in a matrix are calculated. In contrast to the symmetrical mode, the C(ν) of the quadrupolar modes consists of the longitudinal and transversal sound velocity contributions. It is shown, that depending on the ratio of longitudinal and transverse sound velocity, these two contributions can interfere constructively or destructively resulting in enhancing or vanishing of some radial modes. Different peaks in the C(ν) spectrum were attributed to transverse and longitudinal spheroidal modes and the longitudinal spheroidal modes were found to have a higher Raman intensity than the transverse modes. The theoretical model was tested on a sample of HfO2 nanoparticles in a silica matrix.