Papers by Author: Maurizio Ferrari

Abstract: In this paper we report on the fabrication and the characterization of colloidal systems considering complementary structures based on responsive artificial opal both in direct and inverse configuration. We will discuss alternative systems such as: (i) chromatic composite structure as chemical sensor based on polystyrene (PS) nanoparticles (NPs) embedded in elastomeric matrix, where the application of specific organic solvents produces a variation of its color; (ii) metallic dielectric structures, where the infiltration of colloidal crystals with metallic nanoparticles permits to modify the optical properties of the common opal and can be usefully exploited as SERS substrates; (iii) inverse silica opal functionalized with fluorescent aptamers in order to develop bio-sensors in dye labelled fluorescence detection scheme.

Abstract: Glasses are very versatile materials, also because of the ease of doping them with various elements and compounds. In particular, rare-earth-doped glasses have greatly contributed to the development of optical amplifiers, lasers, active optical waveguides and white-light-emitting devices. White light emitting diodes (W-LEDs) and color LEDS obtained by the combination of an UV emitting LED, such as AlGaN-based LED, with a glass phosphor exhibit very interesting properties. In the present contribution we report the luminescence characteristics of zinc-sodium-aluminosilicates glasses variously doped, namely either singly doped with Eu3⁺, Tb³⁺ or Sm³⁺, or co-doped with Tb³⁺-Eu³⁺, Tb³⁺-Sm³⁺ and Tb³⁺-Ce³⁺. These glasses have also proved to be suitable for ion exchange and therefore for the production of active optical waveguides.

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: We report on fabrication and characterization of two different opal-like structures: (i) crystal exhibiting mechanochromism, i.e. change of colour when subjected to mechanical stress, composed of closely packed colloidal polystyrene particles (CPCP) embedded in a poly-dimethylsiloxane (PDMS) elastomeric matrix; (ii) metallo-dielectric systems (MDCS), based on the realization of inverse silica opal and following attachment of gold nanoparticles on the silica network of the inverse colloidal structure. Optical measurements, performed on the two structures, have demonstrated that: (i) when an horizontal strain is applied on the CPCP embedded in PDMS, a blue shift of the diffraction peak occurs as a function of the applied strain and (ii) MDCS have unique optical properties that combine the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) with the photonic band gap features of colloidal crystal structures. Finally, preliminary results on MDCS used as SERS substrate evidence a higher increase of the Raman signal in respect to that observed for others metallic structures.

Abstract: Er3+-doped fluoride glass ceramics planar waveguides containing LaF3 or binary LaF3- ZrF4 nanocrystals have been fabricated by Physical Vapour Deposition (PVD). A quantitative analysis of the photoluminescence for the 1.5μm emission band of Er3+ ions has demonstrated that erbium ions are partitioned in both crystals and vitreous phase; the solubility of Er3+ in the segregated LaF3 nanocrystals can reach 30 mol% and the emission bandwidth has been found to be greater than that of the precursor glass (71nm at the half-height width). In order to increase the luminescence of Er3+, codoping with Yb3+ and Ce3+ has been investigated. The high Er3+ concentration and spectral width could make this nanostructured fluoride material suitable for planar amplifier in the C telecommunication band.

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: Nanosized electronic systems are characterized by ballistic transport properties, which implies that the wave character of the electron plays a dominant role in such systems. We summarize some of the basic theoretical concepts involved, and point out various analogies between scalar electronic waves and electromagnetic vector waves. Those analogies should allow for a direct transfer of key technological concepts from optics or photonics to nanoelectronics. As an example, we discuss the concept of electronic metamaterials, and suggest a possible realization of nanometer sized electronic devices, based on novel low-dimensional carbon and boron nanomaterials.

Abstract: The Ge+SiO2 and SiO2 alternating multilayers are prepared by the magnetron sputtering of germanium and silica targets. By controlling the substrate temperature and by subsequent thermal annealing, the self-organized germanium quantum dots in 3D rombohedral (R 3 m) superlattice are produced. The polarized low-frequency Raman scattering measurements shows the coherent effects on the symmetric and quadrupolar spheroidal vibrations of Ge nanocrystals. It has been shown that the coherence effects are dependent on degree of Ge-ordering in the superlattice.