GOALI: OP: Incongruent Growth of Single Crystal 3D Architecture for New Optical Functionalities in Glass

(updated April 28th 2017)

NSF-Grant; DMR 1508177

PI: Himanshu Jain

Co-PI: Volkmar Dierolf

Basic Scope:

This work is a continuation of a previous NSF-funded project. The initial demonstration of single crystal architecture in glass (SCAG) accomplished in this project has been limited to LaBGeO5 glass, which was selected for the simple reason that it transforms into a ferroelectric single crystal congruently. Whereas attractive for this simplicity, its composition is very restrictive and not suitable for practical applications. For this reason, the projct has now been extended to include systems that will lead to SCAG based on LiNbO3 and YAG. It is imperative to advance the current understanding to noncongruently crystallizing compositions (required in these cases), and translate the present art to fabricating a realistic prototype of PIC device element, such as a SCAG structure that will demonstrate the feasibility of ’principal state transmission’ for the first time. This new concept recently proposed by Corning Co-PI has the potential of increasing the transmission bandwidth of an optical fiber by an order of magnitude. Thus, this GOALI collaboration provides a win-win situation in that Lehigh’s expertise in SCAG will be advanced further while demonstrating a proof-of-concept of Corning’s recent invention. On a fundamental level, as a result of dynamic compositional modification, suppression of nucleation around the growing crystal in La2O-B2O3-GeO2 and two silicate systems of much practical interest is proposed. The SCAG forming process will be characterized by state-of-the-art tools at Lehigh, Corning and synchrotrons at two National Labs. The results will help develop a predictive model that will provide guidelines for making lower optical loss SCAGs in complex compositions suitable for use in devices.