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Stereolithographic Fabrication of Polymer Photonic Crystals and Micro-devices

Dr Martin Straub

Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Micro-Photonics and Centre of Excellence for Ultrahigh-bandwidth Devices for Optical Systems (CUDOS), Swinburne University of Technology

3.30pm, Friday 26 November 2004, AR103 Seminar Room, Graduate Research Centre

Ultrashort pulsed laser light facilitates confinement of photophysical processes to the center of the focal spot, and allows direct writing of three-dimensional microstructures with submicron-size structural elements. Two high-resolution optical microscopy methods are presented by which photonic crystals with bandgaps in the near and mid infrared spectral region, as well as related micro-devices, were fabricated in photosensitive polymer materials. Two-photon photopolymerization relies on the initiation of a polymerization reaction in the scanning laser focus, which locally solidifies a liquid resin. Femtosecond laser drilling in solid polymer blocks is based on micro-explosions in the moving laser focus, resulting in void channels with submicron diameters. The introduction of functional defects in the photonic crystals allows for the generation of unusual optical micro-devices. As examples, a Fabry-Perot type of micro-cavity and a superprism arrangement are presented.

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