Award Abstract #0520814
A Nanomagnetic Route to Bias-Magnet-Free On-Chip Faraday Rotators

NSF Org:	ECCS Division of Electrical, Communications and Cyber Systems
Initial Amendment Date:	August 29, 2005
Latest Amendment Date:	May 1, 2009
Award Number:	0520814
Award Instrument:	Standard Grant
Program Manager:	Pradeep P. Fulay ECCS Division of Electrical, Communications and Cyber Systems ENG Directorate for Engineering
Start Date:	September 1, 2005
Expires:	August 31, 2009 (Estimated)
Awarded Amount to Date:	$251101
Investigator(s):	Miguel Levy mlevy@mtu.edu (Principal Investigator)
Sponsor:	Michigan Technological University 1400 Townsend Drive Houghton, MI 49931 906/487-1885
NSF Program(s):	ELECT, PHOTONICS, & DEVICE TEC
Field Application(s):	0206000 Telecommunications
Program Reference Code(s):	OTHR, 9251, 7218, 101E, 0000
Program Element Code(s):	1517

ABSTRACT

The objective of this research is the fabrication of bias-magnet free on-chip Faraday rotators for ultra-small optical isolator and rotation sensor applications. The approach is to develop photonic crystal

waveguides with magnetic nanoparticle resonators on magnetic films to enhance the polarization rotation efficiency and light speed control properties of the core components used in these technologies. By introducing single-domain magnetic nanoparticles in the photonic bandgap the project seeks to demonstrate a high degree of coercivity, Faraday rotation enhancement and optical time delay in photonic crystal Faraday

rotators while obviating the need for external magnets.

The rationale for developing ultra-small magnet-free optical isolators is the economic need to address the interconnection bottleneck to chip performance and sustain the growth of capacity in information

transmission media. This goal has long been actively pursued by the telecommunications industry but a number of factors have prevented its realization. Now advances in crystal growth and the development of the

magnetic photonic crystals proposed here address these factors. At the same time, the extreme optical speed control afforded by magnetic photonic crystals addresses another critical technological question, namely, the development of ultra-small and more accurate optical gyroscopes for inertial reference systems in aircraft, satellites and projectiles. Partnerships with industry through Dupont Photonics and Integrated Photonics, Inc. are being pursued. Through its participation in the Michigan Tech Women in Engineering Program the proposed activity intends to involve female high-school students in science exploration. Ties with Texas State University will be used to promote minority recruitment at Michigan Tech.

PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH

Amir A. Jalali and Miguel Levy. "Local normal mode coupling and energy band splitting in elliptically birefringent one-dimensional magnetophotonic crystals," Journal of the Optical Society of America B, v.25, 2008.

M. Levy, R. Li, A. A. Jalali and X. Huang. "Band edge effects and normal mode propagation in waveguide magnetophotonic crystals," Journal of the Magnetics Society of Japan, v.30, 2006, p. 561.

Miguel Levy. "Normal modes and birefringent magnetophotonic crystals," Journal of Applied Physics, v.99, 2006, p. 073104.

Miguel Levy and Amir A. Jalali. "Band structure and Bloch states in birefringent one-dimensional magnetophotonic crystals: An analytical approach," Journal of the Optical Society of America B, v.24, 2007.

Miguel Levy and Rong Li. "Polarization rotation enhancement and scattering mechanisms in waveguide magnetophotonic crystals," Applied Physics Letters, v.89, 2006, p. 121113.

Miguel Levy, Amir A. Jalali, Ziyou Zhou and Neluka Dissanayake. "Bandgap formation and selective suppression of Bloch states in birefringent gyrotropic Bragg waveguides," Optics Express, v.16, 2008, p. 13421.

X. Huang, R. Li, H.C. Yang, and M. Levy. "Multimodal and birefringence effects in magnetic photonic crystals," Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials, v.300, 2006, p. 112.

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