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Nano-Photonics
Materials and Technologies for Multicolor
High-Power Sources (NATAL)
Download a fact sheet of Final Activity
Report
PDF-file
NATAL
is
a specific targeted research project (STREP) supported by the European
Commission under the “Information Society Technologies” priority of the
Sixth Framework Program (contract number 016769). The project is
coordinated by ORC and spans over 3 years. Being started on 1st of July
2005 the project will end 1st of July 2008. The total budget of the
project is 3.8 M€, with about 2.8 M€ funded by the European Commission
for research, development, field trials and demonstrations.
Project
objectives
The project aims to develop compact light sources for the visible and
UV wavelengths with applications
in a broad range of fields including nano/micro materials processing,
medicine, RGB full-color displays and UV lithography.
Specific
wavelength targets include direct operation in the red (630-670 nm) and
the development of
frequency-doubled
sources operating at 315-335 nm (ultraviolet), 470 nm (blue), 520 nm
(green) and
610 nm
(red/amber). These wavelengths cover important absorption bands in a
host of materials of significance to nanotechnology (quantum dot and
conventional fluorphores, light-emitting
polymers, photoresists, biomaterials).
Technology
The key technology is Optically-Pumped Semiconductor Vertical External
Cavity Surface-Emitting
Semiconductor Laser (OPS-VECSEL). These exciting new lasers combine
many of the advantages of
conventional diode-pumped solid-state lasers with the flexibility of
semiconductor gain material. They
retain the power-scaling, beam quality and intracavity
spectral/temporal control capability of
solid-state lasers, but combined with the wavelength versatility
through bandgap engineering,
broadband pump absorption and compact gain regions offered by
semiconductor technology.
The partners in this project aim to pool their expertise to develop
various new formats of OPS-
VECSELs at UV/Visible wavelengths for commercial exploitation. The
approaches will have in
common the innovative use of thermally-conductive optical windows
(diamond, silicon carbide)
bonded to the intra-cavity surface of the VECSEL chip. This method
facilitates wavelength extension,
power scaling, microchip operation, novel forms of optical mode
control, and integrated device
formats with a wide range of functionality. Furthermore, these lasers
are highly-suited to give
excitation on a
nano-scale via spectrally or spatially selective modes of operation.
Expected
project results and impact
As a
result of the project we expect to demonstrate compact light sources
that are capable of producing watt-level output at red-green-blue and
amber wavelengths and tens of milliwatts in the UV. These devices are
aimed to the fast developing display, medical and scientific markets.
At device level the project is expected to make the highest impact on
generation of UV and red-amber radiation by VECSEL technology.
I large
portion of the research effort is put into developing new laser gain
materials based on quantum dots and novel dilute nitride GaInNAs/GaAs
materials. In comparison prior art we expect that the project will
significantly advance the development of these materials for use in
VECSELs, and that the VECSELs will substantially gain from this
material development.
Work plan:
The project is organized around six closely interconnected Workpackages (WPs).
- WP 1 is dedicated to the
overall consortium management
- WP 2 – WP 5 cover the
technical aspects of the programme. WP 2,
on “Design, Simulation & Device Concepts”, has, as its major
milestones, M 2.1, “The optimal design of VECSEL gain structures at
the respective fundamental wavelengths accounting for optical and
thermal issues”, and M 2.2, “The optimum materials choices and
cavity designs for frequency doubling”.
- WP 3 is focused on “Materials
development and fabrication” and its major milestones are M 3.1 on “Optimised growth conditions for the respective
VECSEL gain materials”, and M 3.2 on “Comparison of results
from complementary materials and techniques to inform and disseminate
the best practice”.
- WP 4 is concerned with “Physical
management of the laser cavity and VECSEL demonstration” and its
milestones are M 4.1 on “Optimal cavity arrangement of the VECSELs”,
M 4.2 on “Compact VECSEL set-ups”, M 4.3 on “Assessment of
the benefits of using microstructured
surface optics to improve VECSEL performance”, and M 4.4 on
“Identification of materials most suitable for refractive/diffractive
micro-optics”.
- WP 5, on “Assembly,
testing and conversion”, has the milestones M 5.1 on “Low
thermal resistance submounts/heatspreaders
and assembly process”, M 5.2 on “Pump optics design”, M 5.3
on “Resonator design”, and M 5.4 on “Nonlinear materials
for wavelength conversion at selected wavelengths”.
- The last WP aims at
exploitation and dissemination of the results. The main deliverable of WP6 is the Technology Implementation Plan.
Project
summary:
Project
name: NATAL -
Nano-Photonics Materials and Technologies for Multicolor
High-Power Sources
Duration: 1.7.2005
– 1.7.2008
Budget:
3.8M€, of which 2.8 M€ funded by the European
Commission
Objectives: To develop
compact visible and UV laser sources and novel laser materials.
Participants: Leading European
universities and companies in the field. See participant list here.
Download
a fact sheet of NATAL project:
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