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Refractive Index Structures in Polymers

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Book cover Femtosecond Laser Micromachining

Part of the book series: Topics in Applied Physics ((TAP,volume 123))

Abstract

Refractive index structuring of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) by femtosecond (fs) laser irradiation is discussed, including writing conditions defined by wavelength, pulse duration, and associated photochemistry. The aim is to determine optimal conditions for refractive index modification, Δn without doping for photosensitivity. The work presented here forms a generic methodology for other polymers. Nanostructuring using holographic optics and precise control of beam parameters has versatile application for three-dimensional (3D) photonic devices. Self-focusing and filamentation at various depths below the surface of bulk PMMA are discussed together with parallel processing using a spatial light modulator. Applications of refractive index structures in polymers include microfluidics, lab-on-a-chip, organic optoelectronic devices, and gratings in polymer optical fibres.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge support from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, the Unilever-Manchester Advanced Measurement Partnership, Vista Optics and Rinck Elektronik, Jena.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Photon Science Institute, Alan Turing Building, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK

    Patricia J. Scully & Alexandra Baum

  2. Centre for Instrumentation and Analytical Science, The University of Manchester, CEAS, 88, Sackville Street, Manchester, M60 1QD, UK

    Patricia J. Scully & Alexandra Baum

  3. University of Liverpool, Liverpool Lairdside Laser Engineering Centre (LLEC), Wirral, CH41 9HP, UK

    Dun Liu & Walter Perrie

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  1. Patricia J. Scully
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Correspondence to Patricia J. Scully .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , IFN-CNR, Politecnico di Milano, P.zza L. da Vinci 32, Milano, 20133, Italy

    Roberto Osellame

  2. , Department of Physics, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, Milano, 20133, Italy

    Giulio Cerullo

  3. , Department of Physics, Politecnico di Milano, P.zza L. Da Vinci 32, Milano, 20133, Italy

    Roberta Ramponi

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Scully, P.J., Baum, A., Liu, D., Perrie, W. (2012). Refractive Index Structures in Polymers. In: Osellame, R., Cerullo, G., Ramponi, R. (eds) Femtosecond Laser Micromachining. Topics in Applied Physics, vol 123. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-23366-1_12

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