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Sol–gel thin films for optics and photonics

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Abstract

Thin films have wide applications in the area of optics and photonics. Conventional thin film processing is usually followed for deposition, but the sol–gel route is unique as it can be applied very easily in a cost effective way on desired substrates of any shape for specific applications. In this review, the basic optical designs of antireflection, high reflection, different types of optical filters, coloured coatings, etc. have been discussed with some typical examples of sol–gel products. The importance of coloured coatings and low thermal emissivity coatings on window glass has also been highlighted. In addition, the use of sol–gel processing for different types of film formation which are effective for photonic applications such as non-linearity in optics, ferromagnetism in transparent dilute magnetic semiconductors (DMS), generation of quantum dots as phosphor, grating coupler waveguide in optical sensors are discussed. The basic characterizations of a few sol–gel products which may be used for photonic applications have also been highlighted.

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Acknowledgments

Author thanks to the Director, CGCRI, Kolkata for his permission to present this paper as an Invited Talk in the International Conference on Sol–Gel Processes for Advanced Ceramics (SGPAC, 2009). Author also thanks to Prof. M. Nogami of Nagoya Institute of Technology, Japan and Mr. A. S. Joshi, SO(H) of RRCAT, Indore, India for the measurements of Faraday rotation of Mn-doped ITO films and laser damage threshold of AR coated samples respectively. Thanks are due to my team members (Drs. S. Jana, D. Bhattacharya, Ms A. Mallick, Ms D. Sil, Ms N. Das, Sri L. K. Dua, Sri A. Panda, Ms. B. Koley, Sri S. S. Ghosh and Ms. S. Sarkar) for their help in preparing the manuscript.

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  1. Sol–Gel Division, Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, India), Kolkata, 700032, India

    Prasanta Kumar Biswas

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Correspondence to Prasanta Kumar Biswas.

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Biswas, P.K. Sol–gel thin films for optics and photonics. J Sol-Gel Sci Technol 59, 456–474 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-010-2368-5

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