Optoelectronics & Photonics Dept.
| Institute: | CNR-"Nello Carrara" Institute of Applied Physics (CNR-IFAC) |
|---|---|
| Address: |
Via Panciatichi, 64 I-50127 Firenze Italy |
| Website: | http://www.ifac.cnr.it |
| Contact person | Righini Giancarlo C. |
| Presentation: | CNR.pdf (611.46 kB) |
Description
The OPS group is equipped with many facilities enabling the whole process (except only mask mastering) of design, modelling, fabrication and characterisation of integrated optics devices to be carried out on site. Fibre handling and shaping is also part of available expertises. Presently, our researches are aimed at:
- the development of integrated optical amplifiers and lasers in rare earth doped glasses and LiNbO3 crystals. Large part of the substrates characterisation (optical constants, lifetime, basic spectroscopy) and the characterisation of the devices is carried out at our facilities, also with instrumentation developed by our group. This vast and multidisciplinary know-how will be OPS group’s contribution to WP2 "Centre for Measurement and Instrumentation".
- applications of whispering gallery mode guided light in microspherical cavities to gas sensing. The results and knowledge acquired in this emerging field of micro optics can be shared both in WP2 "Centre for Measurement and Instrumentation" and WP10 "Micro-Optical Structures for Sensing".
- the development of various kinds of fibre-optic-sensors. In particular, as a contribution to WP10 "Micro-Optical Structures for Sensing", we can list the existing know how related to the fabrication of fibre sensors for the measurement of:
- -physical parameters (temperature, proximity, vibration, strain and temperature, light dosimetry for application to the cultural heritage, radiation dosimetry for medical applications, refractometry and solution concentration assessment, color of food);
- chemical parameters (pH, CO2, pesticides, oxygen, nitrogen oxides, metal ions, bile reflux in the stomach);
- environmental parameters (smokes, dimensions, density, refractive index of particles suspended in liquids).
Guided-wave and microoptic probes for absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy of liquid samples have also been designed and field-tested, for on-line and real-time spectral monitoring in process control. Sensor and biomedical instrumentation has been developed in close contact with industrial partners.
Commercial and in house developed modelling software has been used for the design of micro optical devices, and our expertise under this respect will find application in the tasks of WP1 "Centre for Modelling and Design".
Finally, the scientists of OPS-IFAC group have been continuously involved in national and international activities of promotion and coordination of optics (Scientific Societies, National and International Commissions, Technical Committees) They have also been very often involved in the organisation of international conferences and workshops related to micro optics, and have been also participating as lecturers to several international schools of micro optics, in order to spread their knowledge to students and young researchers.
