Additive manufacturing of functional aluminum phosphate hybrid materials for optical waveguides

• Grant number: 19/24367-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate (Direct)
• Effective date (Start): September 10, 2020
• Effective date (End): September 09, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Inorganic Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Younes Messaddeq
• Grantee: Gabriel Toshiaki Tayama
• Supervisor: Tigran Galstian
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araraquara. Araraquara , SP, Brazil
• Research place: Université Laval, Canada
• Associated to the scholarship: 18/06426-3 - Development of coacervates for additive manafacturing/3D printing of photonic materials, BP.DD

Abstract

Due to its printing resolution and surface finishing, stereolithography (SLA) is one of the best additive manufacturing techniques for microfabrication of photonic devices. However, its use has been restricted to lenses fabrication in polymeric materials. The lack of optical materials for SLA is one of the main hindrances regarding its use in optical devices manufacturing. A hybrid sol-gel route has been proposed to bypass such limitation, allowing the 3D printing of hybrid materials and glasses. Therefore, we propose to explore aluminum-phosphate/borate hybrids sol processed through SLA, to produce waveguides and optical fibers. These novel materials were obtained as part of Ph.D. project developed at Brazil. Furthermore, we shall explore the addition of luminescent nanoparticles and rare earth ions to 3D printed structures, towards 3D printed fiber amplifier operating in the telecommunication window. Lastly, using the expertise and the infrastructure at COPL, we will explore femtosecond laser interactions towards fabrication of periodic arrays and waveguides. (AU)