Freiburg i. Br., Univ., Diss., 2007.

L’objectif de cette thèse est de développer un nouveau matériau photopolymère pouvant être microstructuré dans la gamme de longueur d'onde du proche infrarouge (NIR). Le but final de ce travail est de proposer des solutions innovantes pour l'intégration de micro-optique sur les VCSELs (Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser), sources lumineuses miniaturisées utilisées dans de nombreuses applications en optique, photonique, capteurs ou biologie. Le verrou technologique principal a consisté à développer et étudier le photopolymère adéquat pour la microfabrication déclenchée par le VCSEL. La difficulté principale tient à la longueur d'onde de photopolymérisation qui est fixé par le VCSEL et qui a obligé à développer un système moléculaire nouveau pour une polymérisation radicalaire à 780 et 850 nm. Une part importante du travail a consisté à étudier les mécanismes photophysiques et photochimiques des matériaux permettant de proposer des systèmes efficaces, sur le plan de la photophysique, de la photochimie de photopolymérisation et également une approche originale a été développée pour appréhender de façon quantitative les phénomènes de diffusion du colorant dans la matrice polymère. Sur la base des systèmes moléculaires proposés, la démonstration de l'intégration de microlentilles sur VCSEL par ce procédé innovant a pu être démontré. Les VCSELs lentillés ont été caractérisés et des propriétés très intéressantes pour la focalisation ont été démontrées. / The objective of this thesis is to develop a new photopolymer material that can be microstructured in the wavelength range of near-infrared (NIR). The ultimate aim of this work is to propose innovative solutions for micro-optical integration on VCSELs (Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser). These miniaturized light sources are used in many applications in optics, photonics, sensors or biology. The main technological challenge was to develop and explore a new photopolymer compatible with a microfabrication initiated by the VCSEL. The main difficulty was to develop a new molecular system for radical polymerization at 780 and 850 nm, which is the wavelength emitted by the VCSEL. An important part of the work consisted to study the photophysical and photochemical mechanisms of this photopolymer in order to provide efficient systems in terms of photophysics, photochemistry of the photopolymerization. An original approach was developed to quantitatively apprehend the phenomena dye diffusion in the polymer matrix. Based on the proposed molecular systems, demonstrating the integration of microlenses on VCSELs by this innovative process could be shown. The lensed VCSELs have been characterized and very interesting properties for focusing have been demonstrated.

The vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser or VCSEL is a special type of diode laser, which has established itself in optoelectronic applications asa low-cost, high-quality miniaturized light source. The development of VCSELs can be largely promoted with support from computer simulations. In this study, we have used such simulations, on one hand to understand and improve the VCSEL performance, and on the other hand to prepare for analyzing new device concepts such as transistor-VCSELs. This thesis starts with a background introduction to the principle idea of VCSELs and then states the significance of this simulation work.Then it briefly introduces the previously used simulation workbench Sentaurus and explains the mathematical approach and the computation methods of the finally chosen simulator PICS3D. The case study of a fabricated and characterized epitaxially regrown VCSEL is the major component of this work. First the device configuration is demonstrated with detailed discussion on several design features. Second the physical models of electrical, optical and thermal phenomena along with their key parameters are presented and so are the advanced models for the active region. The main results of simulation, including steady-state characteristics and small-signal modulation, show good agreement with the experimental results and reveal some imperfections of the device design and processing, such as the overestimated stability of the regrown junction and the variation of cavity length caused by over-etch. This work is also treated as an evaluation of the simulator PICS3D, and two problems are identified: one is the troublesome way to construct a 3D device by coupling several 2D layer structures together, requiring the mesh for each layer structure to be compatible; the other would be the tricky boundary setting for the adopted method, Effective Index Method (EIM), for the transverse field calculation when only a weak index guiding effect exits in the cavity. Finally, we summarize this work and suggest some tasks for further simulations.

This thesis deals with the development and investigation of composite-cavity (CC) organic microresonators comprising a vertical cavity (VC) and a distributed feedback structure (DFB). Prepared as separate devices, these two resonators are extensively investigated and characterized by their far-field radiation patterns, emission spectra, and dispersion characteristics. Although the vertical and lateral systems are based on entirely different concepts leading to distinct symmetries, confinement mechanisms, and processes of optical feedback, devices produced with the same set of materials show comparable lasing thresholds. The different angular dispersions of cavity and waveguide (WG) resonances are employed in a laterally structured vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL), where a periodic grating serves as a diffractive coupler between these two regimes. A coherent interaction of the vertical and horizontal system is observed as pronounced anticrossings of parabolic and linear dispersion curves in the far-field spectra. As a result from this coherent coupling, the hybridized WG-VCSEL modes show stimulated emission in far-field regions, where the individual photonic structures would not reach the lasing threshold in a decoupled scenario. Efficient optical feedback in surface-normal and in-plane direction is achieved by combining a VC and a second-order DFB structure in a continuous tunable CC microresonator. The optical coupling is due to a first-order light diffraction on a second-order Bragg grating and, in the degenerate case, can be as efficient as the coupling observed in more classical cascade coupled cavities. When the system is non-degenerate, the diffraction efficiency is suppressed because of sub-coherence-length dimensions of the composite-cavity and both resonators tend to operate as independent structures, without experiencing substantial losses due to diffraction on the distributed-feedback grating. Dispersion characteristics of multiple resonances are recorded and related to calculated modes, their field profiles, and coupling efficiencies. In combination with the analysis of input-output measurements, the lasing characteristics of vertical and lateral resonances are controlled by adjusting specific design parameters of the system. For identical resonance energies, the distinct resonators show coherent interaction in the cross-coupled configuration, if the quality of the resonances and the cross-coupling efficiency meet the condition of strong photon-photon interaction. This resonant coupling has a fundamental impact on dispersion and lasing characteristics of the system. / Die vorliegende Arbeit beschäftigt sich mit der Entwicklung und Untersuchung von organischen Mikroresonatoren, die eine Kompositkavität aus einem Oberflächenemitter und einem Resonator mit verteilter Rückkopplung (DFB) beinhalten. Diese beiden Resonatortypen werden zunächst als separate Strukturen hergestellt, untersucht und über deren Intensitätsverteilungen im Fernfeld, Emissionsspektren und Dispersionseigenschaften charakterisiert. Die vertikalen und lateralen Strukturen basieren auf unterschiedlichen Konzepten, die zu völlig verschiedenartigen Symmetrien, Mechanismen des elektromagnetischen Einschlusses und Arten der optischen Rückkopplung führen. Nichtsdestotrotz weisen diese Resonatoren, die mit dem gleichen Materialsatz hergestellt wurden, ähnliche Laserschwellen auf. Die unterschiedliche winkelabhängige Dispersion von Vertikal- und Wellenleitermoden werden in einem lateral strukturierten Oberflächenemitter (VCSEL) ausgenutzt. In dieser Struktur dient eine periodisches Gitter als Kopplungselement zwischen diesen beiden Bereichen. Eine kohärente Wechselwirkung zwischen vertikalem und horizontalem System zeigt sich durch das Auftreten von ausgeprägten Antikreuzungspunkten parabolischer und gerader Dispersionskurven in den winkelaufgelösten Emissionsspektren. Die Folge dieser kohärenten Kopplung ist das Entstehen von Lasermoden in Bereichen des Fernfelds, wo die einzelnen Resonatoren im entkoppelten Zustand die Laserschwelle nicht erreichen würden. Eine wirksame optische Rückkopplung sowohl in Richtung der Oberflächennormalen als auch in lateraler Richtung wird durch die Kombination einer VCSEL und einer DFB-Struktur zweiter Ordnung in einem kontinuierlich durchstimmbaren Kompositresonator erreicht. Die optische Kopplung wird durch Beugung erster Ordnung am Bragg-Gitter zweiter Ordnung realisiert. Im entarteten Fall werden Kopplungseffizienzen beobachtet, die vergleichbar mit denen klassisch kaskadengekoppelter Mikrokavitäten sind. Für verschiedene Energieeigenwerte der zwei Resonatorkomponenten führt die im Vergleich zur Kohärenzlänge geringe Ausdehnung der Kompositkavität zu einer nahezu unabhängigen Tätigkeit der beiden Resonatoren mit nur geringen Verlusten durch Beugung an der periodischen Struktur. Die Dispersionseigenschaften von mehreren Resonanzen werden gemessen und berechneten Moden, deren Feldverteilungen und Kopplungseffizienzen zugeordnet. In Verbindung mit der Analyse der Intensitäten der Lasermoden in Abhängigkeit der Pumpleistung werden die Laserschwellen durch die Anpassung spezifischer Designparameter kontrolliert. Für identische Resonanzenergien weisen die unterschiedlichen Resonatoren eine kohärente Wechselwirkung auf, falls die Qualität der Moden und die Beugungseffizienz die Bedingung für starke Photon-Photon-Kopplung erfüllen. Diese resonante Kopplung zeigt einen fundamentalen Einfluss auf die Dispersions- und Lasereigenschaften im Kompositsystem.

The subject of this thesis is the investigation of organic microcavities with implemented unstructured and laterally structured metal layers. The optical properties are studied by means of various spectroscopic techniques and are compared to conventional metal-free devices. It is shown that the large expected absorption caused by the embedded metal is reduced compared to the case of a free-standing metal layer of the same thickness. As a consequence of the interaction of the photonic cavity mode with the metallic structures, two new coupled modes emerge which are called Tamm plasmons. The strength of this coupling and the resulting spectral difference of these modes are defined by the thickness of both the metal layer and the adjacent dielectric layers. These control parameters enable the optimization of the structural design. Accordingly, coherent emission from Tamm plasmons is realized at room temperature. An analytical approach is developed accounting for the experimentally observed polarization splitting of detuned resonances. Next, laterally structured metal layers embedded into organic microcavities are considered. The structuring leads to a confinement of the photonic density of states evident from a clear discretization in energy of the corresponding modes. Applying a photolithographic technique to structure the metal layer into a pattern of regularly placed stripes leads to additional effects due to the resulting periodicity. By exciting this hybrid structure above a certain threshold, periodic arrays of localized cavity modes and metal-based Tamm plasmons are generated. These Bloch-like excited states are capable of phase coupling across the grating. Additionally, surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) are excited propagating at the interface of the silver and the adjacent dielectric layers. Thanks to the periodicity of the metallic stripes, SPPs are subject to efficient Bragg scattering into the light cone in air. Modes up to order number 30 are detectable as quasi-linear periodic lines in the dispersion pattern. A Fourier analysis reveals an in- or out-of-phase coupling of the modes and a spread of the coherence over macroscopic distances of more than 40 µm. This strategy of embedding metal patterns into an organic microcavity yields a viable route towards electrically contacted organic solid-state lasers. / In dieser Arbeit werden erstmals dünne, unstrukturierte sowie lateral strukturierte metallische Schichten in organische Mikroresonatoren eingebettet und anschließend die optischen Eigenschaften mittels spektroskopischer Verfahren untersucht. Es zeigt sich, dass die erwarteten hohen optischen Verluste durch die Absorption des elektrischen Feldes im Metall deutlich reduziert sind, verglichen mit dem Fall einer freistehenden, nicht eingebetteten Metallschicht gleicher Dicke. Als Folge der Wechselwirkung der photonischen Kavitätsmode mit dem Metall spaltet diese in zwei miteinander gekoppelte Moden auf. Diese neuartigen Moden werden als Tamm-Plasmonen bezeichnet. Die Kopplung sowie die spektrale Differenz beider Moden ist zum einen durch die optischen Eigenschaften und die Dicke der eingebetteten Metallschicht definiert, zum anderen durch die optische Dicke der angrenzenden dielektrischen Schichten. Dadurch ist eine Optimierung des Systems im Hinblick auf Absorption und Emissionswellenlänge der Bauteile möglich, so dass selbst bei Raumtemperatur kohärente Emission eines Tamm-Zustands erzielt werden kann. Eine erarbeitete analytische Rechnung bestätigt und erklärt die experimentell gemessene, polarisationsabhängige Aufspaltung der auftretenden resonanten Moden. Im zweiten Teil der Arbeit sind organische Mikroresonatoren, deren eingebettete Metallschicht in lateraler Richtung auf verschiedene Weisen strukturiert sind, Gegenstand der Untersuchungen. Als Folge dieser Strukturierung kommt es zur lateralen Beschränkung der photonischen Zustandsdichte, was durch eine Diskretisierung der Energiespektren der resultierenden optischen Moden experimentell nachweisbar ist. Werden periodische Metallstreifen mittels Photolithographie erzeugt, so kommt es neben einer weiteren Beeinflussung der Zustandsdichte auch zu Effekten, die durch diese Periodizität bedingt sind. Entsprechend reproduziert sich die Kavitätsmode mehrfach im Impulsraum. Oberflächenplasmonen, die auf der Grenzfläche zwischen dem Metall und den dielektrischen Schichten propagieren, werden auf Grund der Periodizität bis in den experimentell zugänglichen Lichtkegel gestreut. Dabei werden Plasmonenresonanzen bis hin zur 30. Ordnung gemessen. Im letzten Experiment werden derart periodisch strukturierte Metall-Organik-Mikroresonatoren auf ihre Lasertätigkeit hin untersucht. Eine lokal begrenzte optische Anregung mittels eines gepulsten Lasers führt zur Ausbildung verschiedener Bloch-ähnlicher Moden, deren Kohärenz sich lateral bis zu 40 µm ausbreitet. Eine Fourieranalyse zeigt eindeutige und feste Phasenbeziehungen zwischen angrenzenden Maxima der Moden. Zusammenfassend ergeben sich interessante metall-organische Systeme, die minimale Absorption und niedrige Laserschwellen aufweisen und die prinzipielle Eignung zur elektrischen Kontaktierung besitzen.

The aim of this project was to produce an integrate-able free space optical transceiver for Specks. Specks are tiny computing units that together can form a powerful network called a SpeckNet. The SpeckNet platform is developed by the SpeckNet consortium, which consists of five Scottish Universities and combines computer science, electrical engineering and digital signal processing groups. The principal goal of creating an optical transceiver was achieved by integrating in-house fabricated VCSELs (with lasing thresholds below 400 uA) and custom designed detectors on the SpeckNet platform. The transceiver has a very low power consumption (approximately 100 uW), which removes the need for synchronous communication through the SpeckNet thus making the network more efficient. I describe both static and dynamic beam control techniques. For static control, I used micro-lenses. I fabricated the lenses by greyscale electron beam lithography and integrated them directly on VCSEL arrays. I achieved a steering angle of 10 degrees with this design. I also looked at integrated gratings etched straight into a VCSEL and observed beam steering with an efficiency of 60% For dynamic control, I implemented a liquid crystal (LC) design. I built a LC cell with 30 individually controlled pixels, but I only achieved a steering angle of 1 degree. Furthermore, I investigated two different techniques for achieving beam steering by interference, using coupled VCSELs (a phased array approach). Firstly, using photonic crystals etched into the surface of the VCSEL, I built coupled laser cavities. Secondly, I designed and built bow-tie type VCSELs that were optically coupled but electrically isolated. These designs work by differential current injection causing an interference effect in the VCSELs far field. This technique is the first stepping stone towards realising a phased optical array. Finally, I considered signal detection. Using the same VCSEL material, I built a resonant-cavity detector. This detector had a better background rejection ratio than commercially available silicon devices.

Ce travail de thèse porte sur l'étude expérimentale de l'auto-organisation optique transverse dans des lasers à grand nombre de Fresnel contenant un absorbant saturable. En présence de bistabilité et d'instabilité de modulation, des structures localisées apparaissent, appelées solitons de cavité. Elles résultent d'un équilibre entre diffraction et auto-focalisation dans un milieu non-linéaire. En régime laser, les systèmes évoqués plus haut peuvent ainsi émettre plusieurs faisceaux d'une dizaine de microns de diamètre seulement. Chaque faisceau constitue une structure localisée dans le plan transverse, qui peut être allumée, éteinte et déplacée à volonté. Ces travaux de thèse se divisent en deux parties principales : l'étude du régime continu et celle des régimes impulsionnels. Dans ce deuxième cas, le laser peut émettre des balles de lumière en cavité localisées à la fois dans l'espace et dans le temps. Les travaux effectués se sont axés sur la recherche et l'étude des différentes propriétés nécessaires à l'apparition de structures localisées bistables et impulsionnelles afin de les réunir. Les résultats présentés dans ce manuscrit montrent pour la première fois, dans une structure monolithique VCSEL avec absorbant saturable intégré, un processus d'écriture-effacement d'une structure localisée en régime continu. De plus, ils montrent les étapes réalisées afin de se rapprocher du même résultat dans le régime impulsionnel : un agrégat de structures localisées impulsionnelles a ainsi pu être écrit et effacé. De par la compacité des systèmes VCSEL et la reconfigurabilité des solitons de cavité, ces résultats constituent une étape supplémentaire vers la réalisation d'un traitement tout-optique de l'information.

Ce travail, consacré à la conception, la réalisation et la caractérisation de VCSEL à diaphragme d'oxyde<br />sur substrat GaAs, a pour objectif d'obtenir un composant émettant à 1.3 μm, longueur d'onde d'intérêt pour<br />les transmissions optiques haut débit et moyenne distance. Après l'introduction du contexte économique et<br />historique de l'étude, nous abordons les points clés de la conception du VCSEL : matériau actif, dopage<br />des miroirs, oxydation latérale. Nous avons fabriqué et caractérisé des VCSEL à partir de trois matériaux<br />actifs diérents : des puits quantiques d'InGaAsN/GaAs, des puits quantiques d'InGaAs/GaAs fortement<br />contraints et des boîtes quantiques d'In(Ga)As/GaAs. Leurs caractérisations électro-optiques conrment que<br />la longueur d'onde d'émission des composants réalisés est supérieure à 1270 nm et atteint 1300 nm dans le cas<br />de puits d'InGaAs très contraints. Ces lasers présentent également des courants seuil de l'ordre du milliampère<br />et des puissances optiques de quelques centaines de microwatts pour les puits quantiques d'InGaAsN et les<br />boîtes quantiques d'In(Ga)As, et jusqu'à 1.77 mW pour les puits quantiques d'InGaAs contraints. A de<br />rares exceptions près, l'émission laser devient multimode transverse lorsque l'on augmente le courant injecté.<br />En particulier, les VCSEL à puits quantiques d'InGaAs très contraints présentent un comportement modal<br />spécique avec des modes d'oxyde inattendus. L'étude de ces modes nous amène notamment à observer leur<br />répartition spatiale par microscopie en champ proche spectralement résolue. La compréhension de l'origine<br />des modes transverses dans une cavité VCSEL constitue un premier pas vers leur suppression en vue d'une<br />émission monomode compatible avec les standards des télécommunications optiques.

Ces travaux de thèse portent sur la conception, la réalisation et d'une nouvelle génération de MOEMS (Micro-Optical-Electrical-Mechanical System) pour le contrôle actif du faisceau laser émis par des matrices de VCSELs (Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Lasers). Le microsystème à base de polymères que nous avons conçu est compatible avec une intégration monolithique en post-processing. Il est composé d'une membrane suspendue associée à une microlentille réfractive. Le plan de focalisation est contrôlé dynamiquement grâce au déplacement vertical de la membrane grâce à un actionnement électrothermique. La géométrie du MOEMS a été optimisée à l'aide notamment de simulations électro-thermo-mécaniques pour minimiser l'énergie de commande et fiabiliser les dispositifs. Nous avons ensuite développé l'ensemble des briques technologiques pour la fabrication collective de ce dispositif sur des matrices de VCSELs. En particulier, une technique originale de transfert thermique doux de films secs photosensibles épais a été mise au point au moyen d'un équipement de nano-impression, pour permettre un dépôt uniforme et précis sur des substrats fragiles ou de faible taille. En outre, nous avons développé un procédé simple et totalement planaire pour la fabrication du MOEMS et optimisé un procédé de dépôt par jets d'encre pour l'intégration finale des microlentilles, avec la possibilité de choisir la distance focale la plus adaptée à la fin du process. La caractérisation des microsystèmes que nous avons réalisés a conduit à l'obtention de déplacements mécaniques de 8µm pour seulement 12.5mW appliqués, ce qui constitue une validation de nos résultats de modélisation. Enfin, des premiers résultats de focalisation dynamique du faisceau VCSELs sont présentés. / This thesis deals with the study and the fabrication of a novel type of polymer MOEMS (Micro Optical Electrical Mechanical Systems) to achieve passive or active beam shaping of Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Lasers (VCSELs). To improve the photonic integration of these compact laser sources in optical communication and detection systems (sensors, biomedical analysis), we designed a polymer-based optical microsystem that is suitable with a post-processing integration on VCSELs. Its operation principle is based on the out-of-plane displacement of a suspended SU-8 membrane including a polymer refractive microlens at its surface. Thanks to electro-thermal actuation, the vertical displacement of the membrane allows to dynamically modify the microlens-source distance and leads to a vertical shift of the laser beam waist position. MOEMS actuation power and reliability were optimized owing to a comprehensive tri-dimensional thermo-electro-mechanical model that takes into account SU-8 material properties and precise geometry of the device. Technological steps necessary for the collective fabrication of such MOEMS on VCSELs arrays were also developed. In particular, we report on a new photoresist film transfer method we developed to achieve a highly uniform fabrication of high aspect ratio MOEMS on small-sized or fragile samples such as GaAs-based VCSELs wafers. This method that we call "soft thermal printing" is based on the use of a thermal nano-imprint set-up. Moreover, a simple and planar process for MOEMS fabrication was successfully tested. A dedicated inkjet printing process for drop-on-demand deposition of the microlens on the membrane center was also developed. Finally, the fabricated MOEMS were characterized. A vertical displacement as high as 8µm was observed for only 12.5mW applied, in good agreement with our 3D modeling results and first results on 850nm VCSEL dynamic beam focusing were obtained, demonstrating the interest of our approach.

The significant advances in fiber-optic technology have broadened the optical network\'s reach into end-user business premises and even homes, allowing new services and technologies to be delivered to the customers. The next wave of innovation will certainly generate numerous opportunities provided by the widespread popularity of emerging solutions and applications such as tactile Internet, telemedicine and real time 3-D content generation, making them part of everyday life. Nevertheless, to support such an unprecedented and insatiable demand of data traffic, higher capacity and security, flexible bandwidth allocation and cost-efficiency have become crucial requirements for technologies candidate for future optical access networks. To this aim, optical code-division multiple-access (OCDMA) technology is considered as a prospective candidate, particularly due to features like asynchronous transmissions, flexible as well as conscious bandwidth resource distribution and support to differentiated services at the physical layer, to name but a few. In this context, this thesis proposes new mathematical formalisms for bit error rate, packet throughput and packet delay to assess the performance of flexible OCDMA networks capable of providing multiservice multirate transmissions according to users\' requirements. The proposed analytical formalisms do not require the knowledge a priori of the users\' code sequences, which means that the network performance can be addressed in a simple and straightforward manner using the code parameters only. In addition, the developed analytical formalisms account for a general number of distinct users\' classes as well as general probability of interference among users. Hence, these formalisms can be successfully applied for performance evaluation of flexible OCDMA networks not only under any number of users\' classes in a network, but also for most spreading codes with good correlation properties. The packet throughput expression is derived assuming Poisson, binomial and Markov chain approaches for the composite packet arrivals with the latter defined as benchmark. Then, it is shown via numerical simulation the Poisson-based expression is not appropriate for a reliable throughput estimate when compared to the benchmark (Markov) results. The binomial-based throughput equation, by its turn, provides results as accurate as the benchmark. In addition, the binomial-based throughput is numerically more convenient and computationally more efficient than the Markov chain approach, whereas the Markov-based one is computationally expensive, particularly if the number of users is large. The bit error rate (BER) expressions are derived considering gaussian and binomial distributions for the multiple-access interference and it is shown via numerical simulations that accurate performance of flexible OCDMA networks is only obtained with the binomial-based BER expression. This thesis also proposes and investigates a network architecture for Internet protocol traffic over flexible OCDMA with support to multiservice multirate transmissions, which is independent of the employed spreading code and does not require any new optical processing technology. In addition, the network performance assumes users transmitting asynchronously using receptors based on intensity-modulation direct-detection schemes. Numerical simulations shown that the proposed network performs well when its users are defined with high-weight code or when the channel utilization is low. The BER and packet throughput performance of an OCDMA network that provides multirate transmissions via multicode technique with two codes assigned to each single user is also addressed. Numerical results show that this technique outperforms classical techniques based on multilength code. Finally, this thesis addresses a new breakthrough technology that might lead to higher levels of security at the physical layer of optical networks. This technology consists in the generation of deterministic chaos from a commercial free-running vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL). The chaotic dynamics is generated by means of mechanical strains loaded onto an off-the-shelf quantum-well VCSEL using a simple and easily replicable holder. Deterministic chaos is then achieved, for the first time, without any additional complexity of optical feedback, parameter modulation or optical injection. The simplicity of the proposed system, which is based entirely on low-cost and easily available components, opens the way to the widespread use of commercial and free-running VCSEL devices for chaos-based applications. This off-the-shelf and cost-effective optical chaos generator has the potential for not only paving the way towards new security platforms in optical networks like, for example, successfully hiding the user information in an unpredictable, random-like signal against eventual eavesdroppers, but also for influencing emerging chaos applications initially limited or infeasible due to the lack of low-cost solutions. Furthermore, it leads the way to future realization of emerging applications with high-integrability and -scalability such as two-dimensional arrays of chaotic devices comprising hundreds of individual sources to increase requirements for random bit generation, cryptography or large-scale quantum networks. / Os avanços relacionados a tecnologia fotônica ampliaram o alcance das redes de comunicação óptica tanto em instalações de estabelecimentos comerciais quanto em residências, permitindo que novos serviços e tecnologias fossem entregues aos clientes. A próxima onda de inovação certamente gerará inúmeras oportunidades proporcionadas pela popularidade de soluções emergentes e aplicações como a Internet tátil, a telemedicina e a geração de conteúdo 3-D em tempo real, tornando-os parte da vida cotidiana. No entanto, para suportar a crescente demanda de tráfego atual, uma maior capacidade e segurança, alocação flexível de largura de banda e custo-eficiência tornaram-se requisitos cruciais para as tecnologias candidatas a futuras redes de acesso óptico. Para este fim, a tecnologia de acesso múltiplo por divisão de código óptico (OCDMA) é considerada um candidato em potencial, particularmente devido a características como transmissões assíncronas, distribuição flexível de banda larga e suporte a serviços diferenciados na camada física, para citar apenas alguns. Neste contexto, esta tese propõe novos formalismos matemáticos para a taxa de erro de bits, taxa de transferência de pacotes e atraso de pacotes para avaliar o desempenho de redes OCDMA flexíveis capazes de fornecer transmissões em múltiplas qualidades de serviço (QoS) de acordo com as necessidades dos usuários. Os formalismos analíticos propostos não requerem o conhecimento a priori das sequências de código dos usuários, o que significa que o desempenho da rede pode ser abordado de forma simples e direta usando apenas os parâmetros de código. Além disso, os formalismos analíticos desenvolvidos representam um número geral de classes de usuários distintos, bem como a probabilidade geral de interferência entre os usuários. Portanto, esses formalismos podem ser aplicados com sucesso na avaliação de desempenho de redes OCDMA flexíveis não apenas em qualquer número de classes de usuários em uma rede, mas também para a maioria dos códigos de espalhamento com boas propriedades de correlação. A expressão de taxa de transferência de pacotes é derivada assumindo aproximações de Poisson, binomial e de cadeia de Markov para as chegadas de pacotes compostos, com a última definida como benchmark. Em seguida, é mostrado via simulação numérica que a expressão baseada em Poisson não é apropriada para uma estimativa confiável de taxa de transferência quando comparada aos resultados de benchmark (Markov). A equação de taxa de transferência binomial, por sua vez, fornece resultados tão precisos quanto o benchmark. Além disso, a taxa de transferência binomial é numericamente mais conveniente e computacionalmente eficiente quando comparada com abordagem de Markov, enquanto esta última é computacionalmente dispendiosa, particularmente se o número de usuários é grande. As expressões de taxa de erro de bit (BER) são derivadas considerando distribuições gaussianas e binomiais para a interferência de acesso múltiplo e é mostrado por meio de simulações numéricas que o desempenho exato de redes OCDMA flexíveis é obtido somente com a expressão binomial de BER. Esta tese também propõe e investiga uma arquitetura de rede para o tráfego de protocolo de Internet sobre OCDMA flexível com suporte a transmissões de QoS e de múltiplas taxas, que é independente do código de espalhamento empregado e não requer qualquer nova tecnologia de processamento óptico. Além disso, o desempenho da rede assume que os usuários transmitem de forma assíncrona usando receptores baseados em esquemas de detecção direta de modulação de intensidade. As simulações numéricas mostraram que a rede proposta possui melhor desempenho quando seus usuários são definidos com peso de código alto ou quando a utilização do canal é baixa. O desempenho da BER e da taxa de transferência de pacotes de uma rede OCDMA que fornece transmissões de múltiplas taxas por meio de uma técnica multi-código com dois códigos atribuídos a cada usuário é também abordado. Os resultados numéricos mostram que esta técnica supera as técnicas clássicas baseadas no código de comprimento múltiplo. Finalmente, esta tese aborda uma nova tecnologia que pode levar a níveis mais elevados de segurança na camada física de redes ópticas. Esta tecnologia consiste na geração de caos determinístico a partir de um laser de emissão superficial com cavidade vertical (VCSEL). A dinâmica caótica é gerada através da aplicação de forças mecânicas em um VCSEL comercial usando um suporte simples e facilmente replicável. O caos determinístico é então alcançado, pela primeira vez, sem qualquer complexidade adicional de realimentação óptica, modulação de parâmetros ou injeção óptica. A simplicidade do sistema proposto, o qual se baseia inteiramente em componentes de baixo custo e que são facilmente encontrados, abre o caminho para o uso de dispositivos VCSEL comerciais para aplicações baseadas em caos. Este gerador de caos óptico tem o potencial não só de pavimentar o caminho para novas plataformas de segurança em redes ópticas, como, por exemplo, ocultar com êxito as informações do usuário em um sinal imprevisível e aleatório contra eventuais invasores, como também tem o potencial de influenciar aplicações de caos emergentes inicialmente limitadas ou inviáveis devido à falta de soluções de baixo custo. Além disso, ele conduz o caminho para a realização futura de aplicações emergentes com alta integridade e escalabilidade, tais como matrizes bidimensionais de dispositivos caóticos que compreendem centenas de fontes individuais para aumentar as necessidades de geração de bit aleatória, criptografia ou redes quânticas de grande escala.