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Eine grundlegende Schwierigkeit in der Röntgenoptik liegt in der Bereitstellung geeigneter Optiken. So ist aufgrund der schwachen Wechselwirkung der Röntgenstrahlung mit Materie der Einsatz brechender Optiken nicht sinnvoll, und es wird auf alternative Konzepte wie Röntgenwellenleiter zurückgegriffen. Röntgenwellenleiter sind nicht-dispersive strahlführende Optiken, welche die Kohärenz der Röntgenstrahlung filtern und als quasi-Punktquellen fungieren. Hierbei wird der Röntgenstrahl in einer oder zwei Dimensionen räumlich beschränkt, wobei der Wellenlängenbereich der Röntgenstrahlung eine Abmessung im sub-100 nm-Bereich erfordert. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wurde ein Verfahren etabliert, mit welchem die Herstellung von Wellenleiterkanälen im sub-50 nm-Bereich in Silizium gelingt. Die Prozessierung basiert hierbei auf einem Schema aus elektronenstrahllithographischer Belichtung, Reaktivem Ionenätzen und Wafer bonding. Das Verfahren ist variabel in Bezug auf verschiedene Wellenleitergeometrien, beispielsweise gekreuzte Wellenleiter und Kanalwellenleiter, ist auf alternative Materialien übertragbar, und erlaubt die Strahlführung auf in einer Dimension gekrümmten Pfaden. Die im Rahmen der vorliegenden Arbeit hergestellten Wellenleiter wurden erfolgreich an verschiedenen Synchrotron-Messplätzen eingesetzt und ihre Fernfelder charakterisiert, und der kohärente Wellenleiterstrahl wurde in der Röntgenmikroskopie und der holographischen Bildgebung eingesetzt. Es finden sich sowohl für die Quellgröße der Wellenleiter als auch für die Auflösung in der Bildgebung Werte im sub-50 nm-Bereich.

Bragg reflection waveguides (BRW) or one-dimensional photonic bandgap structures have been demonstrated for phase-matching chi(2) nonlinearities in AlxGa1-xAs. The method exploits strong modal dispersion of a Bragg mode and total internal reflection modes co-propagating inside the waveguide. It is shown that phase-matching is attained among the lowest order modes of interacting harmonics, which allows maximizing the utilization of harmonics powers for nonlinear interactions. As our first demonstration, we report second-harmonic generation (SHG) of a 2-ps telecommunication pump in a 2.4 mm long slab BRW. The conversion efficiency is estimated as 2.0 %/W.cm^2 with a generated SH power of 729 nW. This efficiency has been considerably improved by introducing lateral confinement of optical modes in ridge structures. Characterizations denote that efficiency of SHG in ridge BRWs can increase by over an order of magnitude in comparison to that of the slab device. Also, we report continuous-wave SHG in BRWs. Using a telecommunication pump with a power of 98 mW, the continuous-wave SH power of 23 nW is measured in a 2.0 mm long device. Significant enhancements of chi(2) interactions is obtained in the modified design of matching-layer enhanced BRW (ML-BRW). For the first time, we report type-II SHG in ML-BRW, where the second-harmonic power of 60 µW is measured for a pump power of 3.3 mW in a 2.2 mm long sample. Also, we demonstrate the existence of type-0 SHG, where both pump and SH signal have an identical TM polarization state. It is shown that the efficiency of the type-0 process is comparable to type-I and type-II processes with the phase-matching wavelengths of all three interactions lying within a spectral window as small as 17 nm. ML-BRW is further reported for sum-frequency and difference-frequency generations. For applications requiring high pump power, a generalized ML-BRW design is proposed and demonstrated. The proposed structure offsets the destructive effects of third-order nonlinearities on chi(2) processes when high power harmonics are involved. This is carried out through incorporation of larger bandgap materials by using high aluminum content AlxGa1-xAs layers without undermining the nonlinear conversion efficiency. Theoretical investigations of BRWs as integrated sources of photon-pairs with frequency correlation properties are discussed. It is shown that the versatile dispersion properties in BRWs enables generation of telecommunication anti-correlated photon-pairs with bandwidth tunablity between 1 nm and 450 nm.

Bragg reflection waveguides (BRW) or one-dimensional photonic bandgap structures have been demonstrated for phase-matching chi(2) nonlinearities in AlxGa1-xAs. The method exploits strong modal dispersion of a Bragg mode and total internal reflection modes co-propagating inside the waveguide. It is shown that phase-matching is attained among the lowest order modes of interacting harmonics, which allows maximizing the utilization of harmonics powers for nonlinear interactions. As our first demonstration, we report second-harmonic generation (SHG) of a 2-ps telecommunication pump in a 2.4 mm long slab BRW. The conversion efficiency is estimated as 2.0 %/W.cm^2 with a generated SH power of 729 nW. This efficiency has been considerably improved by introducing lateral confinement of optical modes in ridge structures. Characterizations denote that efficiency of SHG in ridge BRWs can increase by over an order of magnitude in comparison to that of the slab device. Also, we report continuous-wave SHG in BRWs. Using a telecommunication pump with a power of 98 mW, the continuous-wave SH power of 23 nW is measured in a 2.0 mm long device. Significant enhancements of chi(2) interactions is obtained in the modified design of matching-layer enhanced BRW (ML-BRW). For the first time, we report type-II SHG in ML-BRW, where the second-harmonic power of 60 µW is measured for a pump power of 3.3 mW in a 2.2 mm long sample. Also, we demonstrate the existence of type-0 SHG, where both pump and SH signal have an identical TM polarization state. It is shown that the efficiency of the type-0 process is comparable to type-I and type-II processes with the phase-matching wavelengths of all three interactions lying within a spectral window as small as 17 nm. ML-BRW is further reported for sum-frequency and difference-frequency generations. For applications requiring high pump power, a generalized ML-BRW design is proposed and demonstrated. The proposed structure offsets the destructive effects of third-order nonlinearities on chi(2) processes when high power harmonics are involved. This is carried out through incorporation of larger bandgap materials by using high aluminum content AlxGa1-xAs layers without undermining the nonlinear conversion efficiency. Theoretical investigations of BRWs as integrated sources of photon-pairs with frequency correlation properties are discussed. It is shown that the versatile dispersion properties in BRWs enables generation of telecommunication anti-correlated photon-pairs with bandwidth tunablity between 1 nm and 450 nm.

L ’intérêt des nano-particules pour le domaine de l ’optique visible a été suscité lors du premier rapport rédigé par Faraday en 1857 et qui a initié les bases de la production de nanoparticules métalliques en vue de leur propriété optiques inattendues (coloration des solutions). Plus récemment, le contrôle et le guidage de la lumière basés sur l’excitation de résonance plasmon dans les nanostructures a permis beaucoup d’applications liées à la vie quotidienne et impliquant la lumière. La résonance plasmonique de structures métalliques estun phénomène essentiel qui conduit à des propriétés optiques uniques à travers l’interaction de la lumière avecles électrons libres du métal. L’excitation de la résonance plasmon localisé (LSPR) permet d’exalter localement l’énergie électromagnétique comme dans le cas des nano-antennes mais aussi d’acheminer la lumière à travers des canaux de dimensions sub-l sur de grandes distances distances grâce à l’excitation du Plasmonde Surface Propagatif (PSP). Au cours de cette thèse, nous avons étendu un algorithme existant afin de calculer la réponse optique (sections efficaces de diffusion et d’absorption) de NPs ayant une forme géométrie quelconque. Ce type de NP anisotrope (vis-à-vis de la polarisation incidente) peut présenter à la résonance plasmonique une section efficace de diffusion 25 fois supérieure à celle géométrique. De plus, une étude systématique importante a été effectuée afin d’optimiser la géométrie de tels Nps.En ce qui concerne la PSP qui est impliqué dans la transmission exaltée à travers les matrices d’ouvertures annulaires AAA, nous avons entrepris une étude systématique des propriétés de l’excitation du mode particul particulier sans coupure de ces nano - guides. Il s’agit du mode Transverse Electrique et Magnétique (TEM). Une étude numérique complète est alors effectuée pour correctement concevoir la structure avant qu’elle ne soit expérimentalement fabriquée et caractérisée. Pour palier certaines contraintes expérimentale, une structure inclinée est proposée et étudiée dans le cas d’un métal parfaitement conducteur. Nous avons démontrée numériquement et analytiquement certaines propriétés intrinsèques de la structure montrant un coefficient de d’au moins 50% d’un faisceau incident non polarisé indépendamment des conditions d’éclairage (polarisation,angle et plan d’incidence). Lorsque le mode TEM est excité, le flux laminaire de l’énergie à travers la structure présente une déviation géante sur de très petites distances inférieures à la longueur d’onde. Les résultats présentés dans cette thèse pourraient être considérés comme une contribution importante à la compréhension du phénomène de transmission exaltée basé sur l’excitation de ce type de mode guidé. / The release of the rst report by Faraday in 1857 set the foundation of the production of metal nanoparticlesand their unexpected optical properties (coloring). More recently, controlling and guiding light via plasmonicresonance in nanostructures enable a lot of applications affecting everyday life that involves light. Plasmonresonance of metallic structures is a key phenomenon that allows unique optical properties through the interactionof light with the free electrons of the metal. The excitation of Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance(LSPR) leads to turn-on large local enhancements of electromagnetic energy as within antennas or to routelight as waveguide to desired region with high transmission through the excitation of Propagating SurfacePlasmon (PSP). During this thesis, we have developed an existing algorithm in order to calculate the opticalresponse of NPs of any shape. We have especially determined the localized energy enhancement factor interm of optical response of nano-antenna. This anisotropic (polarization dependent) NPs type can feature, atplasmon resonance, scattering efciency factor higher than 25. Moreover, an important systematic study hasbeen performed in order to optimize design of such NPs.Concerning the PSP that are involved in the enhanced transmission through Annular Aperture Arrays (AAAs),we systematically study the properties of the excitation of the peculiar Transverse ElectroMagnetic (TEM) guidedmode inside such nano-apertures. A complete numerical study is performed to correctly design the structurebefore it is experimentally characterized. For reasons associated to fabrication constraints and efciency,a slanted AAA made in perfectly conducting metal is proposed and studied. We numerically and analyticallydemonstrate some intrinsic properties of the structure showing a transmission coefcient of at least 50%ofan un-polarized incident beam independently of the illumination configuration (polarization, angle, and planeof incidence). At the TEM peak transmission, the laminar flow of the energy through the structure can exhibitgiant deviation over very small distances ( ). The results presented in this thesis could be considered as animportant contribution to the understanding of the enhanced transmission phenomenon based on the excitationof guided modes

L’objectif de ces travaux est le développement en technologie intégrée standard d’une topologiede ligne de propagation optimisée en termes de pertes, d’encombrement et de facteur de qualitéaux fréquences millimétriques. Cette topologie nommée S-CPW (Shielded CoPlanarWaveguide) utilise le phénomène d’ondes lentes afin de miniaturiser longitudinalement la ligned’un facteur compris entre 1,3 et 3,2 par rapport à des topologies classiques. Disposantégalement de faibles pertes, les lignes développées présentent un facteur de qualité élevé parfoissupérieur à 40, à 60 GHz. A partir de l’étude du champ électromagnétique dans la structure, unmodèle électrique a été développé. C’est le premier modèle dans la littérature prenant en compteles pertes dans ce type de guide d’onde. Plusieurs dispositifs passifs intégrés réalisés avec deslignes S-CPW dans différentes technologies CMOS ont été caractérisés jusqu’à 110GHz. Lacompacité et les faibles pertes d’insertion obtenues pour la mesure de filtres à stubs et dediviseurs de puissance permettent de réussir l’intégration de circuits passifs compacts entechnologie microélectronique CMOS standard aux fréquences millimétriques. / This work focuses on high-performance S-CPW (Shielded CoPlanar Waveguide) transmissionlines in classical CMOS integrated technologies for the millimeter-wave frequency band.Thanks to an important slow-wave phenomenon, the physical length of S-CPW decreases by afactor from 1.3 to 3.2 compared with classical transmission lines. Presenting also lowattenuation loss, the developed transmission lines show very high quality factor (higher than 40at 60 GHz). The precise study of the electromagnetism field leads to an electrical model forS-CPWs. This is the first model that takes the losses in this topology into account. Then, somebasic passive circuits designed with S-CPWs and characterized up to 110 GHz are presented invarious CMOS technologies. The low insertion losses and relative low surfaces of a powerdivider and a passband filter show the great interest of S-CPW to integrate compact passivecircuits in classical CMOS technologies at millimeter-wave frequencies.

In this work we investigate how to control the optical and mechanical properties of photonic materials. Firstly we investigated the highly efficient 480 and 800 nm upconversion emissions from Tm3+/Yb3+ co-doped water-free low silica calcium aluminosilicate and tellurite glasses under resonant (976 nm) and anti-Stokes (1064 nm) excitations. As a result of these efficient upconversion processes, luminescent switches with the pump intensity and temperature (the latter under anti-Stokes excitation) have been observed. These switches were explained and discussed using rate equations analysis and saturation effects. Fitting the experimental data point provided the value of the energy transfer parameter related to the 2F5/2, 3H4->2F7/2, 1G4 transition. This switching mechanism could be used in the development of sensors and networks for optical processing and optical communications. Following the study of optical control of mechanical and optical proprieties, we investigated how to use femtosecond laser to write waveguides in Nd3+ doped YAG ceramics by multiple inscriptions of filaments, and if they are resistant to annealing temperatures. We studied two types of structures: “double-filament” and “square-filament” in Nd:YAG samples. We also reported, for the first time to our knowledge, on the fabrication of channel-buried optical waveguides in a Nd:YVO4 crystal by femtosecond laser inscription showing both TM and TE confinements. The optical waveguides obtained in this material emerge as promising candidates for highly efficient self-Raman integrated laser sources. And finalizing, we show the improvement of ultrafast laser written optical waveguides in Yb:YAG ceramics by tailoring the presence of heat accumulation effects. We showed how laser annealing can strongly reduce the concentration of defects and also reduce compressive estresse, leading to an effective 50% reduction in the propagation losses and to more extended and symmetric propagation modes. Micro-luminescence and micro-Raman imaging experiments have been carried out to elucidate the potential application of the obtained waveguides as integrated laser sources as well as to elucidate the waveguiding mechanisms. / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Neste trabalho investigamos como controlar as propriedades ópticas e mecânicas de materiais fotônicos. Primeiramente investigamos as emissões por conversão ascendente de energia (CAE) em 480 e 800 nm altamente eficientes de vidros LSCAS (Low Silica Calcium Aluminosilicate) e TL (telurito) co-dopados com Yb3+/Tm3+ sob excitações ressonante (976 nm) e anti-Stokes (1064 nm). Como resultados desses processos eficientes de CAE, foram obtidos switches de luminescência com a intensidade de excitação e a temperatura (este último sob excitação anti-Stokes). Estes switches foram explicados e discutidos usando análises com equações de taxas e efeitos de saturação. Ajustes dos dados experimentais forneceram o valor do parâmetro de transferência de energia associado à transição 2F5/2, 3H4->2F7/2, 1G4. Este mecanismo de switching pode ser usado no desenvolvimento de sensores e redes para processamento óptico e comunicação óptica. Continuando o estudo de controle de propriedades ópticas e mecânicas, investigamos como é possível usar laser de femtosegundo para fabricar guias de ondas em cerâmica de YAG dopada com Nd3+ por meio da inscrição de filamentos, e se eles são resistentes a temperaturas de annealing altas. Estudamos dois tipos de estruturas na amostra de Nd:YAG: “filamento-duplo” e “filamento-quadrado”. Apresentamos também, pela primeira vez para nosso conhecimento, a fabricação de guias de ondas usando inscrição direta com laser de femtosegundo em amostra cristalina de Nd:YVO4, nas quais mostramos confinamentos de ambos os modos TM e TE. Os guias de ondas ópticos obtidos nesse material surgem como candidatos promissores para a fabricação de lasers de auto-Raman integrados com alta eficiência. Por fim, mostramos o aperfeiçoamento de guia de ondas fabricado com lasers de femtosegundos em cerâmica de Yb:YAG controlando a presença de defeitos por meio da acumulação de calor. Mostramos como annealing térmico produzido pelo laser pode fortemente reduzir a concentração de defeitos e o estresse compressivo da rede, resultando numa redução efetiva de 50% das perdas na propagação e modos mais estendidos e simétricos. Experimentos de micro-luminescência e micro-Raman foram utilizados para elucidar a aplicação potencial dos guias de ondas obtidos, como fontes lasers integradas bem como para possibilitar o entendimento das mudanças ocorridas nos guias de ondas.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-26T13:35:14Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 745150 bytes, checksum: 65d875b3f6e0f0b2ab1416fbad20e76b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-02-11 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Planck energy scale is still far beyond current possibilities. A question of interest is whether the Lorentz symmetry remains valid at these extremely high energies, whose answer certainly would be useful whenever building grand unified theories, in which general relativity is consistently accommodated. Here, we study a reminiscent of this possible symmetry violation, incorporated in the body of the so-called Standard Model Extension (SME). More precisely, we deal with the pure (Abelian) gauge sector, so that we have a modified classical electromagnetism in (3+1) dimensions, whose Lagrangian include a term proportional to a (constant) background tensorial object that breaks the Lorentz symmetry (active Lorentz frame of particle transformation, more precisely in the other hand, particle transformation), but respecting CPT. Our attention is devoted to the wave-like solutions constrained to propagate inside waveguides. We studied basically, a waveguide of rectangular shape, which in usual case admits transverse electric (TE) and transverse magnetic (TM) modes. We obtained the partial differential equations which describe the axial components of the electric and magnetic fields in the waveguide. In a coaxial transmission line, which admits transverse electromagnetic modes (TEM), our results indicate that Lorentz- breaking implies in modifications of these modes and small corrections of the standard results which are proportional to the very small violating parameters, could be largely enhanced by diminishing the size of the confined media. Perhaps, such an extra feature combined with the usual boundary conditions could lead us to large effects of this violation, somewhat similar to those predicted for CPT- and Lorentz-odd electromagnetic waves constrained to propagate along a hollow conductor waveguide. / A escala de Planck, um regime de altíssimas energias, constitui-se um domínio ainda muito distante da tecnologia nos dias de hoje. Uma questão de interesse é saber se a simetria de Lorentz continua válida nesta escala de energia. Tal investigação pode ajudar na construção de novas teorias que buscam unificar Gravitação (Relatividade Geral) e Mecânica Quântica via Teoria de Cordas, por exemplo. Assim sendo, temos como reminiscente de tal modelo unificado, o Modelo Padrão Estendido (MPE), que é uma extensão da estrutura de calibre usual SU(3) SU(2) U(1), que incorpora os termos que quebram a simetria de Lorentz. Neste trabalho estudamos o setor de radiação do MPE em (3+1)D. Em sua lagrangiana que essencialmente possui um termo adicional ao usual, de Maxwell; tal termo é proporcional a um objeto tipo tensorial (constante) que quebra a simetria de Lorentz (somente sob transformação ativa de Lorentz, também chamada transformação de partícula), mas é par sob a transformação CPT. Analisamos e interpretamos as consequências físicas desta quebra nas equações de Maxwell modificadas do modelo. Aplicamos estas equações a dois tipos particulares de confinamento de ondas eletromagnéticas, a saber: guia de onda retangular e guia de onda tipo cabo coaxial. No guia retangular obtemos equações para um submodelo que descrevem as componentes axiais das ondas eletromagnéticas que se propagam neste tipo de geometria estudando as possibilidades de haver modos transverso elétrico e vii transverso magnético. No guia tipo cabo coaxial estudamos o modo transverso eletromagnético e verificamos que as dimensões do guia podem alargar os efeitos da quebra de modo a facilitar possíveis medidas em laboratório. Buscamos verificar quais implicações físicas um modelo em questão pode trazer a aplicações envolvendo condições de contorno. Comparamos os casos conhecidos na literatura com a presente proposta.

Femtosecond laser has been an essential tool for nonlinear optics and materials processing at micrometer scale, in which chalcogenide and heavy metal oxide glasses have received special attention not only for their high third-order optical nonlinearities but also due to their transparency up to the infrared regions. Although metallic nanoparticles are expected to improve the optical properties of glasses, there are no enough experimental researches about their influence on the nonlinear refractive index (n2) and nonlinear absorption coefficient (&#946), moreover at femtosecond regime. Based on the scientific and technological interests on highly nonlinear glasses, the goal of this thesis was to apply femtosecond laser pulses in two main domains: (i) at the basis of fundamental science, to study the effect of metallic nanoparticles in the third-order nonlinear optical properties of glasses; and (ii) at the field of applied science, aiming the development of photonic devices, performed by the fabrication of 3D optical waveguides containing metallic nanoparticles. This aim was achieved through the techniques of z-scan and femtosecond laser micromachining, which provided the nonlinear optical characterization and waveguides development, respectively. First, we analyzed the third-order nonlinear optical properties of the GeO2-Bi2O3 glass containing gold nanoparticles, which promoted saturation of the absorption in the region of the surface plasmon resonance band. On the other hand, these gold nanoparticles did not affect the n2 that kept constant in the wavelength range of 480 - 1500 nm. The same features were investigated for a Pb2P2O7-WO3 matrix doped with copper nanoparticles. In contrast to the gold doped ones, these samples showed a slight enhancement of the nonlinear refractive index when the energy of the excitation approaches the surface plasmon band. We also found out that the Pb2P2O7-WO3 matrix is a good host to grow silver nanoparticles by fs-laser micromachining. Similarly, copper nanoparticles were produced in a borosilicate glass using single-step laser processing. The explanation for metallic nanoparticle formation is addressed in this thesis, as well as, its application in waveguides. Thus, we demonstrated the functionality of optical waveguides containing Cu0 or Ag0 nanoparticles. Still based on the technological interests on glasses doped with nanoparticles, we showed a single-step synthesis of silver sulfide nanoparticles in chalcogenide glass, which was carried in partnership with researches at Princeton University. The materials investigated in this PhD work are of great importance for photonics, in which the synthesis of nanoparticles, fabrication of waveguides and nonlinear optical characterization have been performed. / O laser de femtossegundos tem sido uma ferramenta essencial tanto para a óptica não-linear quanto para o processamento de materiais na escala micrométrica, na qual os vidros calcogenetos e óxidos de metais pesados têm recebido atenção especial, não apenas pelas suas elevadas não-linearidades ópticas de terceira ordem, mas também devido à sua transparência até o infravermelho. Embora seja esperado que nanopartículas metálicas melhorem as propriedades ópticas dos vidros, não existe investigações experimentais suficientes sobre a sua influência no índice de refração não linear (n2) e no coeficiente de absorção linear (&#946), sobretudo no regime de femtossegundos. Com base nos interesses científicos e tecnológicos de vidros altamente não-lineares, o objetivo deste trabalho foi aplicar pulsos laser de femtossegundos em dois domínios principais: (i) na campo da ciência fundamental, para estudar o efeito de nanopartículas metálicas nas propriedades ópticas não lineares de terceira ordem destes materiais; e (ii) no domínio da ciência aplicada, visando o desenvolvimento de dispositivos fotônicos, realizado pelo fabricação de guias de onda tridimensionais contendo nanopartículas metálicas. Este objetivo foi alcançado através das técnicas de varredura-z e microfabricação com laser de femtossegundos, que proporcionaram a caracterização óptica não-linear e o desenvolvimento de guias de onda, respectivamente. Primeiramente, foram investigadas as propriedades ópticas não-lineares de terceira ordem do vidro GeO2-Bi2O3 contendo nanopartículas de ouro, as quais promoveram saturação da absorção na região da banda de ressonância de plásmon. Por outro lado, essas nanopartículas não afetaram o n2, que se manteve constante no intervalo de comprimento de onda 480 - 1500 nm. As mesmas características foram investigadas para uma matriz Pb2P2O7-WO3 dopada com nanopartículas de cobre. Em contraste com os vidros dopados com ouro, estas amostras apresentaram um ligeiro aumento do índice de refração não linear quando a energia de excitação está próxima da banda de ressonância de plásmon. Observou-se ainda que a matriz Pb2P2O7-WO3 é ideal para a obtenção de nanopartículas de prata através da microfabricação com laser de femtossegundos. Similarmente, nanopartículas de cobre foram produzidas em vidro de borosilicato usando somente uma varredura a laser. A explicação para a formação de nanopartículas metálicas é abordada nesta tese, bem como sua aplicação em guias de onda. Deste modo, demonstrou-se a funcionalidade de guias de onda ópticos compostos por nanopartículas de Cu0 e Ag0. Ainda com base nos interesses tecnológicos em vidros dopados com nanopartículas, demonstrou-se uma síntese de nanopartículas de sulfeto de prata em vidro calcogeneto usando o processamento de única etapa, realizada em parceria com pesquisadores da Universidade de Princeton. Os materiais investigados neste trabalho de doutorado são de grande importância para aplicações em fotônica, em que a síntese de nanopartículas, a fabricação de guias de onda e a caracterização óptica não-linear foram realizadas.

O incessante aumento do volume de informações produzido por uma sociedade cada vez mais informatizada tem elevado drasticamente os requisitos quanto ao desenvolvimento de dispositivos capazes de suportar velocidades de operação cada vez mais elevadas em tamanhos cada vez mais reduzidos. No entanto, a contínua redução do tamanho desses dispositivos, celebrado através da lei de Moore, também produz um indesejável aumento na produção de calor durante a operação dos mesmos, comprometendo seu desempenho global. Uma alternativa promissora para aliviar, ou mesmo superar, estas limitações é oferecida pelos dispositivos ópticos integrados. No entanto, todo esse avanço esbarrava no fato de que as dimensões de tais dispositivos estavam restringidas fundamentalmente ao que é largamente conhecido como limite de difração (LD). Uma maneira de contornar essa limitação é obtida através da utilização de Plásmon Poláritons de Superfície, ou SPPs, que, de maneira simplificada, são ondas que se propagam ao longo da superfície de um condutor depositado sobre um dielétrico. Estas são essencialmente ondas de luz que são localizadas na superfície por causa de sua interação com os elétrons livres do condutor. Nesta interação, os elétrons livres respondem coletivamente oscilando em ressonância com a onda de luz. No presente trabalho, o fenômeno de geração de SPPs é estudado teoricamente e aplicado na modelagem de diversas estruturas de interesse científico e tecnológico, tais como acopladores direcionais e ressoadores. O objetivo principal é a obtenção de estruturas capazes de proporcionar propagação de SPPs por longas distâncias, permitindo, assim, estender ainda mais o leque de possíveis aplicações. As estruturas são investigadas prioritariamente no COMSOL Multiphysics, um aplicativo baseado em elementos finitos que permite solução vetorial de problemas eletromagnéticos. Os resultados obtidos até o momento permitem afirmar que o conceito de SPP de longa distância (long range SPP, LRSPP) podem ser aplicados com sucesso a estruturas geometricamente complexas como os ressoadores em anel e acopladores direcionais. / The continuous growth of knowledge produced by a society with increasing access to information technologies has demanded the development of communication devices capable of supporting high processing speeds at more and more reduced sizes. Nevertheless, the continuous reduction of the size of these devices, celebrated by the Moore\'s law, has also produced an undesirable increase of heat produced during the operation of the device itself, compromising its overall performance. A promising alternative to alleviate, or even overcome, these limitations has been offered by photonic integrated circuits. However, all the advance of photonic devices was restricted to what is known as diffraction limit. A fascinating way of circumventing this limit is now available to the scientific community, and consists in the generation of Surface Plasmon Polariton (SPP) waves. In a simplified manner, SPP waves are waves that propagate along a metal/dielectric interface. These waves are essentially localized at the metal/dielectric interface because of the interaction of light with free electrons of the metal. In this interaction, the free electrons respond collectively and oscillate resonantly with the incident light. In the present work, the phenomenon of SPP generation is theoretically investigated and applied to the modeling of several structures, such as directional couplers and resonators. The primary goal of this work is to design structures capable propagating SPP waves for long distances, known as long range SPP (LRSPP). The structures are investigated mostly with COMSOL Multiphysics, a finite elements based software that allows for the vectorial solution of electromagnetic problems. The results obtained so far are extremely encouraging, and prove that the LRSPP concept can be successfully applied to geometrically complex structures, such as couplers and ring resonators.