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Microstructure and photonic crystal fibers with periodic as well as random refractive-index distributions are investigated. Two cases corresponding to fibers with one-dimensional (1D) radial index distributions and two-dimensional (2D) transverse index distributions are considered. For 1D geometries with an arbitrary number of cladding layers, exact analytical solutions of guided modes are obtained using a matrix approach. In this part, for random index distributions, the average transmission properties are calculated and the influence of glass/air ratio on these properties is assessed. Important transmission properties of the fundamental mode, including normalized propagation constant, chromatic dispersion, field distributions, and effective area, are evaluated. For 2D geometries, the numerical techniques, FDTD (Finite-Difference Time-Domain) method and FDM (Finite Difference Method), are utilized. First, structures with periodic index distributions are examined. The investigation is then extended to microstructure optical fibers with random index distributions. Design of 2D microstructure fibers with random air-hole distributions is undertaken with the aim of achieving single-mode guiding property and small effective area. The former is a unique feature of the holey fiber with periodic air-hole arrangement and the latter is a suitable property for nonlinear fiber devices. Measurements of holey fibers with random air-hole distributions constitute an important experimental task of this research. Using a section of a holey fiber fabricated in the draw tower facility at Virginia Tech, measurements of transmission spectra and fiber attenuation are performed. Also, test results for far-field pattern measurements are presented. Another objective of this dissertation is to explore new applications for holey fibers with random or periodic hole distributions. In the course of measuring the holey fibers, it was noticed that robust temperature-insensitive pressure sensors can be made with these fibers. This offers an opportunity for new low-cost and reliable pressure fiber-optic sensors. Incorporating gratings into holey fibers in conjunction with the possibility of dynamic tuning offers desirable characteristics with potential applications in communications and sensing. Injecting gases or liquids in holey fibers with gratings changes their transmission characteristics. These changes may be exploited in designing tunable optical filters for communication applications or making gas/liquid sensor devices. / Ph. D.

Conventional fibers are comprised of a solid glass core and solid glass cladding often protected by a thin polymer sheath. The finely tuned difference in refractive indices, for step index-fibers, is achieved by doping the core with germanium or elements with similar effects. Holey fibers (including photonic crystal fibers) comprise of a pure silica core, and a pure but porous silica cladding of air holes [1]. This provides a huge difference in the refractive indices on the cladding and core without doping. This translates into radiation resistant fibers with very low losses and very robust to high temperatures to mention a few [2]. Several successful attempts have been made for ordered holey optical fibers since the initial publication by Knight et al; random holey optical fibers, which can be just as effective, have yet to be fabricated [3]. Sol-gel processing of silicon alkoxides can be used to fabricate silica monoliths of tailored pore densities and sizes [4]; this makes the process attractive for random holey fiber preform manufacturing. Similar attempts have been made by Okazaki et al [5] to make conventional optical fibers. This paper chronicles efforts to make random holey fiber optical preforms from silica sol-gel monoliths, characterized for some structural properties. Silica monoliths can be made by hydrolysis and condensation of TEOS (tetraethylorthosilicate) or TMOS (tetramethylorthosilicate). These can be catalyzed in a single step or two-step process, aged and dried at ambient pressures and temperatures, as well as by supercritical fluid extraction of CO2. Mechanical strengthening techniques as described by Okazaki [5] have also been employed. The silica gel monoliths are characterized by helium pycnometry and scanning electron microscopy. Various shapes and densities of silica monoliths have been prepared and characterized. Some of these have also drawn into fibers to demonstrate their viability. / Master of Science

We describe the theory and implementation of a multipole method for calculating the modes of microstructured optical fibers (MOFs). We develop tools for exploiting results obtained through the multipole method, including a discrete Bloch transform. Using the multipole method, we study in detail the physical nature of solid core MOF modes, and establish a distinction between localized defect modes and extended modes. Defect modes, including the fundamental mode, can undergo a localization transition we identify with the mode�s cutoff. We study numerically and theoretically the cutoff of the fundamental and the second mode extensively, and establish a cutoff diagram enabling us to predict with accuracy MOF properties, even for exotic MOF geometries. We study MOF dispersion and loss properties and develop unconventional MOF designs with low losses and ultra-flattened near-zero dispersion on a wide wavelength range. Using the cutoff-diagram we explain properties of these MOF designs.

We describe the theory and implementation of a multipole method for calculating the modes of microstructured optical fibers (MOFs). We develop tools for exploiting results obtained through the multipole method, including a discrete Bloch transform. Using the multipole method, we study in detail the physical nature of solid core MOF modes, and establish a distinction between localized defect modes and extended modes. Defect modes, including the fundamental mode, can undergo a localization transition we identify with the mode�s cutoff. We study numerically and theoretically the cutoff of the fundamental and the second mode extensively, and establish a cutoff diagram enabling us to predict with accuracy MOF properties, even for exotic MOF geometries. We study MOF dispersion and loss properties and develop unconventional MOF designs with low losses and ultra-flattened near-zero dispersion on a wide wavelength range. Using the cutoff-diagram we explain properties of these MOF designs.

There are more connected wireless devices than everbefore and with the rise of new smart systems such as self-drivingcars and smart cities new antenna solutions for transmittingsignals are needed. One important part of these systems is thefilters which filter out all the unwanted signals. In this report,we present a solution for manufacturing such a filter with apassband from 26-29 GHz and a stopband from 29-60 GHz usinga fully metallic glide-symmetric structure. Ideas of combiningmultiple unit cell designs to achieve wider stopbands and higherattenuation are explored using dispersion engineering wherethe advantages and the disadvantages of using this method arepresented. Furthermore, ways of combining the filter to standardconnections using a coaxial cable to waveguide transition areproposed and designed. The usage of multiple unit cell designsis proven to be a solution for achieving wider stopbands withminimum coupling between modes. / Det finns fler trådlösa enheter uppkoppladeän n°agonsin tidigare och med ökningen av nya smarta systemsom självkörande bilar och smarta städer finns ett behov av nyaantennlösningar för överföring av information. En viktig del avdessa system är filtren som filtrerar bort alla oönskade signaler.I denna rapport presenterar vi en lösning för att konstrueraett sådant filter med ett passband från 26-29 GHz och ettstoppband från 29-60 GHz med en helt metallisk glidsymmetriskstruktur. Id´eer att kombinera flera enhetscellsdesigner för attuppnå bredare stoppband och högre attenuering undersöks medhjälp av dispersionsteknik, där fördelarna och nackdelarna medatt använda denna metod presenteras. Dessutom föreslås ochutformas sätt att kombinera filtret till standardanslutningar meden koaxialkabel till vågledarövergång. Användningen av fleraenhetscell designer visar sig vara en lösning för att skapa bredastoppband med minimal koppling mellan ”modes”. / Kandidatexjobb i elektroteknik 2021, KTH, Stockholm

Microstructured optical fibres (MOFs), also commonly called photonic crystal fibres or holey fibres, describe a type of optical fibre in which continuous channels of (typically) air run their entire length. These `holes' serve to both confine electromagnetic waves within the core of the fibre and to tailor its transmission properties. In order to understand and quantify both of these functions, a new computational algorithm was developed and implemented. It solves for the eigenvalues of Maxwell's wave equations in the two-dimensional waveguide cross-section, with radiating boundary conditions imposed outside the microstructure. This yields the leaky modes supported by the fibre. The boundary conditions are achieved exactly using a novel refinement scheme called the Adjustable Boundary Condition (ABC) method. Two implementations are programmed and their computational efficiencies are compared. Both use an azimuthal Fourier decomposition, but radially, a finite difference scheme is shown to be more efficient than a basis function expansion. The properties of the ABC method are then predicted theoretically using an original approach. It shows that the method is highly efficient, robust, automated and generally applicable to any implementation or to other radiating problems. A theoretical framework for the properties of modes in MOFs is also presented. It includes the use of the Bloch-Floquet theorem to provide a simpler and more efficient way to exploit microstructure symmetry. A new, but brief study of the modal birefringence properties in straight and spun fibres is also included. The theoretical and numerical tools are then applied to the study of polymer MOFs. Three types of fibres are numerically studied, fabricated and characterised. Each is of contemporary interest. Firstly, fabrication of the first MOFs with uniformly oriented elliptical holes is presented. A high degree of hole ellipticity is achieved using a simple technique relying on hole deformation during fibre draw. Both form and stress-optic birefringence are characterized over a broad scaled-wavelength range, which shows excellent agreement with numerical modelling. Secondly, an analysis of leaky modes in real air core MOFs, fabricated specifically for photonic band gap guidance, is then used to identify alternative guiding mechanisms. The supported leaky modes exhibit properties closely matching a simple hollow waveguide, weakly influenced by the surrounding microstructure. The analysis gives a quantitative determination of the wavelength dependent confinement loss of these modes and illustrates a mechanism not photonic band gap in origin by which colouration can be observed in such fibres. Finally, highly multimode MOFs (also called `air-clad' fibres) that have much wider light acceptance angles than conventional fibres are studied. An original and accurate method is presented for determining the numerical aperture of such fibres using leaky modes. The dependence on length, wavelength and various microstructure dimensions are evaluated for the first time for a class of fibres. These results show excellent agreement with published measurements on similar fibres and verify that bridge thicknesses much smaller than the wavelength are required for exceptionally high numerical apertures. The influence of multiple layers of holes on the numerical aperture and capture efficiency are then presented. It shows that a substantial increase in both these parameters can be achieved for some bridge thicknesses. Simple heuristic expressions for these quantities are given, which are based on the physical insight provided by the full numerical models. The work is then supported by the first fabrication attempts of large-core polymer MOFs with thin supporting bridges. These fibres exhibit relatively high numerical apertures and show good agreement with theoretical expectations over a very wide scaled-wavelength range.

Microstructured optical fibres (MOFs), also commonly called photonic crystal fibres or holey fibres, describe a type of optical fibre in which continuous channels of (typically) air run their entire length. These `holes' serve to both confine electromagnetic waves within the core of the fibre and to tailor its transmission properties. In order to understand and quantify both of these functions, a new computational algorithm was developed and implemented. It solves for the eigenvalues of Maxwell's wave equations in the two-dimensional waveguide cross-section, with radiating boundary conditions imposed outside the microstructure. This yields the leaky modes supported by the fibre. The boundary conditions are achieved exactly using a novel refinement scheme called the Adjustable Boundary Condition (ABC) method. Two implementations are programmed and their computational efficiencies are compared. Both use an azimuthal Fourier decomposition, but radially, a finite difference scheme is shown to be more efficient than a basis function expansion. The properties of the ABC method are then predicted theoretically using an original approach. It shows that the method is highly efficient, robust, automated and generally applicable to any implementation or to other radiating problems. A theoretical framework for the properties of modes in MOFs is also presented. It includes the use of the Bloch-Floquet theorem to provide a simpler and more efficient way to exploit microstructure symmetry. A new, but brief study of the modal birefringence properties in straight and spun fibres is also included. The theoretical and numerical tools are then applied to the study of polymer MOFs. Three types of fibres are numerically studied, fabricated and characterised. Each is of contemporary interest. Firstly, fabrication of the first MOFs with uniformly oriented elliptical holes is presented. A high degree of hole ellipticity is achieved using a simple technique relying on hole deformation during fibre draw. Both form and stress-optic birefringence are characterized over a broad scaled-wavelength range, which shows excellent agreement with numerical modelling. Secondly, an analysis of leaky modes in real air core MOFs, fabricated specifically for photonic band gap guidance, is then used to identify alternative guiding mechanisms. The supported leaky modes exhibit properties closely matching a simple hollow waveguide, weakly influenced by the surrounding microstructure. The analysis gives a quantitative determination of the wavelength dependent confinement loss of these modes and illustrates a mechanism not photonic band gap in origin by which colouration can be observed in such fibres. Finally, highly multimode MOFs (also called `air-clad' fibres) that have much wider light acceptance angles than conventional fibres are studied. An original and accurate method is presented for determining the numerical aperture of such fibres using leaky modes. The dependence on length, wavelength and various microstructure dimensions are evaluated for the first time for a class of fibres. These results show excellent agreement with published measurements on similar fibres and verify that bridge thicknesses much smaller than the wavelength are required for exceptionally high numerical apertures. The influence of multiple layers of holes on the numerical aperture and capture efficiency are then presented. It shows that a substantial increase in both these parameters can be achieved for some bridge thicknesses. Simple heuristic expressions for these quantities are given, which are based on the physical insight provided by the full numerical models. The work is then supported by the first fabrication attempts of large-core polymer MOFs with thin supporting bridges. These fibres exhibit relatively high numerical apertures and show good agreement with theoretical expectations over a very wide scaled-wavelength range.

Water drops that nucleate and grow over an evaporating polymer solution exposed to a current of moist air remain noncoalescent and self-assemble into close packed arrays. The hexagonally close packed, nearly monodisperse drops, eventually evaporate away, leaving a polymer film, with ordered array of pores. Meanwhile, typical breath figures or dew that form when moist air contacts cold surfaces involve coalescence-assisted growth of highly polydisperse, disordered array of water drops. This dissertation provides the first quantitative attempt aimed at the elucidation of the mechanism of the breath figure templated assembly of the ordered arrays of pores in polymer films. The creation and evolution of a population of close packed drops occur in response to the heat and mass fluxes involved in water droplet condensation and solvent evaporation. The dynamics of drop nucleation, growth, noncoalescence and self-assembly are modeled by accounting for various transport and thermodynamic processes. The theoretical results for the rate and extent of evaporative cooling and growth are compared with experiments. Further, the dissertation describes a rich array of experimental observations about water droplet growth, noncoalescence, assembly and drying that have not been reported in the published literature so far. The theoretical framework developed in this study allows one to rationalize and predict the structure and size of pores formed in different polymer-solvent systems under given air flow conditions. While the ordered arrays of water drops present an example of dynamics, growth and assembly of spherical particles, the study on colloidal gold nanorods focuses on the behavior of rodlike particles. A comprehensive set of theoretical arguments based on the shape dependent hydrodynamics of rods were developed and used for centrifugation-assisted separation of rodlike particles from nanospheres that are typical byproducts of seed mediated growth of nanorods. Since the efficiency of shape separation is assessed using UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), the present dissertation elucidates the shape dependent parameters that affect the optical response and phase behavior of colloidal gold nanorods. The drying of a drop of colloidal gold nanorods on glass slides creates coffee ring like deposits near the contact line, which is preceded by the formation of a liquid crystalline phase. The assemblies of rods on TEM grids are shown to be the result of equilibrium and non-equilibrium processes, and the ordered phases are compared with two dimensional liquid crystals. The methodology of pattern characterization developed in this dissertation is then used to analyze the structure of the exocuticle of iridescent beetle Chrysina gloriosa. The patterns were characterized using Voronoi analysis and the effect of curvature on the fractions on hexagonal order of tiles was determined. Further, these patterns were found to be analogous to the focal conic domains formed spontaneously on the free surface of a cholesteric liquid crystal. In summary, the dissertation provides the crucial understanding required for the widespread use of breath figure templated assembly as a method for manufacturing porous films, that requires only a drop of polymer solution (dilute) and a whiff of breath! Further, the dissertation establishes the physical basis and methodology for separating and characterizing colloidal gold nanorods. The dissertation also suggests the basis for the formation and structure of tiles that decorate the exoskeleton of an iridescent beetle Chrysina gloriosa.

Les antennes multifaisceaux (AMFs) sont cruciales pour les applications de télécommunications par satellite modernes et futures, civiles et militaires. La partie basse du spectre électromagnétique est saturée alors que de larges bandes de fréquences sont disponibles dans la bande Ka, dans laquelle des missions à très-haut débit ont émergées au cours de la dernière décennie. La tendance consiste à réduire la taille des spots pour les couvertures multi-spots afin de diminuer le prix des satellites. Ainsi des antennes d’ouverture de plus en plus grande électriquement sont requises, induisant des ruptures technologiques majeures. Les lentilles de Luneburg insérées dans un guide d’ondes à plans parallèles (GOPP) deux plaques métalliques parallèles (PMPs) sont des solutions attractives pour illuminer les AMFs, puisqu’elles peuvent aboutir à des formateurs de faisceaux de bande et champ de visée larges, pertes et coûts faibles, et simples à concevoir, réaliser et intégrer. Les travaux de cette thèse portent sur le développement de nouvelles méthodes d’implémentation et sur la conception de AMFs à base de lentille de Luneburg. La réalisation de la lentille de Luneburg est connue pour être un défi technologique majeur. Un état de l’art des méthodes de réalisation est fourni. Ensuite, deux nouvelles méthodes sont proposées, ainsi qu’une méthode et des outils de conception. La première méthode de réalisation consiste en une matrice périodique et régulière de plots métalliques de taille inférieure à la longueur d’onde, et où la séparation du GOPP varie. La hauteur des plots et la séparation du GOPP contrôlent la valeur de l’indice de réfraction équivalente. L’antenne à 9 faisceaux tout métal conçue, fabriquée et mesurée, comporte 8314 plots et présente d’excellentes performances, notamment meilleures que sa version à séparation de plaques constante. La seconde méthode de réalisation consiste en une matrice périodique et régulière de trous circulaires de taille inférieure à la longueur d’onde réalisés sur un des deux revêtements cuivrés d’un substrat diélectrique plus une plaque métallique supérieure séparée du plan des trous par une couche d’air d’épaisseur fixe. L’antenne à 5 faisceaux conçue comporte 2696 trous et présente de très bonnes performances comparés à ces semblables dans la littérature. / Multi-beam antennas (MBAs) are crucial to modern and future, civilian and military satellite telecommunications applications. The low part of the electromagnetic spectrum is congested, while wide band of frequencies are available in the Ka-band, in which broadband missions have emerged in the last decade. The trend is reducing the size of spots in multi-beam coverage to reduce the cost of satellites, hence more electrically large antennas are needed, with major technological breakthrough as a consequence. Luneburg lenses in parallel-plate waveguide (PPW) are attractive solutions to excite MBAs, since they could lead to wide band and field-of-view, low loss and cost, easy to design, manufacture and accommodate Beam Forming Networks. This PhD deals with the development of novel implementations and the design of broadband, low loss and wide field-of-view Luneburg lens based MBAs. The implementation of the Luneburg lens is known as a major technological challenge. A state-of-the art of the implementation techniques is presented. Then two novel implementations of Luneburg lens in PPW environment are proposed, like design method, process and tools. The first implementation consists of a periodic and regular array of subwavelength vertical metal posts, where the PPW spacing is variable. The post height and PPW spacing modulate the equivalent refractive index. The all-metal 9-beams antenna designed, manufactured and measured, has 8314 posts and shows excellent performances, better than the traditional constant PPW spacing version. The second implementation consists of periodic and regular array of subwavelength circular holes etched on the copper cladding of a dielectric substrate with an air gap between the holes plane and the PPW top plate. The radius of the holes control the equivalent index. The 5-beams antenna designed has 2696 holes and shows very good performances as compared to similar devices in literature.