Os micro-ressonadores que suportam whispering gallery modes têm atraído a atenção da comunidade científica devido a sua grande capacidade de confinar a luz, propriedade que faz dessas estruturas plataformas ideais para o desenvolvimento de pesquisa fundamental como interação da radiação com a matéria e óptica não linear. Além disso, suas características como operação em frequências do visível e de telecomunicações, facilidade de integração e alta sensitividade os tornam extremamente flexíveis para aplicações que vão desde filtros ópticos até sensores. Neste trabalho, demonstramos a fabricação de tais micro-ressonadores via fotopolimerização por absorção de dois fótons (FA2F). Esta técnica apresenta uma série de vantagens para a confecção de micro-dispositivos, sendo elas a capacidade de resolução inferior ao limite de difração, a flexibilidade de formas e ainda, a possibilidade de incorporar compostos de interesse à matriz polimérica a fim de introduzir novas funcionalidades ao material que compõe a estrutura final. Ademais, diferentes polímeros podem ser utilizados para a fabricação das microestruturas, tornando a técnica viável para uma vasta gama de aplicações. As microestruturas poliméricas que fabricamos são micro-cilindros ocos de boa integridade estrutural com 45 μm de diâmetro externo e 100 nm de rugosidade de superfície, o que as torna potencialmente aplicáveis como micro-ressonadores para frequências de operação típicas de telecomunicações. A fim de acoplar luz nessas estruturas, em colaboração com a Universidade de Valência, na Espanha, montamos um aparato de acoplamento. Neste aparato, a luz proveniente de uma fonte de luz centrada em 1540 nm é acoplada nos micro-ressonadores via campo evanescente por meio do uso de uma fibra óptica estirada de 1.5 μm de diâmetro. A potência transmitida é guiada para um analisador de espectro óptico, onde é possível identificar os modos ressonantes, representados como picos de atenuação com free spectral range em torno de 9.8 nm. Ao término desse projeto, um aparato similar foi montado no Grupo de Fotônica do IFSC/USP, a partir do qual pudemos medir os modos ressonantes tanto de fibras ópticas estiradas quanto dos micro-cilindros poliméricos. A finesse dos micro-ressonadores poliméricos caracterizados varia de 2.51 a 4.35, sendo da mesma ordem de grandeza do valor reportado na literatura para ressonadores de alta performance fabricados por FA2F a partir da mesma formulação de resina polimérica que utilizamos. / Whispering gallery modes microresonators have been attracting increasing interest due to their ability to strongly confine light within small dielectric volumes. This property is quite useful for basic research involving light-matter interaction and nonlinear optics, but their applications go beyond that. The ease of fabrication, on-chip integration and operation at telecommunication frequencies make them suitable for a variety of practical applications, including photonic filters and sensing. In the current work, we demonstrate the fabrication of such resonators via two-photon polymerization. Using this technique, complex 3D structures with submicrometer feature size can be produced. Besides, the flexibility of geometry and the possibility of incorporating a variety of additional materials, such as organic compounds make it a powerful tool for the fabrication of microresonators. The microstructures we have fabricated are 45 μm outer diameter hollow microcylinders, with good structural integrity and sidewall roughness estimated in 100 nm, which make their application as microresonators feasible in the near infrared wavelength regime. In order to couple light within these microresonators, an experimental setup was built at University of Valencia to implement the coupling. In this setup, light from a 1540 nm-centered broadband source was coupled into the fabricated microresonators via evanescent field using a 1.5 μm waist tapered fiber. The transmitted light was then guided to an optical spectral analyzer, where it was possible to measure resonances, represented as attenuation peaks, with free spectral range of about 9.8 nm. Afterwards, a similar experimental setup was assembled in the Photonics group at IFSC/USP, where we could observe resonances of both tapered optical fibers and the polymeric microresonators fabricated by means of two-photon polymerization. The finesse of the polymeric microresonators was estimated in 4.35, being in the same order of the finesse reported in the literature for high performance microring resonators fabricated using the same polymeric resin.

Os micro-ressonadores que suportam whispering gallery modes têm atraído a atenção da comunidade científica devido a sua grande capacidade de confinar a luz, propriedade que faz dessas estruturas plataformas ideais para o desenvolvimento de pesquisa fundamental como interação da radiação com a matéria e óptica não linear. Além disso, suas características como operação em frequências do visível e de telecomunicações, facilidade de integração e alta sensitividade os tornam extremamente flexíveis para aplicações que vão desde filtros ópticos até sensores. Neste trabalho, demonstramos a fabricação de tais micro-ressonadores via fotopolimerização por absorção de dois fótons (FA2F). Esta técnica apresenta uma série de vantagens para a confecção de micro-dispositivos, sendo elas a capacidade de resolução inferior ao limite de difração, a flexibilidade de formas e ainda, a possibilidade de incorporar compostos de interesse à matriz polimérica a fim de introduzir novas funcionalidades ao material que compõe a estrutura final. Ademais, diferentes polímeros podem ser utilizados para a fabricação das microestruturas, tornando a técnica viável para uma vasta gama de aplicações. As microestruturas poliméricas que fabricamos são micro-cilindros ocos de boa integridade estrutural com 45 μm de diâmetro externo e 100 nm de rugosidade de superfície, o que as torna potencialmente aplicáveis como micro-ressonadores para frequências de operação típicas de telecomunicações. A fim de acoplar luz nessas estruturas, em colaboração com a Universidade de Valência, na Espanha, montamos um aparato de acoplamento. Neste aparato, a luz proveniente de uma fonte de luz centrada em 1540 nm é acoplada nos micro-ressonadores via campo evanescente por meio do uso de uma fibra óptica estirada de 1.5 μm de diâmetro. A potência transmitida é guiada para um analisador de espectro óptico, onde é possível identificar os modos ressonantes, representados como picos de atenuação com free spectral range em torno de 9.8 nm. Ao término desse projeto, um aparato similar foi montado no Grupo de Fotônica do IFSC/USP, a partir do qual pudemos medir os modos ressonantes tanto de fibras ópticas estiradas quanto dos micro-cilindros poliméricos. A finesse dos micro-ressonadores poliméricos caracterizados varia de 2.51 a 4.35, sendo da mesma ordem de grandeza do valor reportado na literatura para ressonadores de alta performance fabricados por FA2F a partir da mesma formulação de resina polimérica que utilizamos. / Whispering gallery modes microresonators have been attracting increasing interest due to their ability to strongly confine light within small dielectric volumes. This property is quite useful for basic research involving light-matter interaction and nonlinear optics, but their applications go beyond that. The ease of fabrication, on-chip integration and operation at telecommunication frequencies make them suitable for a variety of practical applications, including photonic filters and sensing. In the current work, we demonstrate the fabrication of such resonators via two-photon polymerization. Using this technique, complex 3D structures with submicrometer feature size can be produced. Besides, the flexibility of geometry and the possibility of incorporating a variety of additional materials, such as organic compounds make it a powerful tool for the fabrication of microresonators. The microstructures we have fabricated are 45 μm outer diameter hollow microcylinders, with good structural integrity and sidewall roughness estimated in 100 nm, which make their application as microresonators feasible in the near infrared wavelength regime. In order to couple light within these microresonators, an experimental setup was built at University of Valencia to implement the coupling. In this setup, light from a 1540 nm-centered broadband source was coupled into the fabricated microresonators via evanescent field using a 1.5 μm waist tapered fiber. The transmitted light was then guided to an optical spectral analyzer, where it was possible to measure resonances, represented as attenuation peaks, with free spectral range of about 9.8 nm. Afterwards, a similar experimental setup was assembled in the Photonics group at IFSC/USP, where we could observe resonances of both tapered optical fibers and the polymeric microresonators fabricated by means of two-photon polymerization. The finesse of the polymeric microresonators was estimated in 4.35, being in the same order of the finesse reported in the literature for high performance microring resonators fabricated using the same polymeric resin.

This work is devoted to investigate light confinement in rolled-up microtubular cavities and their optofluidic applications. The microcavities are fabricated by a roll-up mechanism based on releasing pre-strained silicon-oxide nanomembranes. By defining the shape and thickness of the nanomembranes, the geometrical tube structure is well controlled. Micro-photoluminescence spectroscopy at room temperature is employed to study the optical modes and their dependence on the structural characteristics of the microtubes. Finite-difference-time-domain simulations are performed to elucidate the experimental results. In addition, a theoretical model (based on a wave description) is applied to describe the optical modes in the tubular microcavities, supporting quantitatively and qualitatively the experimental findings. Precise spectral tuning of the optical modes is achieved by two post-fabrication methods. One method employs conformal coating of the tube wall with Al2O3 monolayers by atomic-layer-deposition, which permits a mode tuning over a wide spectral range (larger than one free-spectral-range). An average mode tuning to longer wavelengths of 0.11nm/ Al2O3-monolayer is obtained. The other method consists in asymmetric material deposition onto the tube surface. Besides the possibility of mode tuning, this method permits to detect small shape deformations (at the nanometer scale) of an optical microcavity. Controlled confinement of resonant light is demonstrated by using an asymmetric cone-like microtube, which is fabricated by unevenly rolling-up circular-shaped nanomembranes. Localized three-dimensional optical modes are obtained due to an axial confinement mechanism that is defined by the variation of the tube radius and wall windings along the tube axis. Optofluidic functions of the rolled-up microtubes are explored by immersing the tubes or filling their core with a liquid medium. Refractive index sensing of liquids is demonstrated by correlating spectral shift of the optical modes when a liquid interacts with the resonant light of the microtube. In addition, a novel sensing methodology is proposed by monitoring axial mode spacing changes. Lab-on-a-chip methods are employed to fabricate an optofluidic chip device, allowing a high degree of liquid handling. A maximum sensitivity of 880 nm/refractive-index-unit is achieved. The developed optofluidic sensors show high potential for lab-on-a-chip applications, such as real-time bio/chemical analytic systems.

This work is devoted to investigate light confinement in rolled-up microtubular cavities and their optofluidic applications. The microcavities are fabricated by a roll-up mechanism based on releasing pre-strained silicon-oxide nanomembranes. By defining the shape and thickness of the nanomembranes, the geometrical tube structure is well controlled. Micro-photoluminescence spectroscopy at room temperature is employed to study the optical modes and their dependence on the structural characteristics of the microtubes. Finite-difference-time-domain simulations are performed to elucidate the experimental results. In addition, a theoretical model (based on a wave description) is applied to describe the optical modes in the tubular microcavities, supporting quantitatively and qualitatively the experimental findings. Precise spectral tuning of the optical modes is achieved by two post-fabrication methods. One method employs conformal coating of the tube wall with Al2O3 monolayers by atomic-layer-deposition, which permits a mode tuning over a wide spectral range (larger than one free-spectral-range). An average mode tuning to longer wavelengths of 0.11nm/ Al2O3-monolayer is obtained. The other method consists in asymmetric material deposition onto the tube surface. Besides the possibility of mode tuning, this method permits to detect small shape deformations (at the nanometer scale) of an optical microcavity. Controlled confinement of resonant light is demonstrated by using an asymmetric cone-like microtube, which is fabricated by unevenly rolling-up circular-shaped nanomembranes. Localized three-dimensional optical modes are obtained due to an axial confinement mechanism that is defined by the variation of the tube radius and wall windings along the tube axis. Optofluidic functions of the rolled-up microtubes are explored by immersing the tubes or filling their core with a liquid medium. Refractive index sensing of liquids is demonstrated by correlating spectral shift of the optical modes when a liquid interacts with the resonant light of the microtube. In addition, a novel sensing methodology is proposed by monitoring axial mode spacing changes. Lab-on-a-chip methods are employed to fabricate an optofluidic chip device, allowing a high degree of liquid handling. A maximum sensitivity of 880 nm/refractive-index-unit is achieved. The developed optofluidic sensors show high potential for lab-on-a-chip applications, such as real-time bio/chemical analytic systems.