In this study, maghemite (&amp / #947 / -Fe2O3) thin films were prepared by chemical solution deposition on glass and quartz substrates. The solution was prepared by using 0.3 M iron (III) nitrate [Fe(NO3)3 - 9H2O] as precursor and dissolved in a mixture of 2-methoxyethanol and acetylacetone in a molar ratio of 20:2, by stirring the solution at RT for 2 hours. Substrates were prepared by either piranha etching method or ultrasonic cleaning method. The solution was spin coated on glass and quartz substrates at 1400 and 4000 rpm for 1 minute. The resultant film thickness was found as 65 and 80 nm by SEM. Viscosity of the main solution was found to be approximately as 0.0035 Pa.s by viscosity measurement. TGA/DTA analyses showed that, to produce maghemite thin film, heat treatment should be done between 330 &deg / C and 440 &deg / C. Homogeneous and crack free maghemite thin films were observed by Energy Dispersive Spectrometry (EDS) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) methods. TEM studies verified maghemite thin film formation by using electron diffraction and SAED (selected area electron diffraction) method. Thin film characteristics were evaluated by changing the experimental parameters which are annealing temperature, annealing time and thickness of the films using XRD (x-ray diffraction) method. Optical band gap of maghemite thin films were found as approximately 2.64 eV by UV-VIS Spectrophotometer. Magnetic properties of maghemite thin films were also examined by VSM (vibrating sample magnetometer).

Magnetite (Fe3O4) thin films were prepared by a sol-gel process in which, a solution of iron (III) nitrate dissolved in ethylene glycol was applied on glass substrates by spin coating. Xerogel films were obtained by drying the coated films at 110 &deg / C. The films were sintered between 300 &deg / C and 450 &deg / C in order to observe the phases existing in the films at different temperatures. Coating solution showed Newtonian behaviour and viscosity was found as 0.0215 Pa.s. DTA analysis showed that, sintering temperature should be selected between 291 &deg / C and 350 &deg / C in order to produce magnetite thin films. Prepared magnetite thin films were characterized by XRD, SEM, AFM, TEM, VSM and UV-Vis spectrometer. In-plane grazing angle diffraction studies showed that magnetite phase was present upon sintering the films at 300 &deg / C. From the SEM studies, it was shown that films with defect free surfaces were obtained and by cross section studies, thickness of the films was found as ~10-200 nm. AFM images showed that no cracks or any other defects on the film surface were present. TEM results proved the existence of single phase magnetite in the produced films. UV-Vis spectrum results showed that transmittance of the films increases with decreasing sintering temperature and increasing spinning rate. Up to 96% transmittance was observed between the wavelengths of 900-1100 nm. Magnetic properties of magnetite thin films were also examined by VSM (Vibrating Sample Magnetometer) and ferromagnetic behaviour was shown using VSM data.

Robust ion-exchanged glass waveguides exhibit low optical losses in a broad spectral range and they allow integration of several devices on the same chip due to their planar structure. Consequently, they can be a low cost alternative to semiconductors for fabricating various integrated optical devices. Two high performance photonic devices were designed and realized, demonstrating the potential of glass waveguides. The well-controlled silver-film ion-exchange process allowed the fabrication of: i) a highly sensitive biosensor based on optical absorption and, ii) a low loss hybrid electro-optic (EO) polymer modulator with a narrow coplanar electrode gap. The single-mode, channel integrated optical ion-exchange waveguide on borosilicate glass (Corning 0211) is described for broad spectral band (400-650 nm) detection and analysis of heme-containing protein films at a glass/water interface. The evanescent wave interaction is improved significantly by fabricating ion-exchange waveguides with a step-like index profile. Silver nano-particle formation is reduced in order to achieve low loss in the Soret-band (~400 nm). Unlike other surface-specific techniques (e.g. SPR, interferometry) that probe local refractive-index changes and therefore are susceptible to temperature fluctuations, the integrated optical waveguide absorption technique probes molecular-specific transition bands and is expected to be less vulnerable to environmental perturbations. The hybrid integration of phosphate glass (IOG-1) and EO polymer is realized for the first time. The critical alignment steps which are typically required for hybrid optoelectronic devices are eliminated with a simple alignment-free fabrication technique. The low loss adiabatic transition from glass to EO polymer waveguide is enabled by gray scale patterning of the novel EO polymer, AJLY. Total insertion loss of 5 dB and electrode gap of 8 μm is obtained for an optimized device design. EO polymer poling at 135 ºC and 75 V/μm is enabled by the sol-gel buffer layer.