Possible topics and descriptions of the PhD thesis

Based on the applications, 5-8 new PhD students will be selected to study in the PhD
Programme in Photonics in 2013.

1. Atomic Layer Deposition in planar guided-wave devices for Telecommunication

applications

Description

Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) is a unique thin film deposition method based on saturative
surface reactions of alternately supplied precursor vapors. Due to the saturation of each
reaction step, the film growth is self-limiting, thereby providing several advantages: an
atomic level control of the film composition and thickness, perfect step coverage, and large-
area uniformity. However, the interest in ALD for planar guided-wave photonics has just
recently aroused. On the other hand, all-optical signal processing is expected to enable future
ultrafast optical telecommunication systems. Many silicon photonic devices exploiting the
third order optical nonlinearity have already been demonstrated, including parametric
amplification and wavelength conversion based upon four-wave mixing (FWM) and logical
operations using nonlinear refraction. However, silicon based devices may greatly benefit
from integration with structures based on other materials, such as ALD-grown thin films.

The topic of this PhD thesis is devoted to the investigation of ALD-grown materials for all-
optical signal processing devices, using an SOI (Silicon-On-Insulator) or an oxidized silicon
substrate. The research includes design, fabrication and characterization of these novel
devices. A student with experience on guided-wave optics is preferred.

Supervisors: Profs. Seppo Honkanen and Markku Kuittinen

2. Replicated polymer-based nanophotonic devices for biosensors

Description

Guided-mode resonance filters (GMRFs) are diffraction gratings with spectrally narrow
reflectance peaks due to resonance anomalies, i.e., coupling of incident light into a semi-
guided mode in a corrugated waveguide. In its simplest form the GMRF consists of a single
high index dielectric layer on a periodically corrugated transparent substrate. Regarding the
applications, GMRFs can be used as biosensors that can enhance, e.g., the fluorescence or the
Raman signal by a few orders of magnitudes. A combination of a replicated polymer grating
and a high-index waveguide film grown by atomic layer deposition (ALD) can lead to ultra-
low-cost devices. On the other hand, the same material and fabrication process combination
can be used in making planar guided-wave sensors. By using a so-called slot waveguide
structure, intriguing opportunities for biosensors emerge.
The topic of this PhD thesis is devoted to the investigation of integrated optical waveguide
structures and/or GMRFs based on polymer materials and ALD-grown films for biosensors.
Main goals are to demonstrate greatly enhanced sensitivity, athermal operation and potential
for low-cost fabrication. A student with experience on diffractive optics, guided-wave optics
and/or ALD is preferred.

Supervisors: Profs. Seppo Honkanen and Pasi Vahimaa

3. Electromagnetic coherence and polarization of 3D light fields

Description

Coherence and polarization are fundamental characters of light fields having a significant
effect on propagation and interference of optical waves and their interaction with material
surfaces and bodies. Recent years have witnessed a rapid progress of nanophotonics and
plasmonics. which are topics where true 3D electromagnetic light fields are encountered. The
research of electromagnetic coherence and polarization in 3D optical near fields, possibly
under resonant surface plasmon and phonon polariton excitations, has become an active topic
of modern optics. The work offered continues the development of the classical theory of
electromagnetic coherence and 3D polarization. In particular, the near-field nanophotonic
applications where the role of electromagnetic coherence is important will be emphasized.

Supervisors: Prof. Ari Friberg and Dr. Tero Setl

4. Ghost polarimetry

Description

Classical correlation imaging, also called ghost imaging, is a novel method to acquire an
image of the object by measuring an intensity correlation function instead of the intensity
distribution. The image resolution is acquired by detecting light which does not interact with
the object and hence the term ghost for this unconventional imaging technique, which has
applications, e.g., in the imaging of objects behind obstacles or through turbulence. Besides
the image, the ghost technique can be used to obtain the polarimetric information on the
object in a novel way. Tunable light sources and variations of the setup allow the transfer of
polarization information of the object into the form of intensity correlation at the output. The
work offered continues the ongoing fundamental physical research in this topic towards more
efficient computational techniques aiming at developing a functional ghost-polarimetric
device based on one single-pixel detector.

Supervisors: Prof. Ari Friberg and Dr. Tero Setl

 5. Modeling and fabrication of novel waveguiding structures

Description

In last few years, nanoscale waveguides and other nanophotonics components have attracted
a great deal of interest. The range of applications for such structures is huge; examples
include signal processing, environmental monitoring, and chemistry industry for instance.
Owing to the sub-wavelength-scale dimensions of the components, both the theoretical
modeling and experimental realization of the phenomena are often radically different from
large-scale components. For example, strong field confinement may lead to remarkable
nonlinearities, which puts special challenges to the numerical simulation. In this research, the
student focuses in developing numerical methods for accurate modeling of such structures,
as well as in fabrication and experimental work.

Supervisors: Prof. Markku Kuittinen and Associate Prof. Jani Tervo

6. Design and modeling of femtosecond laser ablation

Description

Femtosecond laser ablation has been proven to be an efficient method to control the
functionality of the surfaces. One can control, e.g., reflectivity and hydrophobicity of the
surface by generating micro and nano strctures with focused femtosecond laser beam. To add
the flexibility in processing, spatial light modulators with optical telescope systems are used
to control the illumination pattern and accuracy. In the proposed work optical design and
analysis methods will be developed to enable the most accurate modelling of the full laser
system containg the abovementioned parts. The methods will be applied into suitable
softwares like Matlab and VirtualLab. Also, the observated structured light properties will be
included as well as the full properties of the actual laser beam.

Supervisor: Prof. Pasi Vahimaa

7. Hybrid photonic crystal surface plasmon structures for optical detection

Description

Recently the rapid devepment in nanotechnology has enabled new functional nanophotonics
components like well-controlled plasmonic structures and nanoslot waveguides. Combination
of these and nanofluidic channels can provide new optonanofluidic devices to detect optically
contects of different fluidic samples. In earlier studies we have shown that with these
nanostructures one can remarkably enhance fluorescence and Raman signals. In this study the
student should further develop the optical and fluidic control of the samples. In the
nanostructures light will be used both to control the particle movement in the sample and to
analyze the content of the sample. Both theoretical research and experimental demonstration
of fabricated structures will be done.
Supervisor: Prof. Pasi Vahimaa

8. Terahertz spectroscopy in research of properties of semiconducting and

insulating nano and micro structures

Description

Terahertz (THz) radiation is of great importance in terms of fundamental research as well as

in technology and the life sciences. And yet, while nobody would question the importance of
research involving radiation such as visible light, until recently research into terahertz
radiation has been relatively obscure. THz spectroscopy is nowadays an important field that
has applications in biomedicine, security and technology. Terahertz radiation is used, for
instance, for sensing and imaging purposes. The topic of the PhD thesis is devoted to the
measurement and spectra analysis of semiconducting and insulator nanoparticles, nanowires
and other nanostructures as well as microstructures that have importance in the development
of novel solar cells, other photonic devices and optimization of pigments of industrial
products. The study includes both experimental work and development of theory regarding
THz wave interaction with media. The research is international including research partners
from Sweden, Japan, United Kingdom, Switzerland and Germany. A student who has
experience on THz measurement technique and is familiar with spectra analyses methods and
interaction of THz radiation with matter is favored.

Supervisor: Prof. Kai Peiponen

9. Spectral based imaging and analysis for arthroscopy

Description

Spectral imaging and analysis methods will be developed for quantitative optical assessment
of articular cartilage during arthroscopy. Based on these, novel illuminations to reveal
cartilage defects will be computationally simulated and finally implemented optically. This
work is done together with photonics and spectral color group at Joensuu Campus, and with
medical physics at the Kuopio Campus. Work is also related to Academy of Finland project
for developing multimodal arthroscope.

Supervisors: Profs. Markku Hauta-Kasari, Pasi Vahimaa and Jukka Jurvelin

10. 3D printed photonics new era in optics manufacturing

Description

In 3D printing, also called as additive manufacturing, three-dimensional objects are created

by laying down successive patterned layers of materials. The technology is
quickly introducing innovative solutions in design visualization, prototyping/CAD, metal
casting, architecture, education, geospatial, healthcare, and entertainment/retail. Printoptical
technology introduced by LUXeXceL will finally expand 3D printing into optical
components, which require smooth surfaces. World-leading R&D equipment for 3D printed
photonics will be installed at UEF by end of this year in collaboration with LUXeXceL.

In this study the student should introduce himself/herself to the novel manufacturing
equipment and method. Then he/she could introduce conventional optical systems,
which benefit from the 3D printing technology; novel optical systems, which are not possible
to manufacture with conventional subtractive methods (cutting, drilling, etchning etc.); or
novel methods to combine 3D printing with other micro- and nanophotonics manufacturing
methods, such as nanoimprinting, optical lithography, thin-film coatings, and laser ablation.
The work is mainly experimental, but theoretical research is also needed for the design and
evaluation of novel optical systems.

Supervisor: Prof. Jyrki Saarinen

11. Strong local field phenomena in plasmonic nanostructures.

Description

Glass-metal nanocomposites (GMN) composed of metal nanoparticles embedded in glass

matrix and metal nanoisland films (MIF) have recently become an attractive playground in
plasmonics. The optical properties of these random media are dominated by oscillations of
the conduction electrons in the individual nanoparticles, i.e. surface plasmon resonance,
whose spectral position and width is determined by the properties of both metal nanoparticles
and the surrounding media, glass matrix in GMN. These oscillations can drastically enhance
the light field amplitude in the vicinity of the nanoparticles giving rise to the strong optical
nonlinearity, giant growth of Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS), enhanced
florescence and other phenomena caused by the ultrahigh local field in these materials.
Recently we have developed a technique that enables periodic modulation of the nanoparticle
concentration with subwavelength period and the formation of periodic structures in the
GMN and MIF. The topic of the PhD thesis is devoted to the formation of subwavelength
structures and experimental investigation of the nonlinear optical effects of the ultrahigh local
field effect in these 3D and 2D nanocomposites including nonlinear optical effects random
media, in which nanoparticle concentration varies with subwavelength period, using
femtosecond Z-scan and pump-probe measurements. In particular special attention will be
paid to the interplay between plasmonic, nonlinear and diffractive effects that may enable
control of the spatial and frequency spectrum of the diffracted light.

Supervisor: Prof. Yuri Svirko