Optics and Photonics » Infrared

Found 17 technologies within Infrared RSS ATOM

Quantum Cascade Laser Tree Arrays with Broad Area Emitters Offer Ultra-High Output Power and Beam Quality

11558 – The University of Central Florida invention describes a quantum cascade laser (QCL) configuration with broad-area emitters and tapers at the output facet. The configuration potentially offers ultra-high brightness with on-axis, far-field maximum, and most power concentrated in the central lobe. Broad-area quantum cascade lasers are capable of delivering very high CW power. Output... Read More

Schematic showing the UCF ultra-fast mid-IR light source.

Plasmonically Enhanced Graphene-Based Mid-IR Light Source

11596 – The University of Central Florida invention describes a proof-of-concept of a method to tune the spectrally selective thermal emission from nanopatterned graphene (NPG). This is done by means of a gate voltage that varies the resonance wavelength of localized surface plasmons (LSPs) around the circular holes that are arranged in a hexagonal or square lattice pattern in a single... Read More

High Brightness Narrow-Ridge and Broad-Ridge Quantum Cascade Lasers with InP Spacers

34353 – The University of Central Florida invention is an optimized mid-infrared quantum cascade laser (QCL) design capable of delivering multi-watt continuous wave (CW) power in a high-quality output beam. The design comprises InP spacers whose thickness, as well as other design parameters, is adjusted to simultaneously achieve a high CW power and high beam quality. The design method... Read More

A schematic diagram of a double-channel shallow ridge-waveguide configuration using the UCF QCL design.

New Quantum Cascade Laser Design Provides Greater Efficiency and Power for Broad-Area Applications

33908 – QCL design enables the development of compact infrared countermeasure systems that can protect aircraft against next-generation portable surface-to-air missiles. Researchers at the University of Central Florida have designed a compact, lightweight quantum cascade laser (QCL) that can maintain beam quality and protect against laser facet damage while achieving more than 30 watts of optical... Read More

Figure 1. The UCF Holmium laser system concept.

Multi-millijoule Holmium Laser System

33995 – New system can generate attosecond laser pulses for use in biomolecule manipulation. Researchers at the University of Central Florida have invented an ultrafast Holmium laser system that can generate multi-millijoule-level laser pulse energy centered at 2.05 μm and a 1 kHz repetition rate. With such capabilities, the laser can produce long, ultra-broad bandwidth (4-12 μm wavelength),... Read More

New UCF optical nanocomposite material can be drawn into fiber form, dissolved into a solution and deposited as a thin film, or used as a bulk optical component.

Unique Nanocomposites for Fiber- and Planar-Infrared Laser Applications

33951 – Glass-nanocrystal material can be made into optical fibers, thin films and bulk optical elements. UCF researchers have invented a low loss optical nanocomposite material made of glass and high concentrations of nanocrystals (NCs). Unlike conventional crystal laser media, the new glass ceramic medium can be drawn into fiber, coated onto films, deposited as waveguides or formed as bulk... Read More

Diagram showing the invention’s ultrafast detection scheme based on the plasmon-thermoelectric effect.

Tunable Graphene-Based Method for Detecting Mid-Infrared (IR) Radiation

33901 – New method offers low-cost, uncooled multi-spectral IR detection and imaging in the 8-12 µm bands UCF researchers have invented a low-cost method that can enable ultrafast, tunable mid-IR detection and imaging without the need for expensive and complex cryogenic cooling. The novel graphene-based method paves the way for multi-spectral imaging in the mid-IR domain, which is not available in... Read More

Example setup of the UCF ultrafast laser system to produce high-energy laser pulses centered around the short to mid-infrared wavelength region (2.4 μm).

New Methods for Generating High-Energy, Broadband Mid-Infrared Laser Pulses

33905 – Invention Simplifies Laser Architecture to Generate Millijoule-Level Output at 2.4 Micrometers (μm) UCF researchers have invented a technique for creating broadband, high-energy laser pulses centered around the short- to mid-infrared region (2.4 μm). The technique, which can be applied to existing laser systems, simplifies laser architectures by requiring fewer gain passes to achieve... Read More

Schematic diagram of a graphene plasmonic-cavity structure, according to the invention

Monolayer Graphene Optical Detector Offers Exceptional Light Absorption

33758 – New low-cost graphene-based, light absorber increases the efficiency and performance of mid-IR photodetectors, photovoltaic devices and modulators UCF researchers have invented a graphene-based optical detector device with an unprecedented light absorption value of 60 percent in the mid infrared spectral domain. Historically, graphene’s low optical absorbance (less than 2.5 percent) has... Read More

Schematic of the invention’s shallow-ridge QCL configuration.

Quantum Cascade Laser (QCL) with Angled Active Region for Broad-Area Use

33717 – New QCL technology’s distributed feedback design enables military applications for infrared countermeasures, infrared beacons and target designators UCF researchers have invented a quantum cascade laser (QCL) that provides the ultra-high output power, brightness, and beam quality needed for broad-area applications. Example applications include hyperspectral imaging, infrared illumination,... Read More

Illustration of the hole/disk array coupled with the ground plane.

Tunable, Uncooled Infrared Detector with Narrow-Band Wavelength Selectivity

33377 – Low-cost, mid-infrared (IR) wavelength detector offers high responsivity without cryogenic cooling UCF researchers have invented a nanoscale IR detector that overcomes major limitations of today’s cooled and uncooled IR detectors. The Optical Frequency-Selective Absorber-Based Infrared Detector operates uncooled and can be tuned to a specific narrow bandwidth within the IR spectrum. The new... Read More

Schematic of preferred embodiment of tunable within 1-5 µm wavelength

Lasing Method with Rapid, Non-Mechanical Wavelength Tuning in the Mid-IR

32934 – UCF researchers have developed a tunable laser with broadband coherent output spectrum within the mid-infrared (IR) range using a chirped quasi phase-matched optical parametric amplifier/difference frequency generator (CQPM OPA/DFG)-based design. Comparatively, currently available laser sources do not possess the unique combination of the following desired attributes: high average power,... Read More

Microscope image of graphene transistor.

Graphene-based Plasmonic Phototransistor Provides Broadly Tunable, Narrowband Photo-response

33098 – Graphene phototransistor provides up to 40 percent change in channel conductance for spectral sensing and situational awareness applications Currently, there are no fast, highly sensitive graphene-based photo detectors with a narrow but broadly tunable bandwidth for spectral sensing and situational awareness applications. Extensive effort has been made in this direction through the... Read More

Block diagram of a system which can be used to perform the fabrication process according to some embodi ments disclosed herein

Pure Silicon Photonic Crystal Fiber Fabrication via Magnesiothermic Reduction for Operations in the Mid-IR Spectrum

31601 – The fabrication process for the production of microstructured silicon photonic crystal fiber by means of magnesiothermic reduction, converting an industrially mature technology into a completely novel device platform. Semiconductors have revolutionized the human condition by giving society the transistor and all its derivative computational technologies. The basic utility behind... Read More

A schematic diagram of a perspective view of another embodiment of concentric coupled RCSE-QCLs, each with ring-shaped spiral-wedge phase shifter

Ring-Cavity Surface Emitting QCL with Higher Power and Excellent Beam Quality

33010 – Most commercially available quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) are edge-emitting, yet this invention from University of Central Florida involves ring-cavity surface-emitting QCLs (RCSE-QCLs) that are concentrically nested to combine power, coupled to insure coherent emission, and phase controlled with integrated optical delays to engineer the beam profile. This novel method obtains high-power... Read More

A perspective depiction of an example ring-shaped optical photodetector element including a plurality of integrated sensing regions having different dopants for multi-wavelength detection

Uncooled Multifunction Wideband Sensors

32899 – UCF researchers have developed a photodetector able to operate at room temperature and measure spectral ranges including microwave, THz, SWIR, MWIR, and LWIR while maintaining image detail. Current commercial photodetectors are limited by the sensor’s spectral responsivity, requiring multiple sensors or unique configurations to image and sense a wide spectral range. A new nanostructured... Read More

Selectively Apply Near-Unity Absorptive Gold-Black to the Pixels of Thermal Infrared (IR) Imaging Array Detectors for use in Night Vision

33033 – In thermal IR sensors (bolometers), absorptive coatings convert IR power into heat. Absorptive coating gold-black has been used for many decades for IR bolometers, particularly for array detectors used in night vision for defense and security. Gold-black is a nanocrystalline deposit formed when an inert gas causes gold atoms to collide and bind with each other to form a web-like structure.... Read More