Nanoparticle-based Optical Components and Coatings (NOCC)
Abstract
We have shown that DNA-programmed assembly of nanoparticles on substrates can generate few-micron-scale Winterbottom crystal structures with well-known 3D shapes. We are using this as a building block to drive self-assembly to real-world applications of relevance to the Navy and the DoD. We are targeting DNA-nanoparticle (DNA-NP) crystal facets as micromirrors to propagate an optical signal from free space to a waveguide on a substrate. Such structures could be used for imaging and LiDAR, replacing low-efficiency and bandwidth-limited grating couplers with high-efficiency and high-bandwidth mirrors, enabling compact, flat optical systems to replace bulk optics. We should have that our assembled structures have facets that exhibit specular reflection at controlled angles with high efficiency, have demonstrated out-of-plane light coupling from a microscope objective to an optical fiber, and studied the physics of nucleation and growth of DNA-NP crystals on patterned substrates. We can grow single crystal structures where we ant them and have developed a process to fabricate waveguide integrated with self-assembled mirrors to demonstrate off-chip optical coupling to waveguide. The capability should enable greatly-improved integrated optical systems and reduce size, weight and power for DoD platforms. Improved understand of the nucleation and growth of the DNA-NP structures should eventually allow further exploration of more complex assembled materials by varying DNA length and nanoparticle size to create Gradient-Index (GRIN) optical coatings with high effective index contrast, and eventually even more complex optical metamaterials. This capability should enable greatly-improved integrated optical systems and reduce size, weight and power for DoD platforms.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 29, 2024
- Accession Number
- AD1227185
Entities
People
- David J. Carter
Organizations
- Charles Stark Draper Laboratory