Electromagnetic Wave-Matter Interactions in Complex Opto-Electronic Materials and Devices

This dissertation explores the fundamentals of light-matter interaction towards applications in the field of Opto-electronic and plasmonic devices. In its core, this dissertation attempts and succeeds in the the modeling of light-matter interactions, which is of high importance for better understanding the rich physics underlying the dynamics of electromagnetic field interactions with charged particles. Here, we have developed a self-consistent multi-physics model of electromagnetism, semiconductor physics and thermal effects which can be readily applied to the field of plasmotronics and Selective Laser Melting (SLM). Plasmotronics; a sub-field of photonics has experienced a renaissance in recent years by providing a large variety of new physical effects and applications. Most importantly, plasmotronics promises devices with ultra-small footprints and ultrafast operating speeds with lower energy consumption compared to conventional electronics. One of the primary objectives of this dissertation is to present an optoelectronic switch termed as Surface Plasmon Polariton Diode (SPPD) for functional plasmonic circuits based on active control of Surface Plasmon Polaritons (SPPs) at degenerate PN+-junction interfaces. In this context, the operational characteristics of the proposed plasmonic device are studied by the self-consistent multi-physics model that couples the electromagnetic, thermal and IV characteristics of the device. The SPPD uses heavily doped PN+-junction where SPPs propagate at the interface between N and P-doped layer and can be switched by an external voltage. Here, we explore the features of SPPD using three different semiconductor materials; GaAs, Silicon and Indium Gallium Arsenide (In0.53Ga0.47As). When compared to Si and GaAs, the In0.53Ga0.47As provides higher optical confinement, reduced system size and faster operation. For this reason, in our dissertation (In0.53Ga0.47As) is identified as the best semiconductor material for the practical implementation of the optoelectronic switch providing high optical confinement, reduced system size, and fast operation. The optimal device is shown to operate at signal modulation surpassing -100 dB and switching rates up to 50 GHz, thus potentially providing a new pathway toward bridging the gap between electronic and photonic devices. Also, the proposed optoelectronic switch is compatible with the current CMOS semiconductor fabrication techniques and could lead to nanoscale semiconductor-based optoelectronics. Furthermore, we have extended the concept of the above optoelectronic switch to design and study a new type of all-optical switch, referred to as Surface Plasmon Polariton Diode (thermal) (SPPDt). The SPPDt operation is governed by a unique optical nonlinearity that exists only for surface electromagnetic waves, i.e. SPPs, propagating at highly doped semiconductor junction interfaces. This dissertation will address the design and characterization of the SPPDt and will bring new insights into the underlying thermo optic nonlinearity. The gained understanding will be applied to design practically feasible devices including logic gates which can bridge the temporal and spatial gap between electronics and optics by providing high switching rates and signal input/output (I/O) power modulation. Enhanced light-matter interactions have further been explored and extended towards tailoring plasmonic resonances due to laser interactions with metal powder beds pertaining to Selective Laser Melting (SLM) processes. This is done by adapting the self consistent model developed for the plasmonic device to better understand the complex electrodynamic and thermodynamic processes involved in SLM. The SLM is an advanced rapid prototyping or additive manufacturing technology that uses high power density laser to fabricate metal/alloy components with minimal geometric constraints. The fabrication process is multi-physics in nature and its study requires the development of complex simulation tools. In this dissertation, for the first time, the electromagnetic interactions with dense powder beds are investigated under full-wave formalism. Localized gap and surface plasmon polariton resonance effects are identified as possible mechanisms toward improved absorption in small and medium-size titanium powder beds. Furthermore, observed near homogeneous temperature distributions across the metal powders indicates fast thermalization processes and allows for the development of simple analytical models to describe the dynamic interplay of laser facilitated Joule heating and effects of radiation and thermal conduction. The Explicit description is provided for important SLM process parameters such as critical laser power density, saturation temperature, and time to melt. Specific guidelines are presented for improved energy efficiency and optimization of the SLM process deposition rates

Microfluidics: Fluid physics at the nanoliter scale

Microfabricated integrated circuits revolutionized computation by vastly reducing the space, labor, and time required for calculations. Microfluidic systems hold similar promise for the large-scale automation of chemistry and biology, suggesting the possibility of numerous experiments performed rapidly and in parallel, while consuming little reagent. While it is too early to tell whether such a vision will be realized, significant progress has been achieved, and various applications of significant scientific and practical interest have been developed. Here a review of the physics of small volumes (nanoliters) of fluids is presented, as parametrized by a series of dimensionless numbers expressing the relative importance of various physical phenomena. Specifically, this review explores the Reynolds number Re, addressing inertial effects; the Péclet number Pe, which concerns convective and diffusive transport; the capillary number Ca expressing the importance of interfacial tension; the Deborah, Weissenberg, and elasticity numbers De, Wi, and El, describing elastic effects due to deformable microstructural elements like polymers; the Grashof and Rayleigh numbers Gr and Ra, describing density-driven flows; and the Knudsen number, describing the importance of noncontinuum molecular effects. Furthermore, the long-range nature of viscous flows and the small device dimensions inherent in microfluidics mean that the influence of boundaries is typically significant. A variety of strategies have been developed to manipulate fluids by exploiting boundary effects; among these are electrokinetic effects, acoustic streaming, and fluid-structure interactions. The goal is to describe the physics behind the rich variety of fluid phenomena occurring on the nanoliter scale using simple scaling arguments, with the hopes of developing an intuitive sense for this occasionally counterintuitive world

A survey of Mechanical failure and design for Reliability of MEMS

In this paper, several experimental mechanical investigation techniques are presented to evaluate the reliability of micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS). Microsystems in recent years have spread in many everyday devices. We find micro-scale sensors and actuators in automotive, biomedical and aerospace applications where are demanded very strict performance requirements. Electromechanical non-linear coupling is often a crucial problem both in design and also for the reliability of the system. Mechanism of failure and failure modes has to be taken into account in order to evaluate the reliability of the final system. Focusing on device failure, it emerges that mechanical damage is the most significant source. In this paper a survey of recent advance in mechanical testing of MEMS is presented including: Mechanical fatigue, mechanical strength and plasticity, surface and contact failure and creep. Different design of testing specimens is discussed to identify the material properties and failure modes behavior in order to obtain design rules and strategies

The SLH framework for modeling quantum input-output networks

Many emerging quantum technologies demand precise engineering and control over networks consisting of quantum mechanical degrees of freedom connected by propagating electromagnetic fields, or quantum input-output networks. Here we review recent progress in theory and experiment related to such quantum input-output networks, with a focus on the SLH framework, a powerful modeling framework for networked quantum systems that is naturally endowed with properties such as modularity and hierarchy. We begin by explaining the physical approximations required to represent any individual node of a network, eg. atoms in cavity or a mechanical oscillator, and its coupling to quantum fields by an operator triple $(S,L,H)$. Then we explain how these nodes can be composed into a network with arbitrary connectivity, including coherent feedback channels, using algebraic rules, and how to derive the dynamics of network components and output fields. The second part of the review discusses several extensions to the basic SLH framework that expand its modeling capabilities, and the prospects for modeling integrated implementations of quantum input-output networks. In addition to summarizing major results and recent literature, we discuss the potential applications and limitations of the SLH framework and quantum input-output networks, with the intention of providing context to a reader unfamiliar with the field.Comment: 60 pages, 14 figures. We are still interested in receiving correction

Publications of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory July 1965 through July 1966

Bibliography on Jet Propulsion Laboratory technical reports and memorandums, space programs summary, astronautics information, and literature searche

Process techniques study of integrated circuits Final scientific report

Surface impurity and structural defect analysis on thermally grown silicon oxide integrated circui