Photonic Crystals and their Applications to Efficient Light Emitters

When combined with high index contrast slabs in which light can be efficiently guided, microfabricated two-dimensional photonic bandgap mirrors provide us with the geometries needed to confine and concentrate light into extremely small volumes and to obtain very high field intensities. Fabrication of optical structures has now evolved to a precision which allows us to control light within such etched nanostructures. Sub-wavelength nano-optic cavities can be used for efficient and flexible control over both emission wavelength and frequency, and nanofabricated optical waveguides can be used for efficient coupling of light between devices. The reduction of the size of optical components leads to their integration in large numbers and the possibility to combine different functionalities on a single chip. We show uses of such crystals in functional nonlinear optical devices, such as lasers, modulators, add/drop filters, polarizers and detectors

CHRONIC OPIOID USE IN FIBROMYALGIA SYNDROME: CHARACTERISTICS AND OUTCOMES

Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a chronic pain condition with significant societal and personal burdens of illness. Chronic opioid therapy in the treatment of chronic nonmalignant pain has increased drastically over the past decade. This is a worrisome trend in general, but specifically, given the pathophysiologic characteristics seen in fibromyalgia syndrome patients, the use of this class of medication deserves special scrutiny. Although the theoretical case against this therapy choice is strong, little empirical evidence exists. In order to supplement this literature, retrospective analysis methods are utilized to examine the association of state-, provider-, and patient level characteristics with the prevalence of chronic opioid use in this disease state. Data gathered through this analysis is then used to develop a propensity index for the identification of an appropriate control group for fibromyalgia patients, a task that has proven difficult in the literature to date. Using propensity stratification and matching techniques analysis of the impact of fibromyalgia, chronic opioid use, and the interaction of these two variables are undertaken. Several key findings and updates to the understanding of chronic opioid use and fibromyalgia syndrome are reported. Wide geographic variation in chronic opioid utilization between states is seen. The role of diagnosing provider type in the rate of chronic opioid prescribing is significant and can be aggregated at various levels. Demographic characteristics, comorbid conditions, and concurrent medication use are all important associates of chronic opioid use in fibromyalgia syndrome. Additionally, chronic opioid use in fibromyalgia patients, independent of propensity to receive that therapy choice is a significant correlate with healthcare costs. A diagnosis of fibromyalgia is a statistically significant source of healthcare costs, though the clinical significance of its impact when compared to a closely matched control group is minimized. Despite the minimization of the role of this diagnosis the impact of the interaction of chronic opioid use with fibromyalgia, despite control for myriad regressors, is significant both statistically and clinically

Cascading Effects of Fuel Network Interdiction

This thesis develops the Fuel Interdiction and Resulting Cascading Effects (FI&RCE) model. The study details the development and experimental testing of a framework for assessing the interdiction of a refined petroleum production and distribution network. FI&RCE uses a maximum flow mathematical programming formulation that models the transit of fuels from points of importation and refinement through a polyduct distribution network for delivery across a range of end user locations. The automated model accommodates networks of varying size and complexity. FI&RCE allows for parameters and factor settings that enable robust experimentation through implementation in MATLAB 2014 and the commercial solver CPLEX (Version 12.5). Experimental design allows the investigation of interdiction or disruption on supply and network infrastructure locations in order to support the strategic analytical needs of the user. Given a target set, FI&RCE provides measured responses for the resulting fuel availability and a valuation of economic loss. The value of economic loss feeds a Leontief based input-output model that assesses the cascading effects in the studied economy by implementing a mathematical program that optimizes the remaining industrial outputs. FI&RCE demonstrates a framework to investigate the military and cascading effects of a fuel interdiction campaign plan using a realistic case study

An optical fiber-taper probe for wafer-scale microphotonic device characterization

A small depression is created in a straight optical fiber taper to form a local probe suitable for studying closely spaced, planar microphotonic devices. The tension of the "dimpled" taper controls the probe-sample interaction length and the level of noise present during coupling measurements. Practical demonstrations with high-Q silicon microcavities include testing a dense array of undercut microdisks (maximum Q = 3.3x10^6) and a planar microring (Q = 4.8x10^6).Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures, for high-res version see http://copilot.caltech.edu/publications/index.ht

Photonic Crystal Cavities and Waveguides

Recently, it has also become possible to microfabricate high reflectivity mirrors by creating two- and three-dimensional periodic structures. These periodic "photonic crystals" can be designed to open up frequency bands within which the propagation of electromagnetic waves is forbidden irrespective of the propagation direction in space and define photonic bandgaps. When combined with high index contrast slabs in which light can be efficiently guided, microfabricated two-dimensional photonic bandgap mirrors provide us with the geometries needed to confine and concentrate light into extremely small volumes and to obtain very high field intensities. Here we show the use of these "artificially" microfabricated crystals in functional nonlinear optical devices, such as lasers, modulators, and waveguides

Ideality in a fiber-taper-coupled microresonator system for application to cavity quantum electrodynamics

The ability to achieve near lossless coupling between a waveguide and a resonator is fundamental to many quantum-optical studies as well as to practical applications of such structures. The nature of loss at the junction is described by a figure of merit called ideality. It is shown here that under appropriate conditions ideality in excess of 99.97% is possible using fiber-taper coupling to high-Q silica microspheres. To verify this level of coupling, a technique is introduced that can both measure ideality over a range of coupling strengths and provide a practical diagnostic of parasitic coupling within the fiber-taper-waveguide junction