Reactive sputtering provides a scalable and robust approach to fabricate erbium doped waveguide amplifiers and can be used to integrate devices with other waveguide platforms. In this work, we present recent results on high gain (>25 dB) in Al2O3:Er3+ amplifiers fabricated via reactive sputtering, which are vertically integrated with underlying LioniX TriPleX Si3N4 circuitry.
Compact laser sources are crucial for the next generation of photonic integrated circuits, where bulky mechanical components and other optical bench top systems can be realized on a single tiny chip. Similarly, biological sensing, environmental real-time monitoring and telecommunications all benefit from the advances seen in on-chip photonic components, in particular, active devices such as the amplifier and laser which have significant challenges in being implemented on a silicon substrate. The study of Erbium doped Aluminium Oxide (Al2O3:Er3+) has attracted significant interest from the research community due to its high solubility for rare-earth ions, wide optical transparency, and capability to be integrated as a hybrid coating or patterned into waveguides on a Si substrate using conventional fabrication techniques. Results point towards amorphous Al2O3 as an ideal candidate for further research into the discovery of amplifiers and lasers for photonic integrated circuits (PIC). Here, we report on the spectroscopic parameters as well as prospects for Al2O3:Er3+ doped films and their integration onto an existing low-loss waveguide platform for the realization of amplifiers and lasers. A review of past results will be given with pathways towards optimized films and improved laser performance in the future.
The monolithic integration of active materials providing optical gain and optical non-linearities is instrumental to increase the functionality of integrated photonic circuits. A double layer integration scheme has been experimentally demonstrated, exhibiting transition losses between the two materials of less than 0.2 dB. Furthermore, a single layer integration scheme is proposed, which decreases the number of process steps, reducing fabrication cost, and also decreasing the sensitivity to fabrication tolerances. In this paper, we will overview our recent developments on the monolithic integration of both, Al2O3 and TiO2 onto the passive Si3N4 and Al2O3 platforms for the development of on-chip amplifiers and lasers.
Background: To the date, oral isotretinoin is the most effective treatment for acne scars, and by combining their use with an ablative surgery results in improving the effects of the skin restoration. However, it is highly recommended by dermatologists, to wait for a period of 6 months between the isotretinoin treatment and the laser surgery, and that relative high period of time can lead to negative effects like anxiety or psychological distress in the patients. Our objective is to demonstrate that combining an ablative laser surgery and an isotretinoin treatment at therapeutic doses improves the acne wound healing in a considerably short period of time in comparison with previous studies. Additionally, it is of our interest to evaluate the wound healing due the collagen regeneration by the use of Raman spectroscopy, recently used as a non-invasive medical tool for skin diseases. Method: The study was performed in 9 patients who underwent on an oral isotretinoin treatment due to the presence of acne scars on the face. All patients received one single treatment with a CO2 Ablative Fractional Laser (AFL) on four zones of the face within a range of four weeks after isotretinoin treatment. Additionally, an untreated measurement in the elbow side of the arm acted as a control. Both treatments, the isotretinoin and the ablative surgery, were performed by the same dermatologist. The patients were evaluated by means of Raman spectroscopy before and after the treatment and for the data processing, two different statistical approaches were applied to the Raman spectra with the objective to assess the presence of a specific collagen type. Results: The patients showed normal wound healing post AFL treatments and it was shown that with a therapeutic dose of oral isotretinoin and with one single laser surgery in a relative short period of time, a collagen regeneration was observed. Conclusion: When combined AFL surgery and isotretinoin treatment at therapeutic doses, a regeneration of a type of collagen is observed, which is quantified non-invasively by Raman spectroscopy.
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