Supported Flat Plate Thin Films for Oxygen Separation

Not Available This SBIR Phase I research will focus on the development of Erbium based Polymer Optical Fiber (POF) Amplifiers. POFs are potential candidates in short-haul (1000 m or less) telecommunication applications such as local area networks. Currently low bandwidth copper wires are used, which cannot support the bandwidth requirements of multimedia and internet technologies. Gradient Index POFs with a bandwidth of over 2.5 Gbits/sec have recently been fabricated, which will be enough to support most of the telecommunication applications. However, attenuation of polymers is very high at 1.55 micrometers, where most long distance fiber optic systems operate. Inexpensive polymeric optical amplifiers need to be developed to extend the operational range of POFs. MTI is proposing to develop inexpensive erbium (III) ion doped POF/waveguide amplifiers by either functionalizing or doping the amorphous fluoropolymers with erbium complexes. Multilayered fluoropolymer-erbium complex thin film waveguides will be fabricated using proprietary technique. The fluorescence lifetime of the erbium- polymer materials will be optimized from various proposed fluoropolymer- erbium complex compositions. Both fiber and waveguide optical amplifiers will be fabricated and tested. Optical gains of the amplifiers will be determined. Thermal stability and laser damage threshold of the amplifiers will also be studied.