Optical sensing and imaging

A conceptual design- taken from Najla Najeeb’s recently submitted PhD thesis

This image is an example is of an optimised 1 to 2 multimode interference coupler with input and output waveguide widths of 2  µm operating at a wavelength of 1.55 µm and simulated with a commercial package called FIMMPROP.

The Sinope project, On-Demand Manufacture of Fibre-optic Imaging Structures, funded by Unitive Design and Analysis via a grant from Innovate UK, is an exciting collaboration for the team at the University of Nottingham. The project is based on Advanced Manufacturing and disruptive translational technology to develop new imaging structures for applications in the aerospace, automotive, healthcare, industrial biotechnology and regenerative medicine sectors. Through our involvement with this type of collaboration we are able to extend our materials expertise whilst also supporting the growth and success of a UK SME whose remit is to introduce exciting innovations to the global market.

We are also working with colleagues in the Center for Photonics and Smart Materials, Zewail City of Science and Technology, Egypt under a Newton Institutional link project ‘Monitoring Heritage Buildings with Optical Sensor Networks’. The aim of the project is to design and demonstrate a novel optical sensor network for air monitoring in order to prevent the degradation and decay of the Al-Ghuri Complex. The impact of gaseous CO₂ and SO₂ attains particular importance when examining the processes of alteration and decay in historical buildings made of calcareous stones; we are also considering methane detection because of the fire risks associate with it.

In the initial stages of the project we are working with the Optics and Photonics Research Group to fabricate a multiplexed long period grating (LPG) sensor array in silica fibre. Later, we propose to develop tuneable laser absorption spectroscopy (TLAS) operating at mid-infrared wavelengths to access the 'spectroscopic fingerprints' of fundamental absorption bands. (Also see Mid Infrared Photonics). Bespoke electromagnetic modelling tools will be developed and used to design and optimise key optical components.