Multimaterial multifunctional fiber devices

Optical fibers and semiconductor devices differ significantly in their properties and their processing approaches. The latter require an assembly of metal, insulator and semiconductor materials into complex geometries with small feature sizes (sub 100 nm), while maintaining high quality interfaces. Sophisticated logic and detection functions are realized through the integration of many such devices onto a chip. Conventional optical fibers have been restricted to insulating materials, much simpler cylindrically symmetric structures and larger feature sizes (order of a micrometer). Consequently a single fiber operates as a single optical transport device. Indeed the notion of integration has been foreign to optical fibers. Their processing however is much simpler compared to semiconductor devices as it utilizes a macroscopic perform to microscopic fiber fabrication approach. This process can efficiently yield highly uniform long and flexible fibers amenable to the formation of large area assemblies and woven fabrics. In this thesis, it is established that in-principle sophisticated semiconductor devices can be produced using simple preform-to-fiber thermal drawing techniques: In the first chapter a new materials processing paradigm is introduced where for the first time metals, insulators and semiconductors are thermally co-drawn in intimate contact and prescribed geometries. The second chapter focuses on unifunctional fiber devices and in particular the unique features of ID distributed photodetecting fibers. The concept of fiber device integration is then established by demonstrating optic, electronic and optoelectronic functionalities within a single fiber. In a third chapter a model for understanding the influence of geometric and structural changes on the performance of fiber photodetectors is derived.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2008

Author dc:creator

• Sorin, Fabien

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Yoel Fink.

• Materials Science and Engineering.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/44281

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/44281