Photonics research

Measuring the photostability of host-guest films containing amorphous polycarbonate and an organic chromophore^[?] using a 5W diode-pumped solid state frequency laser.

The photonics industry was much enabled by the development of the laser in the 1960s and is now worth hundreds of billions of dollars a year. Currently many of the active components used in photonic devices are based on the use of crystalline and glass silicon-based materials.

Viable alternatives to these existing inorganic photonic materials are organic and polymeric materials. This is because these materials are cheaper to make, easier to process, have superior performance and allow better scope for miniaturisation. Consequently, IRL has focussed a significant part of its photonics research on developing device-quality organic materials.

In addition, a range of other material including glass ceramics, nanoparticles and quantum dots have a host of interesting optical properties. We are exploiting these to develop prototype devices for radiation detection, dosimetry^[?], imaging and sensing.

Current research

Integrated optical devices

This programme focuses on the development of ICT^[?] proof–of-concept prototypes for all-optical switches and modulators, all-optical wavelength converters and all-optical signal regenerators. It will take advantage of our patented second-order non-linear optical materials as well as our expertise in chemistry and physics. Read more >>

Optical signal processing

This programme is concerned with the development of optically active organic materials with a view to incorporating them into novel all-optical processing devices. A key challenge is to prepare materials with the requisite temporal, photochemical and thermal stabilities. Read more >>

Photonic imaging and sensing

We are using our patented non-linear optical materials to develop components for generating and detecting safe, non-ionising terahertz radiation for imaging and sensing in the medical and other industries. Read more >>

Nanostructures for radiation detection

Our research programme includes researching materials for rapid x-ray/neutron imaging, and 2D dosimeters, with a focus on transparency, optical conversion and read out methods. Projects include: a portable fibre-optic dosimeter prototype reader designed so that dose and dose rate can be read out during irradiation and cumulative dose can be read out at any time; and a portable x-ray imaging plate with the potential to enable x-ray imaging “in the field”. Read more >>

Development of new materials for plastic electronic devices

This programme aims to develop commercial, plastic-based materials and devices by combining New Zealand’s expertise in the design and synthesis of organic optical and photonic materials with Pusan National University of South Korea’s world class device development and fabrication facilities. IRL’s research, in conjunction with the universities of Massey and Otago, includes:

• the design, synthesis and characterisation of novel photonic and electronic materials based on our combined expertise in nanotechnology, composites, polymer chemistry, photonics and organic semiconductor materials 
• organic nonlinear optical materials, organic light-emitting polymers and organic/polymeric materials for photovoltaic cells (read about our research into materials that convert energy, in particular solar energy).