INTELLECTUAL MERIT This is a vertically-integrated project, to synthesize new tellurite glasses,

1. “Glass Science, Processing and Optical Properties of Tellurite Fibers.”Jean Toulouse, Lehigh University, DMR 0701526 INTELLECTUAL MERIT This is a vertically-integrated project, to synthesize new tellurite glasses, cast or extrude these glasses into preforms and draw fibers with enhanced physical and optical properties, for infrared applications: Glasses are characterized for their physical properties (e.g. viscosity and glass flow) and optical properties (e.g. linear and nonlinear refractive indices)  Two types of fibers are fabricated: -solid core-clad fibers -microstructured fibers Fibers are tested with regards to the propagation of light and nonlinear optical effects.  New glass compositions are being developed for fibers with enhanced optical properties of fibers while preserving the good physical properties of tellurite glasses. A. Lin, et al., “Solid-core tellurite glass fiber for infrared and nonlinear applications,” Opt. Express,Vol. 17, No.19, 16716-16721 (2009). A. Lin, et al., “Tellurium enhanced non-resonant third-order nonlinearity in a germano-silicate optical fiber,” Appl. Opt., Vol. 48, No. 26, 4922-4925 (2009). a) b) 0.24dB/m c) a) Very low loss tellurite fiber b) Microstructured tellurite fiber c) Sideways view of fiber Newtonian and non-Newtonian flow regimes at different temperatures Strong nonlinear Optical Self-Phase Modulation in new tellurite fibers Broad Range of Transmission Into the mid-Infrared range

2. “Glass Science, Processing and Optical Properties of Tellurite Fibers.”Jean Toulouse, Lehigh University, DMR 0701526 • BROADER IMPACTS • By its nature and organizational structure, this project builds new bridges between different research areas and different scientific and technical communities and helps create and spread a new research culture amongst students. •  This research project is a collaboration between Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering and Physics, and is therefore multidisciplinary. •  The project is vertically integrated with each of the three parts closely linked (Glass synthesis and glass science, Glass Forming, and Glass and Fiber Optics) and therefore interdisciplinary. •  The graduate students involved in the three parts are in close contact, interacting daily with one another and therefore benefiting from an unusually broad training. • The project is developing new fibers that can transmit in the mid-IR wavelength range of great current technological interest (leading to several contacts with high tech companies) •  The project has offered research opportunities to 4 women each of the past two summers (see picture) Glass Science Glass Synthesis Simulation New composition DSCalorimetry Billet Fiber Drawing Glass Forming Extruded Preform Glass Flow Glass Optics Fiber Optics Degenerate Four Wave mixing of TeO2 much stronger than SiO2 Green emission Er-doped Tellurite fiber 4 REU women students, summer 2009