NExt generation of Tuneable LASers for optical coherence tomography (NETLAS)
Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is an established, non-invasive imaging technique that uses low-coherence light to capture multidimensional images with micrometer-resolution. It is used in medical imaging and industrial non-destructive testing. Tunable lasers for OCT could optimize, upgrade and widen the use of this technology. The EU-funded NETLAS project will train European industry and innovation leaders in this field through an ‘Innovative Training Network’. Fifteen early stage researchers will participate in interdisciplinary research in collaboration with potential beneficiaries: five higher education institutions, three companies with associated hospitals and a non-profit institute.
We work on laser systems for communication-, Terahertz-, and Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT). A key element are micromechanically tuned vertical surface emitting lasers (MEMS-VCSEL) with unprecedented tuning range of more than 100 nm. It consists of a half-VCSEL containing the active medium, the contact structure, a buried tunnel junction and the bottom Bragg mirror. The top mirror is composed of a thermally tuned Bragg mirror (DBR). Advantages of the VCSEL structure besides huge tuning range are compactness and a circular beam that can comparatively easily be coupled into an optical fiber. VCSELs as well as MEMS filters with even larger bandwidth will be tailored to OCT applications in NETLAS.
For further details, please refer to:
| Project responsible: Sascha Preu |
| Team members: |
| Irene Rodriguez Lamoso (PhD student) designs micro-electro-mechanical (MEMS) filters for lasers with extreme tuning ranges that shall be applied within optical coherence tomography (OCT) systems of the project partners. |
| Mojdeh Vakili Tabatabaei (PHD student) develops electro-optically tuned filters for lasers with extreme tuning range. |
| Collaboration Partners: |
| See https://netlas.aogkent.uk/ |
