Partenaires de l'ANR NewLight
Collaborative Project :
Raman spectroscopy of Chalcogenide glasses doped with Rare Earth in the scope of the ANR PRC NEWLIGHT Project (2022-2025)
The aim of the NewLight project is to develop concentrators over a large part of the optical spectrum (visible SWIR-short-wavelength infrared- and MWIR-medium-wavelength infrared) with a systematic, multidisciplinary approach, combining materials and systems.
Fig.1: Left: scheme of a LED-pumped concentrator based on a Ce:YAG crystal (PCB : printed circuit board). Right: photo of Ce:YAG concentrator pumped by blue LEDs (bottom view of Fig.1 left). LEDs are seen by transparency, through the concentrator.
Inspired by solar concentrators, we will explore the concept of a "cascade concentrator": a first LED-pumped concentrator, called "primary", is used to pump a second concentrator, called "secondary". The materials are chosen so that the absorption and emission bands are matched, creating a cascade of wavelengths from the pumping LEDs to the emission of the secondary concentrator. Cascaded concentrators have the potential to emit an order of magnitude more light than current concentrators. The strategy of the NewLight project is to use well-known materials for the primary concentrators and to explore new materials for the secondary concentrators. New crystals will be developed for the visible and SWIR bands. New glasses will be developed for the SWIR and MWIR bands.
Fig. 2: 2.5–5.5μm wavelength range with normalized mid-IR emission bands of Pr3+, Dy3+, Er3+ doped Ga5Ge20Sb10S(Se)65 glass (left) and energy level diagrams for Pr3+, Dy3+,Er3+ ions (right). Inset : photo of glasses produced by ISCR.
The proposed structures should allow to break luminance and power records for incoherent broad spectrum sources, setting up LCs as new reference sources. The NewLight project will open up new fields of application, with simple, reliable and robust solutions with a high potential impact on the photonics industry. Potential applications include: metrology, micro-spectroscopy, active SWIR imaging, red-green-blue projection, inspection and control of objects on production lines or light treatments in dermatology.
