Grant: Alliance Grants
Institut national de la recherche scientifique
$183,552.00
Advanced mid-infrared ultrafast laser technologies and their applications
FY 2023-24
Summary
There is a growing interest for lasers operating in the mid-IR spectral range. This is driven by unique scientific applications including nonlinear optical spectroscopy, frequency conversion, supercontinuum generation, medical applications with laser surgery, environmental monitoring through molecular vibrational spectroscopy, and material processing for advanced manufacturing. To support Canadian companies to advance their portfolios and business ventures in this expanding market, we are proposing a collaborative university-industry project to develop novel mid-IR laser technologies as well as their applications to enhance their commercial values. This research effort is supported by three companies, including two from Canada (Femtum and Axis Photonique) and one from France (GLOphotonics). Through this collaboration, GLO is interested in establishing stronger relationships with Canadian scientists and companies to develop a technology capable of generating high-power ultrashort pulses in the mid-IR spectral range. This collaboration will allow GLO to establish itself in Canada to access more easily the North American market while providing an invaluable relationship with a growing European company. This project includes five research efforts capitalizing on complementary academic and industrial expertise. This includes: (1) the development of high-power mid-IR lasers delivering picosecond to sub-nanosecond pulses, (2) reducing the pulse duration of mid-IR laser systems using specialized hollow core waveguides with the objective of generating sub-100 femtosecond laser pulses at 2.8 microns, (3) material processing of low bandgap materials using multiphoton absorption with a focus on silicon, (4) THz chemical microscopy based on mid-IR laser technology and their applications in various sectors, especially in energy science, and (5) detection and sorting of microplastics using mid-IR photoacoustic spectro-microscopy. This project will be realized over three years and will enable to train highly qualified personnel that Canada needs for its knowledge-based economy including four Ph.D. and six undergraduate students, and two postdoctoral fellows.
Program
Alliance Grants
Location
Quebec, Canada
Recipient Type
Academia
Type
Grant
Source
NSERC's Awards Data
As published
Application id
576849-2022
Name nom
Légaré, François F
Department département
Énergie Matériaux Télécommunications, Centre - Varennes
Organization id
56
Institution établissement
Institut national de la recherche scientifique
Province en
Québec
Province fr
Québec
Country en
CANADA
Country fr
CANADA
Fiscal year exercice financier
2023
Competition year année de concours
2022
Award amount
183552
Program id
ALLRP
Program name en
Alliance Grants
Program name fr
Subventions Alliance
Group en
RESEARCH PARTNERSHIPS
Group fr
PARTENARIATS DE RECHERCHE
Committee code
96
Committee name en
RPP Internal Decision Cttee
Committee name fr
Cté de décision interne - PPR
Area of application code
515
Area of application group en
Manufacturing processes and products
Area of application group fr
Procédés et produits industriels
Area of application en
Instrumentation technology
Area of application fr
Technologie de l'instrumentation
Research subject code
3403
Research subject group en
Physical chemistry
Research subject group fr
Spectroscopy
Research subject en
Chimie physique
Research subject fr
Spectroscopie
Application title
Advanced mid-infrared ultrafast laser technologies and their applications
Keyword
Environmental sensing; Light-matter interaction; Materials processing; Mid-infrared lasers; Nonlinear optics; Pulse compression; Pulsed laser technologies; THz science and technology; Vibrational spectroscopy
Application summary
There is a growing interest for lasers operating in the mid-IR spectral range. This is driven by unique scientific applications including nonlinear optical spectroscopy, frequency conversion, supercontinuum generation, medical applications with laser surgery, environmental monitoring through molecular vibrational spectroscopy, and material processing for advanced manufacturing. To support Canadian companies to advance their portfolios and business ventures in this expanding market, we are proposing a collaborative university-industry project to develop novel mid-IR laser technologies as well as their applications to enhance their commercial values. This research effort is supported by three companies, including two from Canada (Femtum and Axis Photonique) and one from France (GLOphotonics). Through this collaboration, GLO is interested in establishing stronger relationships with Canadian scientists and companies to develop a technology capable of generating high-power ultrashort pulses in the mid-IR spectral range. This collaboration will allow GLO to establish itself in Canada to access more easily the North American market while providing an invaluable relationship with a growing European company. This project includes five research efforts capitalizing on complementary academic and industrial expertise. This includes: (1) the development of high-power mid-IR lasers delivering picosecond to sub-nanosecond pulses, (2) reducing the pulse duration of mid-IR laser systems using specialized hollow core waveguides with the objective of generating sub-100 femtosecond laser pulses at 2.8 microns, (3) material processing of low bandgap materials using multiphoton absorption with a focus on silicon, (4) THz chemical microscopy based on mid-IR laser technology and their applications in various sectors, especially in energy science, and (5) detection and sorting of microplastics using mid-IR photoacoustic spectro-microscopy. This project will be realized over three years and will enable to train highly qualified personnel that Canada needs for its knowledge-based economy including four Ph.D. and six undergraduate students, and two postdoctoral fellows.
