RL 2 – Solid state lasers and photonic devices for integrated

systems

 Femtosecond laser micromachining

 Theoretical photonics

 Innovative infrared laser systems

 Spectroscopy of gases and liquids

 Laser gas sensing and optical metrology

 FEMTOSECOND LASER MICROMACHINING
Creating 3D photonic structures in transparent materials

Activities
• Integrated quantum photonic circuits: Integrated quantum optics
in complex 3D photonic circuits for quantum simulation and quantum
computation
• Integrated quantum diamond photonics: Laser writing of optical
components in diamond for quantum sensing and magnetometry
• Optofluidics for biophotonics: Manipulation and imaging of single
cells by optical forces and microscopy on-chip
• Direct writing of metamaterials: Photopolymerization of 3D
micro/nano-structures for novel material properties
• Astrophotonics: Integrated interferometers for stellar interferometry

Ms Thesis titles
1) Photonic circuits for quantum simulation and computation on-chip
2) Laser-written photonic components in diamond for quantum sensing
3) Advanced microscopy in an optofluidic chip
4) Nanostructured metamaterials with phononic bandgaps
5) Astrophotonics: Integrated interferometers coupled to telescopes

Contacts: prof. Roberto Osellame – roberto.osellame@polimi.it

dr. Shane Eaton – shane.eaton@gmail.com (for the activity on diamond)
THEORETICAL PHOTONICS
Nanostructures, metasurfaces, parity-time and topological photonics

Activities
• Linear and nonlinear ultrafast properties of metal-
dielectric nanostructures: Modeling ultrafast
response of metal-dielectric materials, design of
innovative nanosystems for ultra-fast optical switching

• Optical metasurfaces: New ways for light

manipulation at the nanoscale based on scattering in
synthetic optical meta-surfaces

• Parity-time and topological photonics: The forefront

routes for molding the flow of photons in synthetic
media inspired by concepts of quantum physics and
topological phases of matter

Ms Thesis titles
1) Metasurfaces for all-optical modulators
2) Fano resonances and topological insulator lasers
Requirements: strong theoretical skillness, knowledge of advanced
topics in quantum physics and optics, MatLab, numerical methods

Contact: prof. Giuseppe Della Valle – giuseppe.dellavalle@polimi.it

INNOVATIVE INFRARED LASER SYSTEMS
Synthesis of novel light sources for precision measurements

Activities
• Ultra-fast laser systems: Design, realization, and
characterization of femtosecond laser systems in the near
and mid-infrared spectral region
• Near-IR & Mid-IR optical frequency combs: Development
and characterization of optical frequency comb synthesizers
in the “molecular fingerprint” spectral region from 1 to 5 µm
• Ultra-stable lasers: Development and characterization of
frequency-stabilized lasers against molecular absorption
lines and high-finesse optical cavities

SESAM

Ms Thesis titles
1) Femtosecond Dy-ZBLAN fiber laser at 3 µm
2) Mid-IR optical frequency comb based on fs Cr:ZnSe laser system
3) High-power Yb fiber laser system at 1 µm
4) Optical frequency standard at 8.6 µm
5) Astrocomb for exoplanet observation

Contact: prof. Gianluca Galzerano – gianluca.galzerano@polimi.it

SPECTROSCOPY OF GASES AND LIQUIDS
Comb spectrometers for gas analysis and chemometrics of liquids

Activities
• Fiber-format optical frequency comb: Desing and
implementation of fiber-format optical frequency comb sources
for precision spectroscopy
• Precision spectroscopy of gases and liquids: Development
of ultra-sensitive setups for detection of trace compounds and
contaminants in gases and liquids
• Spectral processing: Advanced processing of spectral data for
classification and chemometrics of components in gases and
liquids

Ms Thesis titles
1) Dual-comb CARS detection of hazardous chemicals in
drinkable water
2) Stand-off detection of anthrax spores by single-beam
CARS spectroscopy
3) Development of a FTIR spectrometer for wine analysis

Contact: prof. Nicola Coluccelli– nicola.coluccelli@polimi.it

 LASER GAS SENSING and OPTICAL METROLOGY
Spectroscopy for environment, combustion & fundamental physics

Activities
• Cavity-enhanced absorption spectroscopy:
Development of a tool for trace gas sensing at few
parts per billion for environmental monitoring and
breath analysis

• Novel Mid-IR sources for chemical kinetic

studies: Synthesis of Mid-IR frequency combs by
nonlinear optics for fast time-resolved detection of
chemicals in combustion processes

• Coherent Raman spectroscopy: Development of

a Raman spectrometer for optical metrology of
molecular hydrogen (H2) and comparison with
quantum mechanical models

Ms Thesis titles
1. ppb-level cavity-enhanced spectrometer for trace gas
sensing
2. DFG frequency combs for time-resolved spectroscopy
3. Ultimate precision molecular hydrogen metrology

Contact: prof. Marco Marangoni – marco.marangoni@polimi.it