NIT Strategic Workshop Emerging Technologies for Future Optical and Wireless Networks September 8 & 9, 2003 Laser Nanofabrication Tools for Photonics and BioPhotonics Peter Herman Electrical and Computer Engineering University of Toronto Abstract. Laser microprocessing tools have made deep advances into the ‘nano’ domain to enable the precise fabrication of miniature optical components for a wide range of photonic applications. This talk overviews our work with deep-ultraviolet and short-pulse lasers in surface structuring and internal index modification especially aimed at the fabrication, trimming, and repair of micro-optical components and circuits. Topics to be presented include the formation of diffractive optical elements, thin-film grating reflectors, and buried optical waveguides. The laser processes are further extensible to the integration of optical devices with biological functions-monolithiclly on a common transparent substrate-for manipulating and probing of cells in a biophotonic laboratory on a chip. Buried single-mode waveguides, written to intersect 10-50 um wide microfluidic channels, are described for the efficient guiding of visible and near-IR light to cellular dimensions in the channels. Overall, the laser processes offer attractive approaches for rapid prototyping and optimization of optical, biological, and other sensor functions on the nano-scale dimensions required for shaping and integrating high finesse devices into compact systems on a chip. Biography. Peter Herman focuses on two frontiers of laser technology -- extreme short wavelength and ultrafast -- directed towards novel materials processing applications. These include laser processes for defining photonic components, writing 3-D optical circuits, packaging, nanofabrication of photonic crystals, and integration of photonic functions for cell and gene biophotonic chips. Professor Herman is a Fellow of the Optical Society of America, and an active member of the OSA, SPIE, and the Laser Institute of America. His research group interacts with several academic and industrial partners and has published more than 100 scientific journal and conference papers. More info: Prof. Herman's web site