Observation of two-photon fluorescence for Rhodamine 6G in microbubble resonators

Functionalization of Phosphate and Tellurite Glasses and Spherical Whispering Gallery Mode Microresonators

Active whispering gallery mode resonators made as spherical microspheres doped with quantum dots or rare earth ions achieve high quality factors and are excellent candidates for biosensors capable of detecting biomolecules at low concentrations. However, to produce quantum dot-doped microspheres, new low melting temperature glasses are sought, which require surface functionalization and antibody immobilization for biosensor development. Here, we demonstrate the successful functionalization of three low melting point glasses and microspheres made of them. The glasses were made from sodium borophosphate, sodium aluminophosphate, and tellurite, and then, they were functionalized using (3-glycidyloxypropyl)trimethoxysilane in ethanol- and toluene-based protocols. Proper silanization was confirmed by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and fluorescence microscopy of an amino-modified luminescent oligonucleotide probe. Fluorescence imaging showed successful silanization for all tested samples and no degradation for aluminophosphate and tellurite glasses. The strongest signal was registered for tellurite glass samples functionalized using the toluene-based silanization protocol. This conclusion implies that this functionalization method is the most efficient and is highly recommended for future antibody immobilization and biosensing application.

Two-photon and Three-photon Fluorescence of Triton X-100 in the Ultraviolet Region

We report, to our best knowledge, the first observation of two-photon and three-photon fluorescence of Triton X-100 (TX-100) in water and cyclohexane. The observed multiphoton fluorescence (MF) falls in the ultraviolet region 280-340nm as its one photon fluorescence does. Effects of excitation wavelengths and solution concentrations on the fluorescence spectra are investigated. We found the optimal excitation wavelength and solution concentration to obtain the strongest MF. For relatively weaker three-photon fluorescence, there exists fluctuation in its spectrum due to its small SNR. The peak wavelength is around 300nm and only varies slightly with the solution concentration, solvent type, and excitation wavelength, which is quite different from those of other luminophors. This work has extended the wave band of MF to the purple and ultraviolet regions of 280-340nm and study of TX-100 to nonlinear optics field. The results may be potentially applied in ultraviolet MF detection and in manufacturing ultraviolet multiphoton laser in the future. Although for the latter case, there is still a long way to go to enhance its fluorescence efficiency and cross section of stimulated emission beforehand.

Two-Photon Fluorescence Study of Olive Oils at Different Excitation Wavelengths

Two-photon fluorescence (TPF) of olive oils is discovered and observed experimentally for the first time. Variations of the single-photon fluorescence (SPF) and TPF with the excitation wavelength are investigated for four different olive oils. The results show that fluorescence of the cosmetic olive oils (COO) is very weak and exhibits only one spectral peak around 490 nm. While for the ordinary edible oils (OEO) whether they are during their shelf life or not, their fluorescence spectra may exhibit multiple peak structures. The short-term natural expiration only slightly weakens TPF of OEO. Moreover, the excitation wavelength affects the OEO spectra considerably in terms of the spectral peak number, the spectral peak position, and spectral shapes. When the excitation wavelength decreases from 700 nm, the whole TPF of the OEO also decreases. Relatively, however, the short wave band will decrease and disappear more quickly. While for the SPF, the long wave band will decrease and disappear first. The optimal excitation wavelengths to make the TPF strongest are around 700 nm and 640 nm for OEOs and COO, respectively. And effects of temperature on SPF and TPF of extra virgin olive oil are also explored. This work may be of significance for its potential applications in TPF detection and two-photon laser.

Nonlinear Optics in Microspherical Resonators

Nonlinear frequency generation requires high intensity density which is usually achieved with pulsed laser sources, anomalous dispersion, high nonlinear coefficients or long interaction lengths. Whispering gallery mode microresonators (WGMRs) are photonic devices that enhance nonlinear interactions and can be exploited for continuous wave (CW) nonlinear frequency conversion, due to their capability of confine light for long time periods in a very small volume, even though in the normal dispersion regime. All signals must be resonant with the cavity. Here, we present a review of nonlinear optical processes in glass microspherical cavities, hollow and solid.

Dye-enhanced third upconversion Raman overtone in the ultraviolet region under intense excitation of a 532 nm laser

We report, to our best knowledge, the first observation of enhanced third upconversion Raman overtone of water in the ultraviolet region 240-380 nm by Rhodamine 6G (R6G) under intense excitation of a 532 nm laser. Its spectral peak is mostly around 288 nm. This ultraviolet spectrum has also been obtained for purified water on the Raman spectrometer LRS-3 and fluorescence spectrometer RF-5301PC, which have photomultiplier tubes. The spectral profile is approximately a triangle in most cases. Moreover, an intense and broad background is also observed to appear in the spectrum. Additionally, the conventional visible luminescence spectrum of R6G is discovered to coexist with the ultraviolet one. In comparison, the visible spectrum is much more intense.

Packaged Droplet Microresonator for Thermal Sensing with High Sensitivity

Liquid droplet and quasi-droplet whispering gallery mode (WGM) microcavities have been widely studied recently for the enhanced spatial overlap between the liquid and WGM field, especially in sensing applications. However, the fragile cavity structure and the evaporation of liquid limit its practical applications. Here, stable, packaged, quasi-droplet and droplet microcavities are proposed and fabricated for thermal sensing with high sensitivity. The sensitivity and electromagnetic field intensity distribution are analyzed by Mie theory, and a quantified definition of the quasi-droplet is presented for the first time to the best of our knowledge. By doping dye material directly into the liquid, lasing packaged droplet and quasi-droplet microcavity sensors with a high thermal sensitivity of up to 205.3 pm/°C are experimentally demonstrated. The high sensitivity, facile fabrication, and mechanically robust properties of the optofluidic, packaged droplet microresonator make it a promising candidate for future integrated photonic devices.