Sol-gel derived organic-inorganic hybrid materials for photonic applications

The author presents recent progress on sol-gel derived organic-inorganic hybrid materials, especially with photonic applications in mind. The classification, synthesis, forming and structural characterisation of this new class of materials, based on sol-gel derived siloxane matrices, are described. These new materials potentially combine the excellent optical properties of silica with the flexibility of incorporating organic moiety at the molecular level. The organic character can facilitate low temperature (<200°C) processing of thin films. The added organic moiety can be designed to influence the linear and nonlinear optical properties of the material. Potential photonic applications cover an enormous range, including passive and active waveguides, sensors, optical limiters and solid-state dye lasers