Carbon nanotube deposition and laser design

As a participant in the REU physics program at Kansas State University for summer 2009, my research project consisted of three main components. I helped build a carbon nanotube fiber laser, assisted in characterizing the carbon nanotubes and began research on a variety of adjustments to the deposition process.These variations included attempting carbon nanotube deposition on photonic bandgap fiber instead of single mode fiber, eliminating the circulator and testing deposition on an angled cleave. My advisors were Kristan L. Corwin and Brian R. Washburn. In this site I include the Summary Statement, Project Details, Final Presentation, Project Poster, About Me section as well as a Gallery of photos from my KSU experience.

Carbon nanotubes (CNT's) have proven to be a novel direction in laser design, particularly when considering mode-locked lasers. The ability of CNT's to be deposited onto single mode fiber (SMF) ends allowed for the creation of a carbon nanotube fiber laser (CNFL). In addition to building this laser, we also made efforts in characterizing CNT properties in the laser cavity to better understand this groundbreaking material. Using what we have learned from the laser building process, we also began strides into the creation of a new CNFL utilizing a piezoelectric crystal. I also devoted time to exploring the deposition process, particularly by depositing carbon nanotubes on photonic bandgap fiber (PBGF), trying new ways to measure deposition, and determining deposition on an angled cleave.