Abstract

The dynamically increasing role of photonics, which penetrates continuously extending application area, necessitates research of novel, efficient light sources operating in a wide spectral range. Specifically, the development of modern information technologies, focused on optical data processing, transmission and storage, calls for a new class of coherent and non-coherent light sources and active components. Apart from progress in data processing and storage, also a significant evolution of fiber-optic communication systems was observed in the past two decades, resulting primarily in rapid development of Fiber-To-The-Home networks, as well as in various sensing and controlling systems, in which the typically deployed silica glass fibers are more frequently replaced by plastic optical fibers (POFs). This in turn stimulates development of adequate light sources and amplifiers, which would be compatible with polymer media. Development of novel class of composite materials, combining attractive luminescent properties of active crystals with low cost and excellent mechanical properties of polymer matrices, seems to be one of the most promising ways of meeting those demands. Active composites based on polymer matrices can potentially revolutionize the market of coherent short-wavelength light sources (particularly operating in the green-orange spectral range, available to a limited extent for semiconductor lasers), giving also significant impact into the market of incoherent light emitters.

© 2011 Optical Society of America