Teaching Interests:
Solid State Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, Glass Science, Optical Materials,
Electrochemistry
Research Interests:
Research sponsored by NSF-DMR “Materials World Network” and 3M Corporation
Infrared Glass Ceramics with new functionalities:
This project aims at developing a new generation of advanced glass ceramics
with tailored functionalities for a range of application in infrared optics.
Various nucleating agents can be added to a chalcogenide glass matrix to
produce nano-crystal and generate materials with new and unique properties.
This results in a wide range of potential applications including, non-linear
properties for second harmonic generation, nanoporous structures for infrared
sensing, near-zero thermal dispersion for highly sensitive optical systems
and rare earth doping for high efficiency luminescence.
Photoinduced effects in chalcogenide glass:
A low-cost laser microfabrication technique for processing optical components
such as waveguide and gratings using photosensitive chalcogenide glasses
is developed. This technique has great potential for fast and cheap processing
of telecom devices, bio-sensors and other IR imaging devices. This research
activities consists in measuring and understanding the mechanism of structural
relaxation effect in the glass during laser processing. Structural changes
are induced with a laser in various chalcogenide glasses. Using this technique
the glass can even be "melted" at room temperature. This research
is conducted to determine the mechanism of these phenomenon, their wavelength,
temperature and composition dependence. Many applications follow such as
optical memories or waveguide writing.
Live-Cell based bio-optic sensors
Live human lung cells are coated onto an IR transparent chalcogenide glasses
fibres and their “health” is monitored by recording their IR vibrational
spectra. This Fiber Evanescent Wave Spectroscopy technique (FEWS) uses a
single chalcogenide fiber as the sensor and transmission line for IR optical
signal. The sensing zone of the fiber is coated with live human cells that
act as a sensitizer for detection of minute quantities of toxicant and bio-hazardous
molecules. A monolayer of human alveolar epithelial cells form strong attachment
at the surface of the fiber sensing zone and live in contact with the fiber
while their IR spectra is collected remotely. Biochemical change in the living
cells are detected during exposure to toxic agents. Variations in the spectroscopic
features of the cells can be observed in different spectral regions. This
research field is currently a high priority due to its direct relevance to
issues of homeland security
Selected Publications:
• P. Lucas, E. A. King, A. Doraiswamy, P. Jivaganont, Competitive photostructural
effects in Ge-Se glass. Phys. Rev. B, 71, 104207 (2005)
• P. Lucas, E. A. King, Calorimetric characterization of photo-induced relaxation
in GeSe9 glass. J. Appl. Phys. (2006) in press.
• P. Lucas, Measurement of Optical Properties of Solids, Encyclopedia of Modern
Optics, edited by R. D. Guenther, D. G. Steel and L. Bayvel, Elsevier, Oxford,
(2004)
• P. Lucas, M R. Riley, C. Boussard-Pldel, B. Bureau, Advances in chalcogenide
fibers evanescent-wave biochemical sensing, Analytical Biochemistry, 351, 1
(2006) (Review paper)
• P. Lucas, E. A. King, A. D. Horner, B. R. Johnson, S.K. Sundaram, Photostructural
relaxation in As-Se-S glasses: effect of network fragility. J. Non-Cryst. Solids,
(2006) in press.
• P. Lucas, A. Doraiswamy, E. A. King, Photoinduced structural relaxation in
chalcogenide glasses. J. Non-Cryst. Solids, 332, 35 (2003).
• C. R. Schardt, P. Lucas, A. Doraiswamy, P. Jivaganont, J. H. Simmons, Raman
Temperature Measurement During Photostructural changes in GexSe1-x Glass. J.
Non-Cryst. Solids, 351, 1653 (2005)
• P. Lucas, M. A. Solis, D. Le Coq, C. Juncker, M. R. Riley, J. Collier, D.
E. Boesewetter, C. Boussard-Plédel, B. Bureau, Infrared biosensors using
hydrophobic chalcogenide fibers sensitized with live cells, Sensors and actuators
B, (2006) in press
• P. Lucas, D. Le Coq, C. Juncker, J. Collier, D. E. Boesewetter, C. Boussard-Plédel,
B. Bureau, M. R. Riley, Evaluation of toxic agent effects on lung cells by
Fiber Evanescent Wave Spectroscopy (FEWS) Applied Spectroscopy 59, 40 (2005)
• B. Bureau, X. H. Zhang, F. Smektala, J.-L. Adam, J. Lucas, J. Troles, H.-L.
Ma, C. Boussard-Pledel, P. Lucas, D. Le Coq, M. R. Riley, Joseph H. Simmons,
Recent advances in chalcogenide glasses. J. Non-Cryst. Solids, 345, 276 (2004)