Wavelength Interrogator for Optical Sensors Based on a Novel Thermo-Optic Tunable Filter in SOI

Author

Passaro, Vittorio M N ; Tsarev, Andrei V. ; De Leonardis, Francesco

Author_Institution

Dipt. di Elettrotec. ed Elettron., Politec. di Bari, Bari, Italy

Volume

30

Issue

13

fYear

2012

fDate

7/1/2012 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

2143

Lastpage

2150

Abstract

In this paper, the wavelength interrogation of optical sensors by novel thermo-optic tunable filters with multiple partially reflected slanted mirrors in silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology is presented. The tunable filter is used both for tunable band selection of broadband light source interrogating the optical sensors, as well as for precise detection of interrogation optical wavelength. New interrogator design is numerically studied by 2-D finite-difference time-domain and finite-element method for a compact structure. The investigation demonstrates the performance of an interrogator on SOI, 1 cm long, having about 1 pm wavelength resolution and 1 ms scanning over 40 nm range at 1550 nm, with an operation power of about 16 mW.

Keywords

finite difference time-domain analysis; finite element analysis; integrated optics; light sources; mirrors; optical design techniques; optical filters; optical sensors; optical tuning; silicon-on-insulator; thermo-optical devices; 2D finite-difference time-domain method; SOI; Si; broadband light source; compact structure; finite-element method; operation power; optical sensors; optical wavelength interrogation; partially reflected slanted mirrors; silicon-on-insulator; thermo-optic tunable filter; tunable band selection; wavelength interrogator; wavelength resolution; Heating; Optical fiber sensors; Optical filters; Optical reflection; Optical waveguides; Integrated optics; optical waveguide filters; silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology; thermo-optic (TO) effects;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Lightwave Technology, Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0733-8724

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/JLT.2012.2192907

Filename

6177206