Monolithic optical interferometers for MEMS applications

Author

Zappe, H.P. ; Hofstetter, D. ; Maisenhölder, B.

Author_Institution

Paul Scherrer Inst., Zurich, Switzerland

fYear

1996

fDate

5-9 Aug. 1996

Firstpage

35

Lastpage

36

Abstract

We discuss two monolithically integrated interferometric sensor systems of interest for MEMS applications. The first is an optical displacement measurement microsystem on a chip; this system consists of a Michelson interferometer with an integrated DBR laser, waveguide photodetector and phase modulators. The second is configured as a Mach-Zehnder interferometer and is used for high-resolution refractometry with applications in biological and chemical sensing. Both of these sensor photonic integrated circuits employ the same optical and optoelectronic devices and share closely related fabrication technologies. The integrated interferometers were based on a GaAs/AlGaAs double heterostructure laser substrate, with one or more quantum wells in the active region.

Keywords

Mach-Zehnder interferometers; Michelson interferometers; chemical sensors; displacement measurement; distance measurement; integrated optics; integrated optoelectronics; microsensors; optical sensors; quantum well lasers; refractometers; GaAs-GaAlAs; GaAs/AlGaAs double heterostructure laser substrate; MEMS applications; Mach-Zehnder interferometer; Michelson interferometer; Si; biological sensing; chemical sensing; high-resolution refractometry; integrated DBR laser; monolithically integrated interferometric sensor systems; optical displacement measurement microsystem; phase modulators; quantum wells; sensor photonic integrated circuits; waveguide photodetector; Biomedical optical imaging; Chemical lasers; Integrated optics; Interferometers; Micromechanical devices; Optical interferometry; Optical modulation; Optical refraction; Optical sensors; Optical waveguides;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Advanced Applications of Lasers in Materials Processing/Broadband Optical Networks/Smart Pixels/Optical MEMs and Their Applications. IEEE/LEOS 1996 Summer Topical Meetings:

Conference_Location

Keystone, CO, USA

Print_ISBN

0-7803-3175-3

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/LEOSST.1996.540783

Filename

540783