RESONANT OPTICAL TRANSDUCERS FOR IN-SITU GAS DETECTION

摘要

Configurations for in-situ gas detection are provided, and include miniaturized photonic devices, low-optical-loss, guided-wave structures and state-selective adsorption coatings. High quality factor semiconductor resonators have been demonstrated in different configurations, such as micro-disks, micro-rings, micro-toroids, and photonic crystals with the properties of very narrow NIR transmission bands and sensitivity up to 10−9 (change in complex refractive index). The devices are therefore highly sensitive to changes in optical properties to the device parameters and can be tunable to the absorption of the chemical species of interest. Appropriate coatings applied to the device enhance state-specific molecular detection.

主权项

1. A resonant optical transducer, comprising:
a first electrical contact layer; a substrate in operative contact with said first electrical contact layer, said substrate including an internally fabricated mirror; an active gain medium in operative contact with said substrate; a second electrical contact layer in operative contact with said gain medium; two pillars in operative contact with said second electrical contact layer; a top layer supported by said pillars, wherein said top layer together with said second electrical contact layer and said pillars, forms an optical cavity having an intra-cavity gap, wherein said top layer includes a state selective oxide layer in operative contact with a reflective layer; and a mirror in operative contact with said top layer.