OPTICAL SENSOR AND METHOD BASED ON THE PROPAGATION OF BRAGG SOLITONS IN NON-UNIFORM ONE-DIMENSIONAL PHOTONIC CRYSTALS

摘要

A method for measuring a change in a given environmental parameter, by: (i) implementing a non-uniform one-dimensional photonic crystal comprising: a first region used to obtain Bragg solitons; a second region used to slow down propagating Bragg solitons; and a third region used to de-couple transmitted Bragg solitons outside the one-dimensional photonic crystal; (ii) generating by a laser source pulses train for repetitive launching of Bragg solitons at a sufficiently stable frequency towards said non-uniform one-dimensional photonic crystal; (iii) tuning the laser light frequency and the one-dimensional photonic crystal's grating pitch to a point of high sensitivity, such that a low magnitude change in the environmental parameter triggers a high magnitude change in the output pulse characteristics; and (iv) detecting the change in the given environmental parameter by measuring the change in the measured output pulse characteristics, and estimating the environmental parameter change magnitude according to a predefined scale.