Open AccessAll-silicon optical temperature sensor based on Multi-Mode Interference
Author(s) -
Andrea Irace,
G. Breglio
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.11.002807
Subject(s) - refractive index , sensitivity (control systems) , optics , interference (communication) , waveguide , materials science , silicon , position (finance) , phase (matter) , silicon photonics , maximization , optoelectronics , physics , electronic engineering , computer science , telecommunications , channel (broadcasting) , finance , quantum mechanics , economics , microeconomics , engineering
In this paper we present a novel approach to temperature sensing with optoelectronic devices which relies on the usage of bare silicon as the transducing material. The device is composed by a single mode input waveguide, a MMI region where a number of higher order modes is also allowed to propagate and two output waveguides. The refractive index variation in the MMI section due to temperature shifts induces different phase velocities of the various propagating modes. The position of the input and output waveguides together with the length and width of the MMI section are chosen in order to maximize the sensitivity of the device. Analytical calculations are presented together with BPM simulations aimed to the maximization of the sensitivity of the sensor as a function of its geometries.