Theoretical model of a planar waveguide refractive index sensor assisted by a corrugated long period metal grating

A theoretical model of a novel planar integrated refractive index sensor based on surface plasmon-polariton (SPP) excitation with a corrugated metal long period grating (LPG) is presented and comprehensively investigated. The main principle of the operation this device is based on co-directional energy transfer by means of a corrugated metal LPG between a p-polarized guided mode propagating in a waveguide layer and the SPP propagating a metal layer separated from the waveguide layer by a buffer. The corrugated LPG is engraved in the metal layer in contact with the sensed medium. The power transmitted through the LPG in the guided mode serves as an input signal for an interrogation unit. This device is free from any moving parts and can be simply integrated into any planar waveguide system. Our sensor simulations are based on the local-normal-mode transfer matrix method and performed in telecom wavelength range.     

Electrically controlled waveguide mode in LC layer for fiber optic applications

A new electrically controlled waveguide mode for optical beams propagating in the plane of a liquid crystal (LC) layer is described. The mode is based on the total internal reflection of light beams from two parallel boundaries, which separates the regions of a liquid crystal cell with different director orientations and refractive indices. In experiments electric field was applied to the initially planar layer to produce the channel with a homeotropic orientation surrounded by the planar regions. It results in focusing and waveguide propagation of a light beam emitted by an optical fiber inserted in a liquid crystal cell. Scattering of light by thermal LC director fluctuations is used to visualize light beams propagation. The obtained waveguide mode can be used for an elaboration of electrically controlled LC switches with low operating voltages. The prototype of such device made with usage of a photolithography and a photo alignment technique is described. The possible ways of optimization of LC-switch are considered.     

Fiber-Bragg-grating-assisted surface plasmon-polariton sensor

A theoretical scheme for a new surface plasmon-polariton (SPP) fiber sensor with a fiber Bragg grating imprinted into the fiber core for SPP excitation is presented for the first time to our knowledge. In our scheme the energy in the fiber core mode can be transferred to a SPP with high efficiency by means of a properly designed short-period fiber Bragg grating (SPG). Developed for the cylindrical (fiber) geometry, our scheme without loss of generality can be applied to a planar geometry. Our simulations are based on the coupled-mode method and are performed at telecommunications wavelengths.     

Numerical analysis of plasmon polarition refractive index fiber sensors with hollow core and a long period grating

The main principle of this design is based on the efficient energy transfer between the waveguide mode (WM) and the co-directional SPP provided by a properly designed fiber long period grating (LPG). This LPG is imprinted into a waveguide fiber layer of a specially designed hollow core optical fiber. The simulations are based on the finite element method (FEM) algorithm in electromagnetics and coupled mode theory for gratings. Compared to the previous proposed structure using a fiber Bragg grating (FBG), this novel kind of sensor can greatly enhance the refractive index sensitivity, e.g., from 5.93 nm/RIU (with FBG) to 817 nm/RIU (with LPG) at the sensing refractive index of 1.40. The other advantage is that the working conditions can be performed for the well-developed telecom wavelength windows 1500-1600 nm.     

金属异质波导阵列中的表面等离激元传播特性

提出了一种新的一维金属异质波导阵列的设计方案,即波导芯区周期调制的金属波导阵列.数值模拟的结果表明,金属波导芯区的周期调制引起波导中传播的表面等离激元有效折射率的周期调制,从而可在特定的波段打开一个表面等离激元带隙(如1550nm附近).通过引入合适的缺陷波导单元,可获得特定波长的高品质因子(Q=556)的表面电磁模共振.这一结果可用于设计亚波长的布拉格反射器、光发射器、滤波器等,有可能被用于未来的集成光路.     

Compact surface plasmon amplifier in nonlinear hybrid waveguide

Surface plasmon polariton(SPP), a sub-wavelength surface wave promising for photonic integration, always suffers from the large metallic loss that seriously restricts its practical application. Here, we propose a compact SPP amplifier based on a nonlinear hybrid waveguide(a combination of silver, LiNbO_3, and SiO_2), where a couple of Bragg gratings are introduced in the waveguide to construct a cavity. This special waveguide is demonstrated to support a highly localized SPP-like hybrid mode and a low loss waveguide-like hybrid mode. To provide a large nonlinear gain, a pumping wave input from the LiNbO_3 waveguide is designed to resonate inside the cavity and satisfy the cavity phase matching to fulfill the optical parametric amplification(OPA) of the SPP signal. Proper periods of gratings and the cavity length are chosen to satisfy the impedance matching condition to ensure the high input efficiency of the pump wave from the outside into the cavity. In theoretical calculations, this device demonstrates a high performance in a very compact scheme(~3.32 μm) and a much lower pumping power for OPA compared with single-pass pumping. To obtain a comprehensive insight into this cavity OPA, the influences of the pumping power, cavity length, and the initial phase are discussed in detail.     

Disposable and compact integrated plasmonic sensor using a long-period grating

This Letter theoretically proposes and investigates an integrated plasmonic sensor that is based on a grating-assisted coupling between a surface plasmon polariton (SPP) and a dielectric waveguide (DW) mode. It consists of a glass slide with a gold film for the propagation of an SPP and a separate DW with a long-period grating. For sensing, the two parts are temporarily combined. After sensing, the former is replaceable, and so the sensor has disposability. The design procedure and analysis method for the sensor are explained. The designed sensor is shown to be very compact. Its characteristics of sensing a change of the refractive index of liquid are analyzed and discussed.     

Resonant interaction of a magneto-hydrodynamic wave with its second harmonic in a planar plasma filled waveguide

To describe the nonlinear interactions of a magneto-hydrodynamic wave with its second harmonic propagating in a planar waveguide filled with cold magnetized plasma, coupled mode equations have been derived. Solution of these equations shows the possibility of energy transfer between the fundamental and the second harmonic.     

Grating coupled interferometry for optical sensing

An interferometric sensor based on gratings on a planar waveguide is introduced. The device combines the advantages of known interference-based waveguide sensors with the simplicity of grating couplers. In the presented configuration, two parallel and coherent light beams, laterally separated in the direction of mode propagation, are coupled into a planar waveguide through a grating. One of the coupled beams is phase modulated using a periodically relaxing liquid crystal modulator, resulting in a time varying intensity signal at the end face of the waveguide. Refractive index changes within the waveguide section between the two coupling regions are monitored by observing characteristic changes in the intensity signal.     

金属光栅对表面等离子体波的辐射抑制研究

对金属光栅进行严格耦合波理论计算, 得到了780和1500 nm波长入射光条件下不同光栅调制深度(20-80 nm)对应的反射谱. 根据Fano理论推导了描述反射谱线的经验公式, 最后应用有限元法计算光栅表面近场电场分布, 验证了公式的正确性. 反射谱线公式反映出光栅耦合表面等离子体的各个物理效应, 其中最重要的是反映出光栅在某一调制深度下对表面等离子体反耦合的抑制作用, 这一发现为设计光栅能量约束器件提供了物理依据.     

一种新型的光子晶体偏振光分束器的设计

基于光波在直波导和复合结构光子晶体中的传播特性,结合平面波展开法和时域有限差分法,提出并讨论了一种新型的超紧凑的光子晶体偏振光分束器. 它是由输入波导,分束结构和输出波导三部分组成. 对这种结构的三角晶格光子晶体光分束器的数值计算与模拟结果表明,该结构可以实现TE模和TM模的高效大角度分离,并且在通信波段设计尺寸小,这些特性使其在未来的集成光回路中有着重要的应用前景. 关键词： 偏振光分束器 能带结构 平面波展开法 时域有限差分法     

Sensitivity enhancement in TE mode nonlinear planar optical waveguide sensor with metamaterial layer

The dispersion equation of the TE mode nonlinear planar optical waveguide with metamaterial layer was derived, and the sensitivity of the waveguide sensor was analyzed. The influences of structural parameters on the sensitivity of the waveguide sensor were investigated. We verify that the waveguide sensor with metamaterial layer can dramatically enhance the sensitivity compared with other waveguide sensors.     

平面光波导光场分布的有限时域差分法计算

用有限时域差分法计算了简单三层对称平面光波导中的光场,得到了任意截面上光场的分布.这一方法的优点在于它能完全模拟波导中光场的时域特性,使波导中的光传播完全可视化,模拟横向传播,提取光在波导中的传输模式,也可用于有源波导的计算如光波导放大器.有限时域差分法直接求解依赖时间的麦克斯韦旋度方程,利用二阶精度的中心差分近似,把旋度方程中的微分符直接转换为差分形式.每一步计算都无须作矩阵求逆运算,因此,比其他数值计算方法更有效、精度更高.     

Performance study of a liquid-core Bragg fiber sensor in presence of a defect layer

Performance parameter of a Bragg fiber waveguide based resonant sensor in presence of a defect layer in cladding regions is theoretically studied. The Bragg fiber waveguide consists of a liquid-core surrounded by alternate high and low refractive indices materials in cladding regions. Reflectivity of the proposed waveguide based resonant sensor is formulated using transfer matrix method for a non-homogeneous multilayer cylindrical system. The waveguide shows a band gap region with a narrow defect mode in the band gap region under the considered wavelength range. Instead of taking a whole band gap as a sensing signal, here the defect peak is taken as the sensing signal. It is observed that the intensity of defect mode is more sensitive for core refractive index than the intensity of traditional band gap region (lobe). This study shows that the higher sensitivity can be achieved by creating the defect at a position in cladding region where the intensity of transmitted light lies between 40% and 90%. Presence of a defect layer is able to increase the detection accuracy of the sensor and, hence increase the overall performance of this sensor.     

Integrated optical biosensor for detection of multivalent proteins

We have developed a simple, highly sensitive and specific optical waveguide sensor for the detection of multivalent proteins. The optical biosensor is based on optically tagged glycolipid receptors embedded within a fluid phospholipid bilayer membrane formed upon the surface of a planar optical waveguide. Binding of multivalent cholera toxin triggers a fluorescence resonance energy transfer that results in a two-color optical change that is monitored by measurement of emitted luminescence above the waveguide surface. The sensor approach is highly sensitive and specific and requires no additional reagents and washing steps. Demonstration of protein-receptor recognition by use of planar optical waveguides provides a path forward for the development of fieldable miniaturized biosensor arrays.     

GaAs非对称X结波导混合耦合器的研究

本文报道了ＧａＡｓ非对称Ｘ结波导耦合器的工作原理。该器件制作在ｎ＾－／ｎ＾＋ＧａＡｓ外延材料上。文中采用有效折射率法分析了这个耦合器的分离角、波导脊高及其两个非对称波导传播常数差之间的关系。器件在λ＝１．１５μｍ下测量，得到了小于－２．９ｄＢ的分光性能和小于－２０ｄＢ的串音比。     

Theory of absorption integrated optical sensor of gaseous materials

The eigen and noneigen (leaky) modes of a three-layer planar integrated optical waveguide are described. The dispersion relation of a three-layer planar waveguide and other dependences are derived, and the cutoff conditions are analyzed. The diagram of propagation constants of the guided and radiation modes of an irregular asymmetric three-layer waveguide and the dependence of the electric field amplitudes of radiation modes of substrate on vertical coordinate in a tantalum integrated optical waveguide are presented. The operating principles of an absorption integrated optical waveguide sensor are investigated. The dependences of sensitivity of an integrated optical waveguide sensor on the sensory cell length, the coupling efficiency of the laser radiation into the waveguide, the absorption cross-section of the studied material, and the level of additive statistical noise are investigated. Some of the prospective areas of application of integrated-optical waveguide sensors are outlined.     

Highly Efficient Excitation of Surface Plasmons Using a Si Gable Tip

A compact and highly efficient technique to excite SPP mode at an Au/SiO₂ interface by using an engineered high index (silicon) gabled tip at the 1550 nm wavelength has been proposed. The optimized geometry of the Si tip enables a highly efficient excitation of the single interface SPP mode through near field interaction in an ultra‐compact setup. An experimental demonstration of the proposed scheme is also presented in the paper which converts 25.5% of the total input power to an SPP mode. With an improved fabrication, this efficiency can reach as high as 52%. The device is compact, facilitates on‐chip excitation of the SPP, its fabrication is compatible with the standard Si fabrication processes, and, as such it is expected to be very useful in the design of future integrated photonic circuits as well as integrated sensors. Also, this scheme can find applications in studying nonlinear characteristics of materials.     

Integrated SU-8 photonic gas sensors based on PANI polymer devices: Comparison between metrological parameters

In this work, we have designed and developed three families of integrated photonic sensors for ammonia detection. These photonic sensors are integrated onto single-mode TE₀–TM₀ SU-8 polymer planar waveguides and based on a polyaniline (PANI) sensitive polymer material. The first family relies on the deposit of a PANI–polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) composite sensitive layer on a given SU-8 waveguide. The second family relies on a PMMA passive layer deposited on the SU-8 waveguide before applying the PANI sensitive layer on the PMMA passive layer. The third family takes advantage of a PANI layer deposited by plasma technique directly onto the SU-8 waveguide. The working principle of such sensors is based on the optical intensity modulation induced within the single-mode waveguide owing to the interaction between the evanescent field and the sensitive layer. The sensing proprieties of these integrated photonic sensors to ammonia gas at room temperature were characterized and the comparison between these different families of photonic sensors is presented. Experimental results show that the sensor based on new plasma–PANI as sensitive layer has the better metrological parameters.     

Hologram recording and read-out with the evanescent field of guided waves

We investigate hologram recording and read-out where the evanescent field of a guided mode propagating in a planar waveguide is used as reference and illuminating wave, respectively. A special case of such a hologram is a new type of grating coupler promising beam to mode coupling with high coupling efficiency. First experiments with dichromated gelatin as the recording medium are reported as feasibility proof.