Refractive Index Sensing Using a Three-Port Interferometer and Comparison with Ring Resonators

In this paper, we compare ring resonator and three-port Mach-Zehnder Interferometer (MZI) devices fabricated on silicon-on-insulator for the purpose of refractive index sensing. Their respective sensitivities and limits of detection (LOD) were determined with NaCl solutions. A sensitivity of 113.07 nm per refractive index unit (RIU) and LOD of 2...

Characterization of a photonic strain sensor in silicon-on-insulator technology

Characterization of the effects that play a role in photonic strain sensors in silicon-on-insulator technology

Recently there has been a growing interest in sensing by means of optical microring resonators in photonic integrated circuits (PIC) that are fabricated in silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology. Taillaert et al. proposed the use of a waveguide based ring resonator as a strain gauge. However, the strong lateral confinement of the light in SOI...

Optimized 3-D simulation method for modeling out-of-plane radiation in silicon photonic integrated circuits

We present an accurate and fast 3-D simulation scheme for out-of-plane grating couplers, based on 2-D rigorous [finite difference time domain (FDTD)] grating simulations, the effective index method, and the RayleighSommerfeld diffraction formula. In comparison with full 3-D FDTD simulations, the rms difference in electric field is below 5% and...

Characterization of the influence of strain on the optical properties of waveguides and microresonators in silicon-on-insulator technology

Silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology has become one of the focus platforms for photonic integrated circuits (PICs). The CMOS technology opens the possibility for reliable mass fabrication of cost-effective photonic circuits. Recently there has been a growing interest in direct optical sensing of, for example, temperature, pressure or strain,...

Vertical interconnection of SOI photonic integrated circuits

One of the important issues of System-on-a-package integration is the interconnection between independent Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs). In this work, this issue is addressed by the use of Vertical Grating Couplers (VGCs) as the element for the interconnection between two Silicon-on-Insulator (SOI) PICs. Theoretical simulations using the...