Characterization of Integrated Optical Strain Sensors Based on Silicon Waveguides

Abstract

Microscale strain gauges are widely used in micro electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) to measure strains such as those induced by force, acceleration, pressure or sound. We propose all-optical strain sensors based on micro-ring resonators to be integrated with MEMS. We characterized the strain-induced shift of the resonances of such devices. Depending on the width of the waveguide and the orientation of the silicon crystal, the linear wavelength shift per applied strain varies between 0.5 and 0.75 pm/microstrain for infrared light around 1550 nm wavelength. The influence of the increasing ring circumference is about three times larger than the influence of the change in waveguide effective index, and the two effects oppose each other. The strong dispersion in 220 nm high silicon sub-wavelength waveguides accounts for a decrease in sensitivity of a factor 2.2 to 1.4 for waveguide widths of 310 nm to 860 nm. These figures and insights are necessary for the design of strain sensors based on silicon waveguides.

Strain gauge using Si-based optical microring resonator

“…(2), Δn eff is the change in the amount of the effective refractive index. The effect of change on the ring circumference still is dominant [15], and a redshift of 0.20506 nm is obtained experimentally. Only the amount of redshift of the resonant spectrum eventually appears to reduce.…”

“…Several research groups have reported sensors based on siliconintegrated optical ring resonators, such as pressure sensors [11,12] and biochemical sensors [13,14]. J. Wouter reported [15] an application of particular interest for strain measurement based on silicon waveguides. The device sensitivity reached 0.5-0.75 pm∕microstrain.…”

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