Optical microresonator device with thermal isolation

Patent · Tue Apr 02 04:00:00 EDT 2019

OSTI ID:1568152

Shaw, Michael J.

A thermal microring optical sensor is configured such that a portion of the optical resonator and its associated waveguide are encased within a cladding structure to minimize scattering losses along the waveguide and also provide improved evanescent coupling efficiency between the waveguide and the resonator. Functioning as a thermal sensor, incoming radiation modifies the temperature of the resonator, which changes its resonant frequency and, as a result, the percentage of light that it evanescently couples from the waveguide. The cladding structure also functions as a mechanical support for the resonator disk, eliminating the need for a pedestal to suspend the disk above the support substrate. Thermally-induced buckling of the optical waveguide is also reduced by encasing the susceptible portion of the waveguiding within the cladding structure.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-94AL85000; NA0003525
• Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC (Albuquerque, NM)
• Patent Number(s): 10,247,676
• Application Number: 15/661,725
• OSTI ID: 1568152
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English