Dielectric optical waveguide sensors integrated with GaAs active devices

Conference · Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1992

OSTI ID:7160596

Carson, R F; Casalnuovo, S A; Sinclair, M B

Dielectric optical waveguides exhibit properties that are well suited to sensor applications. They have low refractive index and are transparent to a wide range of wavelengths. They can react with the surrounding environment in a variety of controllable ways. In certain sensor applications, its is advantageous to integrate the dielectric waveguide on a semiconductor substrate with active devices. In this work, we demonstrate a tamper sensor based on dielectric waveguides that connect epitaxial GaAs-GaAlAs sources and detectors. The tamper sensing function is by attaching particles of absorbing material with high refractive index to the surface of the waveguides. These absorbers are then attached to a lid or cover, as in an integrated circuit package or multi-chip module. The absorbers attenuate the light in the waveguides as a function of absorber interaction. The absorbers are placed randomly on the waveguides, to form a unique attenuation pattern that is registered by the relative signal levels on the photodetectors. When the lid is moved, the pattern of absorbers changes, altering the photodetector signals. The dielectric waveguide arrangement is applicable to a variety of sensor functions, and can make use of resonant coupling properties between low refractive index dielectric waveguides and high-index absorbing materials.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 7160596
• Report Number(s): SAND-92-0651C; CONF-9209184-3; ON: DE93000750
• Resource Relation: Conference: The International Society for Optical Engineering (SPIE) meeting, Boston, MA (United States), 8-11 Sep 1992
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION
42 ENGINEERING
PHOTODETECTORS
WAVEGUIDES
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
ALUMINIUM ARSENIDES
DIELECTRIC MATERIALS
ELECTRO-OPTICAL EFFECTS
GALLIUM ARSENIDES
INTEGRATED CIRCUITS
LIGHT EMITTING DIODES
REFRACTIVITY
TRANSFER FUNCTIONS
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
ARSENIC COMPOUNDS
ARSENIDES
ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS
FUNCTIONS
GALLIUM COMPOUNDS
MATERIALS
MICROELECTRONIC CIRCUITS
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PNICTIDES
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
SEMICONDUCTOR DIODES
440600* - Optical Instrumentation- (1990-)
426000 - Engineering- Components
Electron Devices & Circuits- (1990-)