Creating optical polarimetry on a silicon chip

摘要标题：在微型光子集成电路中创建光学偏振测量，用于按需识别材料、化学和生物分析以及环境检测摘要：非技术描述：光学偏振测量为实现传感系统中的对比度提供了独特的透镜，传递了通常无法通过任何其他手段获得的信息。偏振特征的独特性产生了几乎跨越所有科学和技术领域的应用，包括材料表征、化学和生物分析、环境遥感和天文物体测量。然而，最先进的光学偏振测量涉及相对较大和笨重的仪器，缺乏便携性，需要广泛的对准，限制了测量到实验室。将光学偏振仪小型化到微电子电路的规模，将把偏振仪从大规模的实验室仪器转变为便携式的按需平台。独特的传感模式可能应用于高血糖波动的实时监测、微量化合物的分析以及与食品工业相关的生物技术开发。微型传感器系统的社会重要性推动了综合教育计划的重点。该计划通过开发全球科学家和工程管道，为产生综合研究思维的集成光学课程创建新的模块，并在研究计划中吸收研究生和本科生、代表性不足的群体和少数族裔，来应对将科学和工程与日益全球化的社会问题联系起来的挑战。技术描述：到目前为止，几乎所有基于样品光谱和强度信息的传感模式都已被微型化，从实验室规模的仪器到微电子电路的规模，除了光学偏振测量。由于传感方式需要在块状晶体或光纤中实现的诸如延迟器和偏振器之类的偏振控制部件，所以光学偏振测量还不能在芯片规模上使用。在光子集成电路上操纵偏振态已被证明是难以捉摸的。为了克服这一障碍，本文首次提出了一套集理论、设计、分析、制造、测试于一体的在硅片上实现光学偏振测量的综合研究方案。其目的是通过实验演示片上任意偏振态产生器和片上任意偏振态分析器，它们通过与感兴趣的样品重叠光波的区域互连。该方法利用了三维硅光波导中Berry位相的偏振旋转特性。能够产生和确定任意偏振态的光子集成电路将被创造出来。将二向色性、折射率、旋光性、双折射和去偏振的偏振测量引入芯片尺度。该设计和建模方法基于偏振相关耦合模理论和麦克斯韦方程的数值解。该芯片将在俄亥俄州立大学使用纳米级制造技术制造。出于测试、测量和验证的目的，将测量大量固态和液态样品。测量结果将与目前实验室规模的光学偏振仪进行比较。设想了集成电路中变换式按需偏振传感器系统的体系结构。

Abstract title: Creating optical polarimetry in miniature photonic integrated circuits for point-of-need materials identification, chemical and biological analysis, and environmental sensingAbstract: Non-technical description: Optical polarimetry provides a unique lens for achieving contrast in sensing systems, conveying information that generally cannot be acquired by any other means. The uniqueness of polarization signatures yields applications that span virtually all areas of science and technology, including materials characterization, chemical and biological analysis, remote sensing of the environment, and measurements of astronomical objects. The state-of-the-art in optical polarimetry involves, however, relatively large and bulky instrumentation that lacks portability and requires extensive alignment, restricting measurements to the laboratory. Miniaturization of optical polarimeters to the scale of a microelectronic circuit would transform polarimeters from large-scale laboratory instrumentation to portable point-of-need platforms. Unique sensing modalities become possible for applications spanning real time monitoring of hyperglycemic swings, analysis of trace chemical compounds, and development of biotechnology relevant to food industries. The societal importance of miniaturized sensor systems drives the focus of the integrated educational plan. The plan responds to the challenge of linking science and engineering to increasingly global societal problems by developing a global scientist and engineer conduit, creating new modules for integrated optics curriculum that engenders integrative research thinking, and involving graduate and undergraduate students, underrepresented groups, and minorities in the research program.Technical description: To date, virtually all sensing modalities based on spectral and intensity information of a sample have been miniaturized from laboratory scale instrumentation to the scale of a microelectronic circuit, except for optical polarimetry. Optical polarimetry has not been accessible on the chip-scale because the sensing modality requires polarization controlling components such as retarders and polarizers that are implemented in bulk crystals or optical fiber. Manipulating the state of polarization on a photonic integrated circuit has proven to be elusive. To overcome this obstacle, a comprehensive research program is proposed involving theory, design, analysis, fabrication, and test to realize optical polarimetry on a silicon chip for the first time. The objectives are to experimentally demonstrate an on-chip arbitrary polarization state generator and an on-chip arbitrary polarization state analyzer that are interconnected by a region that overlaps the optical wave with a sample of interest. The approach harnesses the polarization rotating properties of Berry's phase in three-dimensional silicon optical waveguides. Photonic integrated circuits will be created that are capable of generating and determining arbitrary states of polarization. Polarimetric measurements of dichroism, diattenuation, optical activity, birefringence, and depolarization are brought to the chip-scale. The design and modeling approach is based on polarization dependent coupled mode theory and numerical solutions of Maxwell's equations. The chip will be fabricated at Ohio State University using nano-scale fabrication techniques. A host of samples in the solid and liquid phases will be measured for the purposes of test, measurement, and validation. Measurements will be compared with current laboratory scale optical polarimeters. Transformational point-of-need polarimetric sensor system architectures in integrated circuits are envisioned.