Creating optical polarimetry on a silicon chip

摘要：在微型光子集成电路中创建光学偏振法，用于点对点材料识别、化学和生物分析以及环境传感。摘要：非技术描述：光学偏振法为传感系统中实现对比度提供了独特的透镜，传递了通常无法通过任何其他方式获得的信息。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，环境遥感和天体测量。然而，最先进的光学偏振测量涉及到相对较大和笨重的仪器，缺乏便携性，需要广泛的校准，限制了实验室的测量。将光学偏振光计小型化到微电子电路的规模，将使偏振光计从大型实验室仪器转变为便携式需求平台。独特的传感模式使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的发展成为可能。小型化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师渠道，为集成光学课程创建新的模块，以产生综合研究思维，并将研究生和本科生、未被充分代表的群体和少数民族纳入研究项目，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：迄今为止，几乎所有基于样品光谱和强度信息的传感方式都已从实验室规模的仪器小型化到微电子电路的规模，光学偏振法除外。光学偏振法还不能在芯片规模上实现，因为传感方式需要偏振控制组件，如在块状晶体或光纤中实现的延迟器和偏振器。操纵光子集成电路上的偏振状态已被证明是难以捉摸的。为了克服这一障碍，提出了一项包括理论、设计、分析、制造和测试在内的综合研究计划，首次在硅片上实现光学偏振测量。目的是通过实验演示片上任意偏振状态发生器和片上任意偏振状态分析仪，它们通过与感兴趣的样品重叠的光波区域相互连接。该方法利用了三维硅光波导中贝里相位的偏振旋转特性。光子集成电路将被创造出来，能够产生和决定任意偏振状态。偏振测量的二色性，双衰减，光学活性，双折射，和退极化被带到芯片尺度。设计和建模方法是基于极化依赖耦合模式理论和麦克斯韦方程组的数值解。该芯片将在俄亥俄州立大学使用纳米级制造技术制造。为了测试、测量和验证的目的，将测量固相和液相的大量样品。测量结果将与目前实验室规模的光学偏振计进行比较。设想了集成电路中的转换点偏振传感器系统架构。

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.