Creating optical polarimetry on a silicon chip

摘要标题：创建光学偏振在微型光子集成电路的点需要的材料识别，化学和生物分析，和环境sensingAbstract：非技术描述：光学偏振提供了一个独特的透镜，用于实现传感系统的对比度，传达的信息，一般不能通过任何其他手段。 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，环境遥感以及天文物体的测量。 然而，光学偏振测量的最新技术涉及相对较大且笨重的仪器，其缺乏便携性并且需要大量的对准，从而将测量限制在实验室。 光学偏振仪的微型化到微电子电路的规模将使偏振仪从大规模实验室仪器转变为便携式需求点平台。 独特的感测模态对于跨越高血糖波动的真实的时间监测、痕量化合物的分析以及与食品工业相关的生物技术的开发的应用成为可能。 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。 该计划通过发展全球科学家和工程师渠道，为集成光学课程创建新的模块，产生综合研究思维，并让研究生和本科生、代表性不足的群体和少数民族参与研究计划，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。到目前为止，几乎所有的传感模式的基础上的光谱和强度信息的样品已经小型化，从实验室规模的仪器到规模的微电子电路，除了光学偏振。 光学偏振测量在芯片级上还不可用，因为感测模态需要偏振控制组件，诸如在块状晶体或光纤中实现的延迟器和偏振器。 在光子集成电路上操纵偏振态已被证明是难以实现的。 为了克服这一障碍，提出了一个全面的研究计划，涉及理论，设计，分析，制造和测试，以实现光学偏振在硅芯片上的第一次。 其目的是实验演示一个芯片上的任意偏振态发生器和芯片上的任意偏振态分析仪，它们通过一个区域相互连接，该区域与感兴趣的样品重叠光波。 该方法利用了三维硅光波导中Berry相位的偏振旋转特性。 光子集成电路将被创建，能够产生和确定任意偏振态。 偏振测量的二向色性，二向衰减，光学活性，双折射，和去偏振带来的芯片级。 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州立大学使用纳米级制造技术制造。 出于试验、测量和验证目的，将测量固相和液相中的大量样品。 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的需要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.