Novel folded Mach-Zehnder interferometers and optical sensor arrays
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A folded Mach-Zehnder interferometer comprising:
- a) a y-splitter;
b) a pair of interferometer arms and, each of said interferometer arms being terminated by a reflector; and
c) a waveguide adapted to transmit both incoming signals and outgoing signals in opposite directions.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The invention provides novel “folded” Mach-Zehnder interferometers (“folded” MZI'"'"'s), methods for making folded MZI'"'"'s, and systems and devices incorporating them. The novel folded MZI'"'"'s are elaborated from conventional MZI structures by cutting across the interferometer arms of a conventional MZI structure and creating reflectors on the exposed ends of the interferometer arms to form two “folded” MZI'"'"'s from a single conventional Mach-Zehnder interferometer structure. The novel folded MZI'"'"'s show promise as sensors having a reduced size and enhanced sensitivity relative to sensors incorporating conventional Mach-Zehnder Interferometers.
194 Citations
24 Claims
-
1. A folded Mach-Zehnder interferometer comprising:
-
a) a y-splitter;
b) a pair of interferometer arms and, each of said interferometer arms being terminated by a reflector; and
c) a waveguide adapted to transmit both incoming signals and outgoing signals in opposite directions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
-
-
6. A sensing system comprising a folded Mach-Zehnder interferometer, said system comprising:
-
a) a light source providing a light input beam, said light source being optically connected to at least one waveguide having a length, b) at least one sensor optically connected to said waveguide, said sensor comprising two interferometer arms and equipped with means for reflecting light; and
c) at least one detector adapted to receive a light output beam, said detector being optically connected to said waveguide;
wherein said light input beam and said light output beam travel a portion of the length of the waveguide in opposite directions. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A sensor array comprising:
a) a plurality of folded Mach-Zehnder interferometers. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
- 14. An optical network comprising a sensor array, said sensor array comprising a plurality of folded Mach-Zehnder interferometers.
-
16. A method for making a folded Mach-Zehnder interferometer, said method comprising:
-
a) providing at least one substrate;
b) forming a conventional Mach-Zehnder structure on said substrate, said conventional Mach-Zehnder structure comprising two interferometer arms, and waveguides;
c) cutting said Mach-Zehnder structure to expose surfaces of the interferometer arms; and
d) forming a metallic layer on said exposed surfaces of the interferometer arms to provide a metallized folded Mach-Zehnder structure. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
-
Specification