| CPC G01H 9/00 (2013.01) | 21 Claims |
|
1. A sensor, comprising:
a silicon-on-insulator wafer, comprising:
a silicon substrate,
a buried oxide (BOX) layer above the silicon substrate, and
a silicon device layer above the BOX layer and having a cavity formed therein;
a first waveguide comprising a first portion and a second portion, the second portion being a portion of the silicon device layer, and the first portion being positioned in the cavity and above the second portion;
a flexible support element coupled to the first portion of the first waveguide, extending over the cavity, and configured to move between an unbent state and a bent state;
a second waveguide, the second waveguide being a portion of the silicon device layer; and
a third waveguide, the third waveguide being a portion of the silicon device layer,
the first portion of the first waveguide being suspended in the cavity from the flexible support element and configured, when the flexible support element is in the unbent state, to be separated by a first gap from the second portion of the first waveguide, the first gap being between a bottom surface of the first portion and a top surface of the second portion,
the flexible support element being capable of bending so as to cause an effective index of refraction of the first waveguide to change,
the first waveguide being optically coupled to the second waveguide through a second gap, the second gap being between a first end of the first waveguide and an end of the second waveguide and physically separating the first and second waveguides in a longitudinal direction that is parallel to a direction of propagation of input light, and
the first waveguide being coupled to the third waveguide through a third gap, the third gap being between a second end of the first waveguide and an end of the third waveguide and physically separating the first and third waveguides in the longitudinal direction.
|