Composite micro-sphere optical resonators for electric field measurement

J. Stubblefield; D. Womack; T. Ioppolo; U. Ayaz; M. V. Otugen

doi:10.1117/12.906713

6 February 2012 Composite micro-sphere optical resonators for electric field measurement

J. Stubblefield, D. Womack, T. Ioppolo, U. Ayaz, M. V. Otugen

Proceedings Volume 8236, Laser Resonators, Microresonators, and Beam Control XIV; 82361Y (2012) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.906713
Event: SPIE LASE, 2012, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

Polymer-based, multi-layered dielectric microspheres are investigated for high-resolution electric field sensing. The external electric field induces changes in the morphology of the spheres, leading to shifts in the whispering gallery modes (WGMs). Light from a distributed feedback (DFB) laser is sidecoupled into the microspheres using a tapered section of a single mode optical fiber to interrogate the optical modes. The base material of these multi-layered spheres is polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Three microsphere geometries are investigated: (1) cores comprised of a 60:1 volumetric ratio of PDMS-to-curing agent mixture that are mixed with varying amounts of barium titanate (BaTiO3) nano particles, (2) cores comprised of 60:1 PDMS that are coated with a thin layer of 60:1 PDMS that is mixed with varying amounts of barium titanate and (3) a composite Carbon Black-BaTiO3 prototype. The outermost layer for all sphere geometries is a thin coat of 60:1 PDMS which serves as the shell waveguide. Light from the tapered laser is coupled into this outermost shell that provides high optical quality factor WGM (Q ~ 10⁶). The microspheres are poled for several hours at electric fields of ~ 1 MV/m to increase their sensitivity to electric field. Preliminary results show that electric fields of the order of 100 V/m can be detected using these composite micro-resonators.

Citation Download Citation

J. Stubblefield, D. Womack, T. Ioppolo, U. Ayaz, and M. V. Otugen "Composite micro-sphere optical resonators for electric field measurement", Proc. SPIE 8236, Laser Resonators, Microresonators, and Beam Control XIV, 82361Y (6 February 2012); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.906713

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