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Author Spotlight: Fabrication of a Low-Cost, Fiber-Coupled, and Air-Spaced Fabry-Pérot Etalon
Published on: February 3, 2023
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Two-dimensional photonic-crystal-based Fabry-Perot etalon
Optics Letters
|June 16, 2015
Summary
We developed a novel mid-infrared photonic crystal Fabry-Perot etalon using polycrystalline silicon. This device achieves high reflection and a quality factor of 300, enabling high-resolution gas sensing and hyperspectral imaging.
Area of Science:
- Photonics
- Materials Science
- Optical Engineering
Background:
- Fabry-Perot etalons are crucial for spectral filtering.
- Existing etalons often lack the high reflectivity and quality factor needed for advanced applications.
- Mid-infrared (MIR) applications require specialized optical components.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design, fabricate, and characterize a polycrystalline-silicon-based photonic crystal Fabry-Perot etalon for MIR wavelengths.
- To achieve high reflectivity mirrors using photonic crystal membranes.
- To demonstrate a monolithic, CMOS-compatible fabrication process.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of freestanding polycrystalline-silicon photonic crystal membranes with etched circular air holes.
- Integration of two such membranes in parallel to form the Fabry-Perot etalon.
- Characterization of optical properties, including reflection and transmission spectra.
Main Results:
- Achieved a peak reflection of 96.4% at 3.60 μm from the photonic crystal mirrors.
- Observed filtered transmission centered at 3.51 μm for the complete etalon.
- Measured a quality factor of approximately 300, significantly higher than previous works.
Conclusions:
- The developed polycrystalline-silicon photonic crystal Fabry-Perot etalon is suitable for MIR applications.
- The high quality factor and reflectivity enable high-resolution sensing.
- The monolithic CMOS-compatible process facilitates scalable manufacturing for gas sensing and hyperspectral imaging.
