All-polymer monolithic resonant integrated optical gyroscope

Area of Science:

• Photonics
• Materials Science
• Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS)

Background:

• Resonant integrated optical gyroscopes (RIOGs) are promising for high-performance micro-gyroscopes but face integration challenges.
• Current RIOGs utilize discrete components, hindering miniaturization and cost-effectiveness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate the on-chip integration of optical functional components for an organic-polymer-based RIOG.
• To develop a low-cost, miniaturized RIOG with reduced size, weight, and power (CSWaP) consumption.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of an electro-optic modulator (EOM) using a self-synthesized electro-optic (EO) polymer.
• Achieving a high-quality factor resonator using a low-loss fluorinated polymer.
• Utilizing simple integrated optical processes like spin coating, lithography, and etching.

Main Results:

• The fabricated EOM achieved a half-wave voltage of less than 2 V, outperforming lithium niobate modulators.
• A quality factor of approximately one million was obtained for the polymer resonator.
• Successful monolithic integration of modulator and resonator components on a single chip.

Conclusions:

• The developed all-polymer RIOG chip prototype demonstrates the feasibility of monolithic integration.
• This work lays the foundation for precision, fully integrated optical gyroscopes.
• The presented approach offers a low-cost, high-performance solution for micro-optical gyroscopes.