Compact Interferometer Optical Chip for Portable Bio-chemical Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional interferometers are limited by their bulkiness, high cost, and susceptibility to mechanical vibrations, making them unsuitable for large-scale or portable applications, and they require complex fabrication processes and high-tech components, which hinder the development of handheld devices.
Innovation Solution
A compact interferometer design featuring an optical chip with a dielectric spacer layer and an optically-resonant layer for phase modulation, along with a low-cost optical source and wavelength modulation, enabling a monolithic and portable device with reduced phase noise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional interferometers use multiple mirrors and beam splitters to achieve interference measurement, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and volume increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple optical functions (beam splitting, beam recombination, phase modulation) into a single integrated optical chip. The chip contains waveguides that guide reference and signal beams, a coupler region for beam combination, and a phase modulator, eliminating the need for separate mirrors and beam splitters while maintaining interference measurement precision
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from traditional three-dimensional optical path arrangements using multiple discrete components to a planar two-dimensional waveguide structure on a chip. The optical paths are confined within the chip plane, with light propagating through embedded waveguides, reducing the spatial footprint while preserving optical functionality
2Measurement precision
If conventional interferometers use piezoelectric components for phase retrieval, then phase information discrimination is improved, but device cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical piezoelectric phase modulators with an integrated optical phase modulator implemented through waveguide design on the chip. The phase modulation is achieved through optical path length control within the waveguide structure, eliminating mechanical moving parts and piezoelectric actuators while maintaining phase retrieval capability
3Measurement precision
If conventional interferometers are designed for high sensitivity measurement, then measurement precision is improved, but susceptibility to mechanical vibrations increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines reference beam and signal beam paths within the same integrated optical chip, ensuring both beams experience identical environmental conditions including vibrations. This common-path design eliminates differential phase errors caused by mechanical vibrations while maintaining high measurement sensitivity through interferometric detection
4Measurement precision
If conventional interferometers use sophisticated optical sources, then measurement precision is improved, but device cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the optical source parameters by using a standard laser diode with specific wavelength (e.g., 650nm) and coupling it to the waveguide structure through optimized numerical aperture matching. This allows using commercially available low-cost laser diodes instead of expensive sophisticated optical sources while achieving sufficient measurement precision through proper optical coupling design
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution results in a compact, low-noise, and cost-effective interferometric bio-chemical sensor that is suitable for portable applications, capable of detecting bio-markers with high sensitivity and stability, and can be integrated with consumer electronics for easy data processing.
Implementation Method 1
an optically-resonant layer for phase modulation
Implementation Method 2
a first reflective layer splitting the first beam into a reference beam obtained by reflection and a second beam obtained by transmission
Implementation Method 3
the second reflective layer reflecting the second beam to generate a signal beam
Implementation Method 4
so that the signal beam overlaps the reference beam to create the interference signal
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3a~3b
Figure 4~5
AI summary
The invention relates to a compact and portable interferometer(4)comprising an optical source (40) generating a first beam (B); an optical chip comprising a first reflective layer (42) and a second reflective layer (45) separated by a dielectric spacer layer (41), the first reflective layer splitting the first beam into a reference beam (BR) and a second beam (B2), the second reflective layer reflecting the second beam into a signal beam (BS) overlapping the reference beam to create an interference signal(I); a controlled phase modulation means; and a photo-detector(43)receiving the interference signal. The invention also relates to abio-chemical sensor comprising an interferometer (4) wherein the second reflective layer is an optically-resonant layer chemically functionalized. The invention eventually relates to a measurement device comprising said interferometer or said bio-chemical sensor and a signal analyzing unit processing information from the photo-detector.