In this paper we present a novel approach to temperature sensing with optoelectronic devices which relies on the usage of bare silicon as the transducing material. The device is composed by a single mode input waveguide, a MMI region where a number of higher order modes is also allowed to propagate and two output waveguides. The refractive index variation in the MMI section due to temperature shifts induces different phase velocities of the various propagating modes. The position of the input and output waveguides together with the length and width of the MMI section are chosen in order to maximize the sensitivity of the device. Analytical calculations are presented together with BPM simulations aimed to the maximization of the sensitivity of the sensor as a function of its geometries.

© 2003 Optical Society of America

1. A. Alvarez-Herrero, H. Guerrero, T. Belenguer and D. Levy, D, �??High-sensitivity temperature sensor based on overlay on side-polished fibers,�?? IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett. 12, 1043-1045 (2000) [CrossRef]
2. Y.J Rao, K. Kalli, G. Brady, D.J Webb, D.A Jackson, L. Zhang and I. Bennion, �??Spatially-multiplexed fibre-optic Bragg grating strain and temperature sensor system based on interferometric wavelength-shift detection,�?? Electron. Lett. 31, 1009-1010 (1995) [CrossRef]
3. A.D Kersey and T.A. Berkoff, �??Fiber-optic Bragg-grating differential-temperature sensor,�?? IEEE Photon, Technol, Lett. 4, 1183 -1185, (1992) [CrossRef]
4. A. Cusano, G. Breglio, M. Giordano, A. Calabrò, L. Nicolais, A. Cutolo, �??Fiber optic sensing system for smart materials and structures,�?? IEEE/ASME International Conference on Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics 1, 401 -409, (2001)
5. A. Cusano, G. Breglio, M. Giordano, M. Russo, J. Nasser, �??Optoelectronic refractive index measurements: application for smart polymer processing,�?? Proceedings of IEEE Sensors 2, 1171 -1175 (2002) [CrossRef]
6. G. Breglio, G. Coppola, A. Cutolo, A. Irace, M. Bellucci and M. Iodice �??Temperature Optical Sensor Based on a Silicon Bi-Modal Y Branch,�?? Proc. SPIE. 4293, 155-161 (2001) [CrossRef]
7. G. Cocorullo, F.G. Della Corte, M. Iodice, I. Rendina and P.M. Sarro, �??Silicon-on-silicon rib waveguides with a high-confining ion-implanted lower cladding,�?? IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron. 4, 983 �??989 (1998) [CrossRef]
8. S.P. Pogossian, L. Vescan and A. Vonsovici, �??The single-mode condition for semiconductor rib waveguides with large cross section,�?? IEEE J. Lightwave Technol. 16, 1851 -1853 (1998) [CrossRef]
9. H.F. Talbot, �??Facts relating to optical science No. IV�?? London Edimburgh Philosophical Mag., J. Sci. 9, 401-407, (1836)
10. D. Marcuse, Light Transmission Optics, (New York, Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1972).
11. O. Bryngdahl, �??Image formation using self-imaginq techniques,�?? J. Opt. Soc. Am. 63, 416-419 (1973) [CrossRef]
12. R. Ulrich, �??Image formation by phase coincidences in optical waveguides,�?? Optics Commun. 13, 259-264 (1975) [CrossRef]
13. Soldano, L.B.; Pennings, E.C.M., �??Optical multi-mode interference devices based on self-imaging: principles and applications,�?? IEEE J. Lightwave Technol. 13, 615-627 (1995) [CrossRef]
14. G. Coppola, C. R. de Boer, G. Breglio, M. Iodice, A. Irace, P. M. Sarro "Temperature Optical Sensor based on all-silicon Bimodal waveguide," Proc. SESENS (2001).

Electron. Lett.

• Y.J Rao, K. Kalli, G. Brady, D.J Webb, D.A Jackson, L. Zhang and I. Bennion, �??Spatially-multiplexed fibre-optic Bragg grating strain and temperature sensor system based on interferometric wavelength-shift detection,�?? Electron. Lett. 31, 1009-1010 (1995) [CrossRef]

IEEE J. Lightwave Technol.

• S.P. Pogossian, L. Vescan and A. Vonsovici, �??The single-mode condition for semiconductor rib waveguides with large cross section,�?? IEEE J. Lightwave Technol. 16, 1851 -1853 (1998) [CrossRef]
• Soldano, L.B.; Pennings, E.C.M., �??Optical multi-mode interference devices based on self-imaging: principles and applications,�?? IEEE J. Lightwave Technol. 13, 615-627 (1995) [CrossRef]

IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron.

• G. Cocorullo, F.G. Della Corte, M. Iodice, I. Rendina and P.M. Sarro, �??Silicon-on-silicon rib waveguides with a high-confining ion-implanted lower cladding,�?? IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron. 4, 983 �??989 (1998) [CrossRef]

IEEE Photon, Technol, Lett.

• A.D Kersey and T.A. Berkoff, �??Fiber-optic Bragg-grating differential-temperature sensor,�?? IEEE Photon, Technol, Lett. 4, 1183 -1185, (1992) [CrossRef]

IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett.

• A. Alvarez-Herrero, H. Guerrero, T. Belenguer and D. Levy, D, �??High-sensitivity temperature sensor based on overlay on side-polished fibers,�?? IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett. 12, 1043-1045 (2000) [CrossRef]

IEEE/ASME International Conference on Ad

• A. Cusano, G. Breglio, M. Giordano, A. Calabrò, L. Nicolais, A. Cutolo, �??Fiber optic sensing system for smart materials and structures,�?? IEEE/ASME International Conference on Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics 1, 401 -409, (2001)

J. Opt. Soc. Am.

• O. Bryngdahl, �??Image formation using self-imaginq techniques,�?? J. Opt. Soc. Am. 63, 416-419 (1973) [CrossRef]

London Edimburgh Philosophical Mag., J.

• H.F. Talbot, �??Facts relating to optical science No. IV�?? London Edimburgh Philosophical Mag., J. Sci. 9, 401-407, (1836)

Optics Commun.

• R. Ulrich, �??Image formation by phase coincidences in optical waveguides,�?? Optics Commun. 13, 259-264 (1975) [CrossRef]

Proc. SESENS

• G. Coppola, C. R. de Boer, G. Breglio, M. Iodice, A. Irace, P. M. Sarro "Temperature Optical Sensor based on all-silicon Bimodal waveguide," Proc. SESENS (2001).

Proc. SPIE.

• G. Breglio, G. Coppola, A. Cutolo, A. Irace, M. Bellucci and M. Iodice �??Temperature Optical Sensor Based on a Silicon Bi-Modal Y Branch,�?? Proc. SPIE. 4293, 155-161 (2001) [CrossRef]

Proceedings of IEEE Sensors

• A. Cusano, G. Breglio, M. Giordano, M. Russo, J. Nasser, �??Optoelectronic refractive index measurements: application for smart polymer processing,�?? Proceedings of IEEE Sensors 2, 1171 -1175 (2002) [CrossRef]

Other

• D. Marcuse, Light Transmission Optics, (New York, Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1972).

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