We review our recent results on integration of lasers, detectors and microfluidic channels on silicon and germanium based mid-infrared photonic circuits, as well as initial sensing experiments for medical and gas sensing applications. Wideband devices, such as waveguides, couplers, splitters and detectors are required for mid-IR absorption spectroscopy. We show that such Si and Ge devices can operate over large spectral bands.
The mid-infrared (mid-IR) is an important wavelength range for vibrational absorption spectroscopy (e.g. for gas sensing, medical diagnostics, environmental monitoring), and thus there is a strong need for small and stable on-chip spectrometers. It is also desirable for it to be inexpensive to fabricate and for it to be able to perform high-resolution measurements over a wide bandwidth. To this end, we demonstrate two kinds of mid-IR thermo-optic type Fourier Transform spectrometers (FTS). Both variations of the device are designed to target a central wavelength of 3.8 μm and are based on the silicon-on-insulator platform. These two devices are verified by using them to retrieve the spectrum of a quantum cascade laser when it is tuned to different wavelengths. They have the potential to achieve higher resolution and bandwidth through subsequent design optimization, and could in future be integrated with mid-infrared photodetectors.
We review our recent results on modulators and detectors for the 2μm range, which may become very relevant for future communications, and on the development of mid-IR broadband devices for sensing applications. We show Mach-Zehnder and Michelson based modulators operating at data rates up to 25 Gb/s and Ge based detectors operating up to 12.5 Gb/s. For longer wavelengths relevant for sensing applications, we present broadband waveguides and splitters, waveguide integrated bolometers, and the realisation of a mid-infrared sensor.
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