Photonic crystal laser sensors and methods
View Patent ↗A sensor apparatus includes a laser optically coupled to a photonic crystal structure configured to provide an evanescent field through a sensed medium region such that the photonic crystal structure functions as a cavity/resonator for the laser.
1. A sensor apparatus comprising:
a laser optically coupled to a photonic crystal structure configured to provide an evanescent field through a sensed medium region such that the photonic crystal structure functions as a cavity/resonator for the laser;
wherein the photonic crystal structure includes defects that have nanometer scale dimensions ranging from 0.1 nanometers to 50 nanometers.
2. The sensor apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the photonic crystal structure includes a mirror.
3. The sensor apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the photonic crystal structure includes a double pass interferometer.
4. The sensor apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the double pass interferometer includes a sensor arm that provides the evanescent field to the sensed medium region.
5. The sensor apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the double pass interferometer includes a reference arm.
6. The sensor apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the reference arm is passivated.
7. The sensor apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising:
a phase shifter for the reference arm.
8. The sensor apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the laser is a semiconductor laser.
9. The sensor apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the photonic crystal structure is formed from III-V semiconductor materials.
10. A sensor apparatus comprising:
multiple sensor elements, each of the sensor elements including a laser, a sensed medium region, and a photonic crystal structure that provides an evanescent field through the sensed medium region such that the photonic crystal structure functions as a cavity/resonator for the laser; and
mechanism for detecting outputs of the multiple sensor elements and converting the outputs into data;
wherein the photonic crystal structure includes defects that have nanometer scale dimensions ranging from 0.1 nanometers to 50 nanometers.
11. The sensor apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the mechanism for detecting includes a photodetector.
12. The sensor apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising:
means for processing the data to identify articles of media provided to the sensed medium regions.
13. The sensor apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising:
means for transmitting the data.
14. The sensor apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising:
means for transmitting the data in response to an interrogation signal received by the sensor apparatus.
15. The sensor apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the means for transmitting includes a radio-frequency identification (RF-ID) transponder.
16. The sensor apparatus of claim 10 , wherein one or more of the photonic crystal structures includes a mirror.
17. The sensor apparatus of claim 10 , wherein one or more of the photonic crystal structures includes a double pass interferometer.
18. The sensor apparatus of claim 10 , wherein one or more of the photonic crystal structures includes a splitter.
19. The sensor apparatus of claim 10 , wherein one or more of the photonic crystal structures includes a combiner.
20. The sensor apparatus of claim 10 , wherein one or more of the lasers is a semiconductor laser.
21. The sensor apparatus of claim 10 , wherein one or more of the photonic crystal structures is formed from III-V semiconductor materials.
22. A method for sensing comprising:
providing a laser with a photonic crystal structure that generates an evanescent field through a sensed medium region such that the photonic crystal structure includes defects that have nanometer scale dimensions ranging from 0.1 nanometers to 50 nanometers and functions as a cavity/resonator for the laser;
providing an article of medium at the sensed medium region; and
detecting an output of the laser.
23. The method for sensing of claim 22 , further comprising:
processing data corresponding to the output.
24. The method for sensing of claim 22 , further comprising:
processing data corresponding to the output to identify the article of medium.
25. The method for sensing of claim 22 , further comprising:
transmitting data corresponding to the output.
26. The method for sensing of claim 22 , further comprising:
transmitting data corresponding to the output in response to a sensor interrogation signal.