Low loss hollow core optical waveguide

1. An optical waveguide, comprising a substrate made of a solid material and multiple layers of solid state material disposed on the substrate, and a non-solid core extending through at least one of said multiple layers, wherein said non-solid core is elevated on said substrate on a pedestal-like ridge above one topmost layer of said multiple layers lateral to said non-solid core, and whereby said non-solid core may be used to contain a sample material whose light transmission, absorption, or interference characteristics are to be measured.

2. An optical waveguide as recited in claim 1 , wherein said substrate is recessed lateral to said non-solid core.

3. An optical waveguide as recited in claim 1 , wherein said substrate comprises Silicon (Si) and said multiple layers include SiO 2 and SiN.

4. An optical waveguide as recited in claim 3 , wherein said non-solid core has an index of refraction which is lower than the index of refraction of the surrounding solid-state material, and wherein light can be transmitted with low loss through the non-solid core.

5. An optical waveguide as recited in claim 1 , wherein said optical waveguide is generally structured as an anti-resonant reflecting optical waveguide (ARROW).

6. An optical waveguide as recited in claim 1 , comprising a antiresonant reflecting layers adjacent to said non-solid core, whereby light is substantially prevented from leaking out of said core in a transverse direction.

7. An optical waveguide as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a perpendicular waveguide portion for use in injecting light into said non-solid core for measuring fluorescence characteristics associated with the sample material.

8. An optical waveguide as recited in claim 1 , wherein the non-solid core has a substantially square cross-section.

9. An optical waveguide as recited in claim 1 , wherein the non-solid core has a substantially rectangular cross-section.

10. An optical waveguide as recited in claim 1 , wherein the non-solid core has a substantially semicircular cross-section.

11. An optical waveguide as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a sample-injection port for injecting a fluid into said non-solid core, said sample injection port being oriented substantially perpendicularly with respect to a longitudinal axis of said non-solid core.

12. An optical waveguide as recited in claim 1 , wherein said substrate comprises a semiconductor material.

13. An optical waveguide as recited in claim 1 , wherein said substrate comprises a metal.

14. An optical waveguide as recited in claim 1 , wherein said substrate comprises a plastic.

15. An optical waveguide as recited in claim 1 , wherein said substrate comprises a polymer.

16. An optical waveguide as recited in claim 1 , wherein said substrate comprises a silicon based glass.

17. An optical waveguide as recited in claim 1 , wherein said substrate comprises alumina.

18. An optical waveguide as recited in claim 1 , wherein said substrate comprises sapphire.

19. An optical waveguide as recited in claim 1 , wherein the layer of solid state material through which said non-solid core extends comprises a material deposited by chemical vapor deposition.

20. An optical waveguide as recited in claim 1 , wherein the layer of solid state material through which said non-solid core extends comprises silicon oxy-nitride.

21. An optical waveguide as recited in claim 1 , wherein the layer of solid state material through which said non-solid core extends comprises a material sputtered onto said substrate.

22. An optical waveguide as recited in claim 1 , wherein the layer of solid state material through which said non-solid core extends comprises a material evaporated onto said substrate.

23. An optical waveguide as recited in claim 1 , wherein the layer of solid state material through which said non-solid core extends comprises silicon dioxide.

24. An optical waveguide as recited in claim 1 , wherein the layer of solid state material through which said non-solid core extends comprises silicon nitride.

25. An optical waveguide as recited in claim 1 , wherein the layer of solid state material through which said non-solid core extends comprises a material spun-on said substrate.

26. An optical waveguide as recited in claim 1 , wherein the layer of solid state material through which said non-solid core extends comprises a material dip coated onto said substrate.

27. An optical waveguide as recited in claim 1 , wherein the waveguide is made using a sacrificial layer material comprising a metal.

28. An optical waveguide as recited in claim 1 , wherein the waveguide is made using a sacrificial layer material comprising a polymer.

29. An optical waveguide generally structured as an anti-resonant reflecting optical waveguide (ARROW), comprising:

a substrate and multiple layers of solid state material, including SiO 2 and SiN, disposed on the substrate, and a non-solid core extending through at least one of said multiple layers, wherein said non-solid core is elevated on said substrate on a pedestal-like ridge above one topmost layer of said multiple layers lateral to said non-solid core, and wherein said non-solid core has an index of refraction which is lower than the index of refraction of the surrounding solid-state material, and wherein light can be transmitted with low loss through the non-solid core;

a Fabry-Perot reflector adjacent to said non-solid core, for substantially preventing light from leaking out of said core in a transverse direction;

a perpendicular waveguide portion for use in injecting light into said non-solid core for measuring fluorescence characteristics associated with the sample material; and

a sample-injection port for injecting a fluid into said non-solid core, said sample injection port being oriented substantially perpendicularly with respect to a longitudinal axis of said non-solid core;

whereby said non-solid core may be used to contain a sample material whose light transmission, absorption, or interference characteristics are to be measured.

30. An optical waveguide as recited in claim 29 , wherein said substrate is recessed lateral to said non-solid core.

31. An optical waveguide as recited in claim 29 , wherein the non-solid core has a substantially square cross-section.

32. An optical waveguide as recited in claim 29 , wherein the non-solid core has a substantially rectangular cross-section.

33. An optical waveguide as recited in claim 29 , wherein the non-solid core has a substantially semicircular cross-section.

34. An optical measurement system, comprising:

(a) an optical waveguide comprising a channel surrounded by a solid-state material, including a Fabry-Perot reflector adjacent to said channel, whereby light is substantially prevented from leaking out of said channel in a transverse direction; and wherein said channel is elevated on a substrate on a pedestal-like ridge above one topmost layer of said solid state material lateral to said channel;

(b) means for injecting into said channel a sample material having an index of refraction which is lower than the index of refraction of the surrounding solid-state material;

(c) means for injecting light into said channel, wherein the injected light is guided within the channel and through the sample material;

(d) a perpendicular waveguide portion for use in injecting light into the channel; and

(e) means for measuring selected optical properties associated with the sample.

35. A system as recited in claim 34 , wherein said selected optical properties include transmission, absorption, interference or fluorescence characteristics associated with said sample material over macroscopic distances within the channel.

36. A system as recited in claim 34 , wherein the channel has a length which is optimized for a desired range of wavelengths.

37. A system as recited in claim 34 , wherein said optical waveguide comprises a silicon (Si) substrate and multiple layers of solid state material disposed on the substrate, and a non-solid core extending through at least one of said multiple layers, whereby said non-solid core may be used to contain the sample material.

38. A system as recited in claim 37 , wherein said substrate is recessed lateral to said non-solid core.

39. A system as recited in claim 37 , wherein said multiple layers include SiO 2 and SiN.

40. A system as recited in claim 34 , wherein said non-solid core has an index of refraction which is lower than the index of refraction of the surrounding solid-state material, and wherein light can be transmitted with low loss through the non-solid core.

41. A system as recited in claim 34 , wherein said optical waveguide is generally structured as an anti-resonant reflecting optical waveguide (ARROW).

42. A system as recited in claim 34 , wherein the non-solid core has a substantially square cross-section.

43. A system as recited in claim 34 , wherein the non-solid core has a substantially rectangular cross-section.

44. A system as recited in claim 34 , wherein the non-solid core has a substantially semicircular cross-section.

45. A system for making parallel optical measurements, comprising:

(a) an optical waveguide comprising a generally planar solid-state material and a plurality of parallel channels within said solid-state material, including a Fabry-Perot reflector adjacent to each channel, whereby light injected into said channels is substantially prevented from leaking out of said channels in a transverse direction, and wherein said plurality of channels are elevated on a substrate as pedestal-like ridges above one topmost layer of said solid state material lateral to said channel;

(b) means for injecting through each of said channels a sample material having an index of refraction which is lower than the index of refraction of the surrounding solid-state material;

(c) a perpendicular waveguide portion for use in injecting light into the channels in a direction which is generally perpendicular to the orientation of said channels and the flow of said sample materials; and

(d) means for measuring selected optical properties associated with the sample materials.

46. A system as recited in claim 45 , wherein said selected optical properties include transmission, absorption, interference or fluorescence characteristics associated with said sample materials over macroscopic distances within the channel.

47. A system as recited in claim 45 , wherein said solid state material is recessed lateral to said channel.

48. An integrated optical tweezers device for use in controlling the placement of small sample particles, comprising:

an optical waveguide comprising a tapered channel surrounded by a solid-state material, including a Fabry-Perot reflector adjacent to said tapered channel, wherein said channel is elevated on a substrate on a pedestal-like ridge above one topmost layer of said solid state material lateral to said channel, and whereby light, once injected, is substantially prevented from leaking out of said channel in a transverse direction, and wherein at least one dimension of said tapered channel is tapered so as to create designed light intensity gradients within said channel.

49. A device as recited in claim 48 , wherein said solid state material is recessed lateral to said channel.

50. A device as recited in claim 48 , further comprising means for injecting into said channel a sample material having an index of refraction which is lower than the index of refraction of the surrounding solid-state material.

51. A device as recited in claim 48 , further comprising means for injecting light into said tapered channel, wherein the injected light is guided within the channel and through the sample material.

52. A device as recited in claim 48 , wherein said light intensity gradients are designed to exert a holding force on small particles of micron or sub-micron size.

53. A device as recited in claim 48 , and further comprising a perpendicular waveguide portion for use in injecting light into said channel in a direction which is substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said tapered channel.

54. A device as recited in claim 48 , and further comprising:

means for injecting into said channel a sample material having an index of refraction which is lower than the index of refraction of the sunounding solid-state material;

means for injecting light into said tapered channel, wherein the injected light is guided within the channel and through the sample material; and

a perpendicular waveguide portion for use in injecting light into said channel in a direction which is substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said tapered channel; and

wherein said light intensity gradients are designed to exert a holding force on small particles of micron or sub-micron size.