Optical sensor and method of manufacture
An optical sensor and method of manufacture are provided herein. The optical sensor includes an optical fiber comprising a terminating end surface, and a photonic crystal coupled to the terminating end surface of the optical fiber.
1. An optical sensor, comprising:
an optical fiber comprising a core having a terminating end surface, said core having a first width; and only one photonic crystal attached directly against said terminating end surface of said core of said optical fiber, said photonic crystal having a second width, wherein the second width is less than the first width.
2. The optical sensor of claim 1 , wherein said terminating end surface comprises a polished terminating end surface, wherein said photonic crystal is secured to said polished terminating end surface.
3. The optical sensor of claim 1 , wherein said photonic crystal is coated with a material that protects said photonic crystal from destructive environmental influences.
4. The optical sensor of claim 1 , wherein said photonic crystal is configured to receive a range of applied voltages that alter reflectance properties of said photonic crystal.
5. The optical sensor of claim 4 , wherein the reflectance properties altered by the range of applied voltages indicate a pressure against said terminating end surface of said optical fiber.
6. The optical sensor of claim 4 , wherein said photonic crystal modifies light reflectance that is readable by an optical interrogator to act as a low-power communications device.
7. The optical sensor of claim 4 , wherein said optical fiber is applied as a side-scattering light guide and a length of photonic crystal material is monitored by a single fiber optic strand.
8. The optical sensor of claim 1 , wherein said optical fiber comprises a single mode optical fiber.
9. The optical sensor of claim 1 , wherein said optical fiber comprises a fiber optic strand, wherein said photonic crystal is attached directly against a terminating end surface of said fiber optic strand.
10. The optical sensor of claim 1 , wherein said photonic crystal comprises a crystal lattice semiconductor cut into a wafer.
11. A method of manufacturing an optical sensor comprising:
providing an optical fiber that includes a core having a terminating end surface, the core having a first width; and
attaching only one photonic crystal directly against the terminating end surface of the optical fiber, the photonic crystal having a second width, wherein the second width is less than the first width.
12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising
polishing the terminating end surface, and
securing the photonic crystal to the polished terminating end surface.
13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising coating the photonic crystal with a material that protects the photonic crystal from destructive environmental influences.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein providing the optical fiber comprises providing a single mode optical fiber.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein coupling the photonic crystal comprises attaching the photonic crystal directly against the terminating end surface.
16. The method of claim 11 , wherein providing the optical fiber comprises providing a fiber optic strand.
17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising coupling the photonic crystal to a terminating end surface of the fiber optic strand.
18. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
fabricating a crystal lattice semiconductor; and
cutting the crystal lattice semiconductor into a wafer.