Design and simulation of pressuresensor and accelerometer based on integrated optical circuits using photoelastic effect of LiNbO3

Abstract

In this paper a novel optical pressure and acceleration sensor based on micro electro mechanical systems (MEOMS) has been designed. For this purpose an integrated Mach- Zander interferometer has been used in LiNbO3 diaphragm. In this sensor, the strain caused by applied pressure or acceleration leads to a change in refractive index of the wave guide in the diaphragm due to the photoelastic effect. The refractive index change leads to a phase change in the light wave that propagates in the waveguide. This phase change is converted to intensity change using the Mach- Zander interferometer. The software ANSYS 14.5 was used for calculation of the strain in the diaphragm. The pressure and acceleration sensitivity of the designed sensor have been obtained 2.33×10-4 (rad /Pa) and 2.16×10-5 (rad.s2/m), respectively. 

Keywords

• Micro-Opto-Electro-Mechanical systems )MOEMS)
• optics
• photo-elastic
• pressure sensor