MOEM pressure and other physical sensors using photon tunneling and optical evanescent fields with exponential sensitivities and excellent stabilities

摘要

Abstract: Evanescent optical fields and photon tunneling junctions can be used to monitor position of an object with an exponential sensitivity given by exp($MIN@x/x$-0$/) where x$-0$/ is the fraction of the photon wavelength. Compared with electron tunneling methods, photon based physical sensors do not suffer from coulombic attractive forces (and backlashes) and tunneling junction deterioration that result in modification of the sensor sensitivity and excess noise, respectively. Experimental results obtained using fiber optic photon tunneling junctions and micromachined Si diaphragms clearly indicate the exponential sensitivity of these sensors. We will present these experimental data and discuss design rules and methodologies for photon tunneling physical sensors and accelerometers.!17