| The main objective of this research is to fabricate and characterize an optically integrated interferometric sensor on standard silicon and silicon CMOS circuitry. An optical sensor system of this nature would provide the high sensitivity and immunity to electromagnetic interference found in interferometric based sensors in a lightweight, compact package capable of being deployed in a multitude of situations inappropriate for standard sensor configurations. There are several challenges involved in implementing this system. These include the development of a suitable optical emitter for the sensor system, the interface between the various optically embedded components, and the compatibility of the Si CMOS with heterogeneous integration techniques. The research reported outlines a process for integrating an integrated sensor on Si CMOS circuitry using CMOS compatible materials, integration techniques, and emitter components. |
