Fiber Optic Excitation of Silicon Microspheres in Amorphous and Crystalline Fluids
| Abstract | This study investigates the optical resonance spectra of free-standingmonolithic single crystal silicon microspheres immersed in variousamorphous fluids, such as air, water, ethylene glycol, and4-Cyano-4-pentylbiphenyl nematic liquid crystal. For the variousamorphous fluids, morphology-dependent resonances with quality factorson the order of 105 are observed at 1428 nm. The mode spacing is alwayson the order of 0.23 nm. The immersion in various amorphous fluidsaffects the spectral response of the silicon microsphere and heraldsthis technique for use in novel optofluidics applications. Even thoughthe nematic liquid crystal is a highly birefringent, scattering, andhigh-index optical medium, morphology-dependent resonances with qualityfactors on the order of 105 are observed at 1300 nm in the elasticscattering spectra of the silicon microsphere, realizing aliquid-crystal-on-silicon geometry. The relative refractive index andthe size parameter of the silicon microsphere are the parameters thataffect the resonance structure. The more 4-Cyano-4-pentylbiphenylinteracting with the silicon microsphere, the lower the quality factorof the resonances is. The more 4-Cyano-4-pentylbiphenyl is interactingwith the silicon microsphere, the lower the mode spacing Δλ of theresonances is. The silicon microspheres wetted with nematic liquidcrystal can be used for optically addressed liquid-crystal-on-silicondisplays, light valve applications, or reconfigurable optical networks. |
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| Authors | H. Yılmaz, H. Yılmaz, M. S. Murib, A. Serpengüzel |
| Year of publication | 2016 |
| Date published | 04/2016 |
| Journal | Fiber Integrated Opt. |
| Volume | 35 |
| Pages | 60-71 |
| Keywords | liquid crystals, microfluidics, optical microcavities, siliconphotonics, whispering gallery modes |