Whispering gallery mode resonators for sensing applications
Inventors
Yang, Lan • Zhu, Jiangang • Zhao, Guangming • Miller, Scott A. • Zhao, Danhua • Zhu, Liren
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12320780-B2
Publication Date
2025-06-03
Expiration Date
Abstract
Sensing apparatuses and method of making the sensing apparatuses are disclosed herein. In some variations, a sensing apparatus can comprise at least one optical waveguide, and at least one whispering gallery mode (WGM) resonator configured to propagate a set of WGMs, where the WGM resonator communicates to the at least one optical waveguide a set of signals corresponding to the set of WGMs. In some variations, a polymer structure may encapsulate the at least one WGM resonator and/or the at least one optical waveguide. Furthermore, in some variations, the WGM resonator(s) may have one or more selectable modes with different bandwidth and sensitivity for sensing, which may, for example, enable tailoring the sensing apparatus to specific applications having certain bandwidth and/or sensitivity requirements.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to an apparatus that uses at least one optical waveguide optically coupled to a plurality of whispering gallery mode (WGM) resonators. Each WGM resonator is configured to propagate a first set of whispering gallery modes (WGMs) and to communicate to the optical waveguide a first set of signals corresponding to the first set of WGMs. The polymer structure encapsulates the at least one optical waveguide and at least one WGM resonator of the plurality of WGM resonators.
The polymer structure comprises a first layer that reduces high-order modes in the at least one WGM resonator and a second layer comprising a material having an acoustic impedance matching an acoustic impedance of the at least one WGM resonator. The disclosed approach links polymer-layer acoustic impedance matching with WGM resonator behavior, supporting ultrasonic sensing operation through WGM response to ultrasound.
In the ultrasound sensing context, ultrasound echoes lead to a second set of WGMs and associated second set of signals communicated from the WGM resonators to the optical waveguide. The document further describes WGM resonator arrays and signal processing for imaging based on detecting differences between signals corresponding to the first set of WGMs and signals corresponding to ultrasound-echo-induced WGMs.
Claims Coverage
The relevant portion provides one independent claim. The inventive features center on an apparatus architecture combining optical waveguides, WGM resonator communication of a first set of WGM signals, and a two-layer polymer encapsulation that reduces high-order modes and acoustically matches the WGM resonators.
Optically coupled optical waveguide and WGM resonator set
At least one optical waveguide, a plurality of whispering gallery mode (WGM) resonators, each WGM resonator configured to propagate a first set of whispering gallery modes (WGMs), and the at least one WGM resonator being optically coupled to the at least one optical waveguide such that the at least one WGM resonator is configured to communicate to the at least one optical waveguide a first set of signals corresponding to the first set of WGMs.
Two-layer polymer encapsulation for mode reduction and acoustic impedance matching
A polymer structure encapsulating the at least one optical waveguide and at least one WGM resonator of the plurality of WGM resonators, the polymer structure comprising a first layer that reduces high-order modes in the at least one WGM resonator and a second layer comprising a material having an acoustic impedance matching an acoustic impedance of the at least one WGM resonator.
The claim coverage is anchored by an apparatus where optical waveguides optically couple to WGM resonators for communicating first-set signals, while a polymer encapsulation uses a first layer to reduce high-order modes and a second layer providing acoustic impedance matching to support ultrasound-related WGM signal responses.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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