A new optoelectronic bullseye device produces a sensor that can be manufactured in a standard commercial foundry. The new device may be easily customizable.

Optomechanical motion sensors rely on light waves for detection and mechanical waves for movement. The more closely coupled the two types of waves are, the better a sensor’s precision. Traditional sensors confine both types of waves in the same material; only a few materials are suitable. In addition, the most precise sensors had to be built with equipment that is not commonly available.

A new design optoelectronic bullseye device produces a highly-sensitive sensor that can be manufactured in a standard commercial foundry. For this new device, a research team from the University of Campinas (Brazil) separated the two types of waves and confined them with separate mechanisms. A 24-micron silicon disk was etched with circular grooves that confine mechanical waves to the disk’s periphery. Light is contained in the center through total internal reflection. Light and mechanical waves couple by way of radial grooves.

One possible advantage of this design is its suitability for manufacture in a CMOS foundry. This type of foundry is more commonly available, bringing access to the technology to more people at lower costs. The research team worked to ensure that the design is easily replicable, so that all disks made with this process are standard and identical.

The team foresees additional uses for their design beyond sensing motion alone. The device can be tailored to specific mechanical or light wavelengths for different applications. Making the disk of a lasing material could create a laser with pulses or power levels that are controlled by motion.