Demonstration of a Photonic-Based Linear Temperature Sensor

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A photonic thermal sensor has been demonstrated using photonic waveguide-based Michelson interferometer (MI), with a footprint of only $120 \mu \text{m} \times 80 \mu \text{m}$ . Operating at the wavelength $\sim 1550$ nm, this ultracompact MI configuration obtains a nearly linear temperature response with a sensitivity of 113.7 pm/°C, which is $\sim 20$ times higher than that of traditional fiber-optic thermal sensors. It is fabricated using standard CMOS processes. Benefitted from the advanced packaging technique, the proposed photonics sensor shows high thermal and mechanical stabilities, presenting a <0.1-dB power variation over the temperature range of 13 °C–95 °C, offering possibilities across a broad range of applications.