Optical device, gas sensor, methods of forming and operating the same

A gas sensor for sensing a gas, the gas sensor comprising:

• a detector portion comprising:
• a substrate;
• a waveguide over the substrate;
• and
• a grating coupler on the waveguide;
• an optical device comprising:
• an elongate substrate;
• an emitter portion at a distal end portion of the elongate substrate, the emitter portion configured to emit light;
• and
• an actuator portion at a proximal end portion of the elongate substrate opposite the distal end portion of the elongate substrate;
• wherein the emitter portion comprises a first electrode, a second electrode, and an active layer between the first electrode and the second electrode so that the light is emitted due to an increase in a temperature of the active layer upon application of a first potential difference between the first electrode and the second electrode;
• wherein the active layer is patterned to form a photonic crystal layer for enhancing a directionality of the emitted light;
• and
• wherein the actuator portion comprises a stacked arrangement comprising a first electrical pad, a second electrical pad, and a piezoelectric layer between the first electrical pad and the second electrical pad such that the actuator portion is configured to deform the elongate substrate upon application of a second potential difference between the first electrical pad and the second electrical pad, thereby moving the emitter portion;
• wherein the gas sensor further comprises:
• a support configured to suspend the optical device over the detector portion;
• wherein the emitter portion faces the detector portion;
• and
• wherein the gas sensor is configured such that a wavelength of the light that is received by the detector portion is based on the movement of the emitter portion.

A method of forming an optical device, the method comprising:

• forming an emitter portion at a distal end portion of an elongate substrate, the emitter portion configured to emit light;
• and
• forming an actuator portion at a proximal end portion of the elongate substrate opposite the distal end portion of the elongate substrate;
• wherein the emitter portion comprises a first electrode, a second electrode, and an active layer between the first electrode and the second electrode so that the light is emitted due to an increase in a temperature of the active layer upon application of a first potential difference between the first electrode and the second electrode;
• wherein the active layer is patterned to form a photonic crystal layer for enhancing a directionality of the emitted light;
• and
• wherein the actuator portion comprises a stacked arrangement comprising a first electrical pad, a second electrical pad, and a piezoelectric layer between the first electrical pad and the second electrical pad such that the actuator portion is configured to deform the elongate substrate upon application of a second potential difference between the first electrical pad and the second electrical pad, thereby moving the emitter portion.

A method of forming a gas sensor, the method comprising:

• forming a detector portion comprising:
• a substrate;
• a waveguide over the substrate;
• and
• a grating coupler on the waveguide;
• forming an optical device comprising:
• an elongate substrate;
• an emitter portion at a distal end portion of the elongate substrate, the emitter portion configured to emit light;
• and
• an actuator portion at a proximal end portion of the elongate substrate opposite the distal end portion of the elongate substrate;
• wherein the emitter portion comprises a first electrode, a second electrode, and an active layer between the first electrode and the second electrode so that the light is emitted due to an increase in a temperature of the active layer upon application of a first potential difference between the first electrode and the second electrode;
• wherein the active layer is patterned to form a photonic crystal layer for enhancing a directionality of the emitted light;
• and
• wherein the actuator portion comprises a stacked arrangement comprising a first electrical pad, a second electrical pad, and a piezoelectric layer between the first electrical pad and the second electrical pad such that the actuator portion is configured to deform the elongate substrate upon application of a second potential difference between the first electrical pad and the second electrical pad, thereby moving the emitter portion;
• wherein the method further comprises:
• forming a support configured to suspend the optical device over the detector portion;
• wherein the emitter portion faces the detector portion;
• and
• wherein the gas sensor is configured such that a wavelength of the light that is received by the detector portion is based on the movement of the emitter portion.

A method of operating a gas sensor to sense a gas, the method comprising:

• operating an optical device suspended over a detector portion by a support with an emitter portion of the optical device facing the detector portion, so that a wavelength of light that is received by the detector portion is based on the movement of the emitter portion;
• wherein the optical device comprises:
• an elongate substrate;
• the emitter portion at a distal end portion of the elongate substrate, the emitter portion configured to emit the light;
• and
• an actuator portion at a proximal end portion of the elongate substrate opposite the distal end portion of the elongate substrate;
• wherein the emitter portion comprises a first electrode, a second electrode, and an active layer between the first electrode and the second electrode so that the light is emitted due to an increase in a temperature of the active layer upon application of a first potential difference between the first electrode and the second electrode;
• wherein the active layer is patterned to form a photonic crystal layer for enhancing a directionality of the emitted light;
• and
• wherein the actuator portion comprises a stacked arrangement comprising a first electrical pad, a second electrical pad, and a piezoelectric layer between the first electrical pad and the second electrical pad such that the actuator portion is configured to deform the elongate substrate upon application of a second potential difference between the first electrical pad and the second electrical pad, thereby moving the emitter portion;
• and
• wherein the detector portion comprises:
• a substrate;
• a waveguide over the substrate;
• and
• a grating coupler on the waveguide.