Optical displacement measurement with GaAs/AlGaAs-based monolithically integrated Michelson interferometers

Two monolithically integrated optical displacement sensors fabricated in the GaAs/AlGaAs material system are reported. These single-chip microsystems are configured as Michelson interferometers and comprise a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) laser, photodetectors, phase shifters, and waveguide couplers. While the use of a single Michelson interferometer allows measurement of displacement magnitude only, a double Michelson interferometer with two interferometer signals in phase quadrature also permits determination of movement direction. In addition, through the use of two 90° phase-shifted interferometer signals in the latter device, a phase interpolation of 2π/20 is possible, leading to a displacement resolution in the range of 20 nm. The integration of these complex optical functions could be realized with a relatively simple fabrication process.