Thin ZnO layer as an active medium in a fiber-optic Fabry

Thin ZnO layer as an active medium in a fiber-optic Fabry

Thin ZnO layer as an active medium in a fiber-optic Fabry-Perot interferometer
M. Jędrzejewska-Szczerska1 , K. Karpienko1, R. Viter2, M. Bechelany3, P.Wierzba1, A. Mazikowski1
1
Gdansk University of Technology, Department of Metrology and Optoelectronics, Gabriela Narutowicza Street 11/12, 80233 Gdańsk, Poland.
2
3
Odessa National I.I. Mechnikov University, 42, Pastera str., Odessa, 65023, Ukraine
Université Montpellier 2, IEM - UMR5635, Place Eugène Bataillon – CC 047, 34095 Montpellier Cedex 5, France
E-mail: [email protected]
The main objective of this article is the assessment of suitability of thin films of Zinc oxide
(ZnO) for operation as the active medium in a fiber-optic Fabry-Perot interferometer. ZnO thin films
are a promising candidate for application in optical fiber sensors using Fabry-Perot interferometers.
Their applications can extend from temperature measurement to sophisticated biochemical sensing
using antigen-antibody reaction.
The schema of the Fabry-Perot interferometer with the cavity filled by a ZnO layer used in
our experiment is shown in Figure 1. The cavity mirrors M1 and M2 use Fresnel reflection at the
boundary between the ZnO layer and the surrounding medium (i.e. optical fiber or air).
Figure 1. Fabry-Perot interferometer with the cavity filled by a ZnO layer. h – thickness of the cavity, M1, M2 – cavity mirrors.
The results of theoretical analysis and experimental investigation have shown that thin ZnO layer
confirmed its ability of making an active medium in a fiber-optic Fabry-Perot interferometer.
Presented preliminary results can be the base for building fiber-optic sensor ready for practical
applications.