Large-aperture Fabry-Perot filters based on silicon/silicon carbonitride distributed Bragg reflectors for the near-infrared
This contribution presents silicon carbonitride as a new low refractive index material for integration together with silicon in suspended distributed Bragg reflector membranes. We show how its benign mechanical stress properties can be used to fabricate inherently flat mirror membranes of up to 5 mm diameter. Due to the large refractive index contrast to silicon such mirror membranes exhibit high reflectance over a wide spectral range. Using these mirrors, we demonstrate a proof of concept for a large aperture Fabry-Perot filter with narrow bandwidth that could help miniaturize hyperspectral imaging sensors.
Bragg reflectors for large optical aperture MEMS Fabry-Perot interferometers
This paper presents the fabrication of large-aperture low-pressure chemical-vapour deposited (LPCVD) Bragg reflectors utilizing low-stress polysilicon (PolySi) and silicon-rich silicon nitride (SiN) λ/4-thin film stacks. These structures can function as the upper mirror in a MEMS FPI device. High aspect-ratio mirror membranes were successfully released for 5 - 10 mm diameter range by sacrificial SiO2 etching in HF vapour. Optical simulations are presented for the Bragg reflector test structures designed for FPIs operating in the NIR range and the properties such as release yield and mechanical stability of the released LPCVD deposited polySi-SiN mirror membranes are compared with similar released atomic layer deposited (ALD) Al2O3-TiO2 λ/4-thin film mirror stacks. The realization of these Bragg reflector structures is the first step in the process integration of large-aperture MEMS FPI for miniature NIR imaging spectrometers, which can be applied to a variety of applications ranging from medical imaging and diagnostics to spaceand environmental monitoring instrumentation.
New Low-Profile Applicators for Local Heating of Tissues
A new type of low-profile applicator is described giving efficient power transfer to tissue with low leakage. It consists of a resonant element spaced from a ground plane by low-loss material having high relative permittivity and some relative permeability. This combination is covered by similar material which can be placed in direct contact with the tissue to be heated, or separated from it by a water bolus as required. Laboratory measurements using phantom materials show that these applicators are well matched and produce well defined and relatively uniform heating profiles. Applicators having maximum dimensions of 3-15 cm covering the frequency range 1000-100 MHz, respectively, are described. Penetration depths of at least 4 cm at 100-200 MHz are achieved. Tests on anesthetised pigs and some clinical assessment have confirmed the usefulness of this compact low-frequency type of applicator and have shown that performance compares favorably with that of other recently reported types. The design can be optimized for treatment of specific sites, and suitable choice of dimensions and electrical characteristics of the layer material allow the low-profile concept to be extended over a wide range of operating frequencies.