Dielectric ultra wideband optical E-field sensors

Aimed at test and evaluation needs on high power microwave (HPM) weapons, we describe new developments on miniature all-dielectric optical field sensors with flat RF sensing response from ~ MHz to 12 GHz, with negligible field perturbation, good sensitivity (~70 mV/(mH√z), and >100dB dynamic range. Present devices use a 20 mm long sensing region in an integrated optical (IO) waveguide Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) using electrooptic (EO) polymer for the waveguide. The fiber-coupled optical transmitter/receiver utilizes common optical communication technology. The incident HPM RF field induces an instantaneous change in the index of refractive of the polymer that is converted into an optical intensity modulation in the MZI device. The poled EO polymer requires no electrodes nor metallic antennas that can distort the field under test. We characterized the frequency response and polarization sensitivity of the field sensor, and both agree well with modeling predictions. Common fabrication limitations result in devices with sensitivity to thermal drift. New sensor designs are being developed with remote bias control that also can provide self-calibration. To further reduce the sensor size and insertion loss, beneficial for array applications, an "in-fiber" field sensor is being developed. The core of a D-shaped fiber is partially removed and replaced with EO polymer. Such a device may use polarization modulation sensing, or be configured in similar MZI structures as the IO waveguide sensors.