Sensitivity of TM nonlinear magnetooptical integrated optical sensor

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to consider a detailed investigation of transversal magnetic (TM) nonlinear magnetooptical integrated optical sensor. The sensitivities of two sensors are presented. The first sensor composed of a dielectric thin film surrounded by a lossless, nonmagnetic, isotropic cladding exhibiting a local Kerr‐like dielectric nonlinearity, and a magnetic substrate chosen to be an iron garnet. The second sensor is formed by exchanging the cladding and the substrate media of the first sensor. The homogenous sensitivities of both sensors are calculated as a function of the waveguide thickness and the effective refractive index. The effect of nonlinearity on the sensitivities for both sensors is investigated.

Design/methodology/approach

The homogenous sensitivities of both sensors are calculated as a function of the waveguide thickness and the effective refractive index. The effect of nonlinearity on the sensitivities for both sensors is investigated. Numerical calculations are performed using the Maple program.

Findings

It was found that the sensitivity for the first sensor sensitivity increases with nonlinearity. While the sensitivity for the second sensor is hardly affected by the change of nonlinearity. It was also found that the thickness of the guiding layer is a critical parameter for the sensitivity of the optical sensor with the optimum thickness being just above cut‐off in case of the first structure and at the cut‐off in the case of the second structure.

Originality/value

A detailed investigation of TM nonlinear magnetooptical integrated optical sensor is considered. The two proposed structures are used to investigate the parameters to get the optimal sensitivity, which is an important issue is the sensor design.

Citation

El‐Khozondar, H.J., El‐Khozondar, R.J., Müller, M.S. and Koch, A.W. (2012), "Sensitivity of TM nonlinear magnetooptical integrated optical sensor", Multidiscipline Modeling in Materials and Structures, Vol. 8 No. 1, pp. 32-42. https://doi.org/10.1108/15736101211235967