Integrated Optical Sensors

The optical (tele-) communication is the main driving force for the worldwide R&D on integrated optical devices and microsystems. lO-sensors have to compete with many other sensor types both within the optical domain (fiber sensors) and outside that domain, where sensors based on measurand induced changes of electrical conductivity or of mechanical properties such as SAW and micromechanical (e.g. cantilever) sensors are the main competitors. Hence R&D of IO-sensors have to be directed to fields where the strong points of IO-sensors match the dominant requirements of specific applications