Micro-optical force sensor concept based on whispering gallery mode resonators

A micro-optical force sensor concept based on the morphology-dependent shifts of optical modes of dielectric microspheres is investigated. The optical resonances, commonly referred to as the whispering gallery modes (WGM), were excited by evanescently coupling light from a tunable diode laser using a tapered single-mode fiber. A compressive force applied to the sphere induces a change in both the shape and the index of refraction of the sphere leading to a shift in WGM. By tracking the shifts, the force magnitude is determined using solid silica as well as solid and hollow Polymethyl-methacrylate (PMMA) microsphere resonators. A measurement sensitivity as high as d lambda/dF = 7.664 nm/N was demonstrated with a 960 mu m hollow PMMA sphere. (C) 2008 Optical Society of America.