title: Compact tunable microfluidic interferometer.
abstract: We demonstrate a compact tunable filter based on a novel microfluidic single beam Mach-Zehnder interferometer. The optical path difference occurs during propagation across a fluid-air interface (meniscus), the inherent mobility of which provides tunability. Optical losses are minimized by optimizing the meniscus shape through surface treatment. Optical spectra are compared to a 3D beam propagation method simulations and good agreement is found. Tunability, low insertion loss and strength of the resonance are well reproduced. The device performance displays a resonance depth of -28 dB and insertion loss maintained at -4 dB.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Grillet
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Domachuk
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ta'eed
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mägi
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bolger
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Eggleton
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rodd
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cooper-White