interferometer Interferometry is a technique which uses the '' interference'' of superimposed waves to extract information. Interferometry typically uses electromagnetic waves and is an important investigative technique in the fields of astronomy, fiber opt ...

is an

optical Optics is the branch of physics that studies the behaviour and properties of light, including its interactions with matter and the construction of instruments that use or detect it. Optics usually describes the behaviour of visible, ultravio ...

measuring Measurement is the quantification of attributes of an object or event, which can be used to compare with other objects or events. In other words, measurement is a process of determining how large or small a physical quantity is as compared to ...

device using the principle of

light Light, visible light, or visible radiation is electromagnetic radiation that can be visual perception, perceived by the human eye. Visible light spans the visible spectrum and is usually defined as having wavelengths in the range of 400– ...

waves canceling and reinforcing each other. Interferometers are typically used to accurately measure

distance Distance is a numerical or occasionally qualitative measurement of how far apart objects, points, people, or ideas are. In physics or everyday usage, distance may refer to a physical length or an estimation based on other criteria (e.g. "two co ...

s. Planar lightwave circuits are either optical

integrated circuit An integrated circuit (IC), also known as a microchip or simply chip, is a set of electronic circuits, consisting of various electronic components (such as transistors, resistors, and capacitors) and their interconnections. These components a ...

s (ICs) or optical circuit boards made using the same manufacturing techniques as their electronic counterparts, using optical

waveguide A waveguide is a structure that guides waves by restricting the transmission of energy to one direction. Common types of waveguides include acoustic waveguides which direct sound, optical waveguides which direct light, and radio-frequency w ...

s to route

photon A photon () is an elementary particle that is a quantum of the electromagnetic field, including electromagnetic radiation such as light and radio waves, and the force carrier for the electromagnetic force. Photons are massless particles that can ...

s the same way that metal traces are used to route

electron The electron (, or in nuclear reactions) is a subatomic particle with a negative one elementary charge, elementary electric charge. It is a fundamental particle that comprises the ordinary matter that makes up the universe, along with up qua ...

s in electronic ICs and circuit boards. A planar lightwave circuit interferometer (PLCI) is a planar lightwave circuit configured as an interferometer. PLCIs can take on any form which is rigidly printable, e.g. Mach-Zehnder, Michelson, Young's interferometer, etc. PLCIs are often found in products that are mass-produced, such as multiplexers/demultiplexersArrayed-Waveguide Grating Multi/Demultiplexer
NTT Electronics Corporation used in communications technology.Planar Lightwave Circuits Enable Next-Generation 40G/100G Networks
Photonics Spectra magazine, March 2010

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Planar Lightwave Circuit Interferometer Interferometers

See also

References