Patent ID: 7684658

Claim:
A resonant optical sensor comprising an input waveguide, for receiving an optical sensing signal at a wavelength λ; a resonating optical device coupled to the output of the input waveguide for allowing the optical sensing signal to propagate therethrough and creating a resonant spectrum as a function of the ambient medium of the sensor, with a coupling coefficient between the input waveguide and the resonating optical device defined as γ (in) , the resonating optical device exhibiting a fixed, intrinsic loss γ and associated intrinsic Q-factor Q int ; and an output wave guide coupled to the output of the resonating optical device for receiving the resonant transmission spectrum, with a coupling coefficient between the output waveguide and the resonating optical device defined as γ (out) , the resonant optical sensor being optimized with respect to sensitivity in measuring changes in the ambient medium by adjusting one or more variable parameters from a predefined set of variable parameters to create a resonant spectrum output signal having a maximum slope and/or sharpest peak, regardless of Q-factor.