Integrated optic glass microcantilever with Bragg gratings forming a Fabry-Pérot interferometer for force sensing

Microcantilevers are the workhorse for ultra sensitive force sensors and are used in applications such as atomic force microscopy, sensing forces as small as 10pN. In previous work, we have demonstrated the first integrated optical glass microcantilever, and we now show for the first time Bragg gratings forming a Fabry Perot interferometer acting to increase the force-sensitivity of the device. The fabrication of the glass microcantilever is based on a novel physical micromachining and etching approach, combined with UV written Bragg gratings. The advantages of the in-situ Fabry-Perot interferometer will also be discussed.