Two novel integrated optical sensor types for measuring chemical concentrations, based on chemically induced changes of modal field profiles

Paul V. Lambeck, Hugo J.W.M. Hoekstra, Joris van Lith, Gijs van Elzakker

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

    3 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Two novel principles of sensing chemical concentrations by integrated optical sensors are presented. Both sensors are of the refractive type implying that a change of chemical concentration manifests itself as a change of the refractive index of a material located within the field profile of a guided mode. In contrast to common practice it is not the induced change of the effective refractive index Neff, but the change of the modal field profiles that is utilized for sensing, and here the changes of the refractive index finally show up as changes of the attenuation of a propagating mode. In the segmented waveguide sensor (SWS) the dependence of the modal transfer at the transition between two adjacent channel segments on the refractive index distributions of both segments is exploited while the second one relies on changes of the modal absorption as a result of a change of the penetration of the modal field into an absorptive region.

    Sensitivity and resolution-potential of both principles have been analyzed theoretically also taking into account the properties of peripheral equipment. Based on structures producible with SiON technology a SWS with a refractive index resolution of 5×10-7 can be easily designed. In an implementation of the second principle suited for immuno-sensing, a resolution in the thickness of the immuno-layer better than 10-4 nm is shown to be theoretically feasible. A SWS sensor has been realized; theoretically and experimentally obtained performance corresponds well to each other.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)209-228
    Number of pages20
    JournalJournal of nonlinear optical physics & materials
    Volume13
    Issue number2
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2004
    Event3rd International Symposium on Modern Optics and Its Applications, ISMOA 2003 - Bandung Institute of Technology, Bandung, Indonesia
    Duration: 25 Aug 200329 Aug 2003
    Conference number: 3

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