Efficient Chemical Sensing by Coupled Slot SOI Waveguides

A guided-wave chemical sensor for the detection of environmental pollutants or biochemical substances has been designed. The sensor is based on an asymmetric directional coupler employing slot optical waveguides. The use of a nanometer guiding structure where optical mode is confined in a low-index...

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Main Authors: Mario N. Armenise, Caterina Ciminelli, Vittorio M. N. Passaro, Francesco Dell’Olio
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2009-02-01
Series:Sensors
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/9/2/1012/
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author Mario N. Armenise
Caterina Ciminelli
Vittorio M. N. Passaro
Francesco Dell’Olio
author_facet Mario N. Armenise
Caterina Ciminelli
Vittorio M. N. Passaro
Francesco Dell’Olio
author_sort Mario N. Armenise
collection DOAJ
description A guided-wave chemical sensor for the detection of environmental pollutants or biochemical substances has been designed. The sensor is based on an asymmetric directional coupler employing slot optical waveguides. The use of a nanometer guiding structure where optical mode is confined in a low-index region permits a very compact sensor (device area about 1200 μm2) to be realized, having the minimum detectable refractive index change as low as 10-5. Silicon-on-Insulator technology has been assumed in sensor design and a very accurate modelling procedure based on Finite Element Method and Coupled Mode Theory has been pointed out. Sensor design and optimization have allowed a very good trade-off between device length and sensitivity. Expected device sensitivity to glucose concentration change in an aqueous solution is of the order of 0.1 g/L.
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spelling doaj.art-e1c976aefc7a42719673a779bbcf4b7f2022-12-22T04:22:28ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202009-02-01921012103210.3390/s90201012Efficient Chemical Sensing by Coupled Slot SOI WaveguidesMario N. ArmeniseCaterina CiminelliVittorio M. N. PassaroFrancesco Dell’OlioA guided-wave chemical sensor for the detection of environmental pollutants or biochemical substances has been designed. The sensor is based on an asymmetric directional coupler employing slot optical waveguides. The use of a nanometer guiding structure where optical mode is confined in a low-index region permits a very compact sensor (device area about 1200 μm2) to be realized, having the minimum detectable refractive index change as low as 10-5. Silicon-on-Insulator technology has been assumed in sensor design and a very accurate modelling procedure based on Finite Element Method and Coupled Mode Theory has been pointed out. Sensor design and optimization have allowed a very good trade-off between device length and sensitivity. Expected device sensitivity to glucose concentration change in an aqueous solution is of the order of 0.1 g/L.http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/9/2/1012/Integrated opticsOptical sensorSlot waveguidesSilicon-on-insulator
spellingShingle Mario N. Armenise
Caterina Ciminelli
Vittorio M. N. Passaro
Francesco Dell’Olio
Efficient Chemical Sensing by Coupled Slot SOI Waveguides
Sensors
Integrated optics
Optical sensor
Slot waveguides
Silicon-on-insulator
title Efficient Chemical Sensing by Coupled Slot SOI Waveguides
title_full Efficient Chemical Sensing by Coupled Slot SOI Waveguides
title_fullStr Efficient Chemical Sensing by Coupled Slot SOI Waveguides
title_full_unstemmed Efficient Chemical Sensing by Coupled Slot SOI Waveguides
title_short Efficient Chemical Sensing by Coupled Slot SOI Waveguides
title_sort efficient chemical sensing by coupled slot soi waveguides
topic Integrated optics
Optical sensor
Slot waveguides
Silicon-on-insulator
url http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/9/2/1012/
work_keys_str_mv AT marionarmenise efficientchemicalsensingbycoupledslotsoiwaveguides
AT caterinaciminelli efficientchemicalsensingbycoupledslotsoiwaveguides
AT vittoriomnpassaro efficientchemicalsensingbycoupledslotsoiwaveguides
AT francescodellolio efficientchemicalsensingbycoupledslotsoiwaveguides