Open AccessOptical sensing by optimized silicon slot waveguides
Author(s) -
Francesco Dell’Olio,
Vittorio M. N. Passaro
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.15.004977
Subject(s) - materials science , refractive index , optics , silicon , nanometre , fabrication , silicon on insulator , waveguide , slot waveguide , optoelectronics , silicon photonics , physics , alternative medicine , pathology , medicine
A theoretical investigation of silicon-on-insulator nanometer slot waveguides for highly sensitive and compact chemical and biochemical integrated optical sensing is proposed. Slot guiding structures enabling high optical confinement in a low-index very small region are demonstrated to be very sensitive to either cover medium refractive index change or deposited receptor layer thickness increase. Modal and confinement properties of slot waveguides have been investigated, considering also the influence of fabrication tolerances. Waveguide sensitivity has been calculated and compared with that exhibited by other silicon nanometer guiding structures, such as rib or wire waveguides, or with experimental values in literature.