Open AccessOptofluidic refractive-index sensors employing bent waveguide structures for low-cost, rapid chemical and biomedical sensing
Author(s) -
I-Chen Liu,
Pin-Chuan Chen,
Lai-Kwan Chau,
GuoEn Chang
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.26.000273
Subject(s) - refractive index , materials science , optics , waveguide , substrate (aquarium) , optoelectronics , microfluidics , bent molecular geometry , light intensity , optical power , throughput , refractometry , nanotechnology , laser , computer science , telecommunications , physics , oceanography , composite material , wireless , geology
We propose and develop an intensity-detection-based refractive-index (RI) sensor for low-cost, rapid RI sensing. The sensor is composed of a polymer bent ridge waveguide (BRWG) structure on a low-cost glass substrate and is integrated with a microfluidic channel. Different-RI solutions flowing through the BRWG sensing region induce output optical power variations caused by optical bend losses, enabling simple and real-time RI detection. Additionally, the sensors are fabricated using rapid and cost-effective vacuum-less processes, attaining the low cost and high throughput required for mass production. A good RI solution of 5.31 10 -4 × RIU -1 is achieved from the RI experiments. This study demonstrates mass-producible and compact RI sensors for rapid and sensitive chemical analysis and biomedical sensing.