Open AccessHigh index contrast photonic platforms for on-chip Raman spectroscopy
Author(s) -
Ali Raza,
Stéphane Clemmen,
Pieter Wuytens,
Michiel de Goede,
Amy S. K. Tong,
Nicolas Le Thomas,
Chengyu Liu,
Jin Suntivich,
André G. Skirtach,
Sonia M. García-Blanco,
Daniel J. Blumenthal,
James S. Wilkinson,
Roel Baets
Publication year - 2019
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.27.023067
Subject(s) - raman spectroscopy , materials science , optics , optoelectronics , waveguide , signal (programming language) , photonics , nanophotonics , photonic integrated circuit , coherent anti stokes raman spectroscopy , raman scattering , physics , computer science , programming language
Nanophotonic waveguide enhanced Raman spectroscopy (NWERS) is a sensing technique that uses a highly confined waveguide mode to excite and collect the Raman scattered signal from molecules in close vicinity of the waveguide. The most important parameters defining the figure of merit of an NWERS sensor include its ability to collect the Raman signal from an analyte, i.e. "the Raman conversion efficiency" and the amount of "Raman background" generated from the guiding material. Here, we compare different photonic integrated circuit (PIC) platforms capable of on-chip Raman sensing in terms of the aforementioned parameters. Among the four photonic platforms under study, tantalum oxide and silicon nitride waveguides exhibit high signal collection efficiency and low Raman background. In contrast, the performance of titania and alumina waveguides suffers from a strong Raman background and a weak signal collection efficiency, respectively.