Open AccessLow-cost planar waveguide-based optofluidic sensor for real-time refractive index sensing
Author(s) -
Devesh Barshilia,
Lai-Kwan Chau,
GuoEn Chang
Publication year - 2020
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.400800
Subject(s) - planar , refractive index , materials science , waveguide , optics , fabrication , optofluidics , microfluidics , optoelectronics , throughput , optical power , coupling (piping) , nanotechnology , laser , computer science , physics , telecommunications , medicine , computer graphics (images) , alternative medicine , pathology , metallurgy , wireless
We report on the design, fabrication, and characterization of mass-producible, sensitive, intensity-detection-based planar waveguide sensors for rapid refractive index (RI) sensing; the sensors comprise suspended glass planar waveguides on glass substrates, and are integrated with microfluidic channels. They are facilely and cost-effectively constructed via vacuum-less processes. They yield a high throughput, enabling mass production. The sensors respond to solutions with different RIs via variations in the transmitted optical power due to coupling loss in the sensing region, facilitating real-time and simple RI detection. Experiments yield a good resolution of 5.65 × 10 -4 RIU. This work has major implications for several RI-sensing-based applications.