Tunable phase detection sensitivity of transmitted-type guided-mode resonance sensor in a heterodyne interferometer

Opt Express. 2014 Sep 22;22(19):22968-73. doi: 10.1364/OE.22.022968.

Abstract

A transmitted-type guided-mode resonance (GMR) sensor is presented for using an electro-optic heterodyne interferometer to tune phase detection sensitivity. The GMR grating waveguide structure is fabricated using a low-cost nanoimprinting SiO(2) sol-gel process and sputtering TiO(2) film. The phase properties of the GMR sensor are numerically investigated to verify its phase detection capability in a heterodyne interferometer. The phase curves for both transmitted- and reflected-type GMR sensors are experimentally obtained and compared. We conclude that the transmitted-type GMR sensor is more feasible for tuning phase detection sensitivity by rotating the analyzer in the electro-optic heterodyne interferometer. In our experiment, we achieved the GMR sensor phase detection sensitivity as high as 1.8 × 10(-7) RIU.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biosensing Techniques / instrumentation*
  • Equipment Design
  • Interferometry / instrumentation*
  • Optics and Photonics*
  • Refractometry / instrumentation*
  • Silicon Dioxide*
  • Surface Plasmon Resonance / instrumentation*

Substances

  • Silicon Dioxide