Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 15, 2026
08:12
Synthesis and Operation of Fluorescent-core Microcavities for Refractometric Sensing
Published on: March 13, 2013
Waveguide micro-opto-electro-mechanical resonant chemical sensors
Marcel W Pruessner1, Todd H Stievater, Mike S Ferraro
1Naval Research Laboratory, 4555 Overlook Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20375, USA. marcel.pruessner@nrl.navy.mil
Lab on a Chip
|March 12, 2010
Summary
We developed a novel silicon micro-sensor that detects minute mass changes using optical interferometry. This highly sensitive sensor achieves parts-per-million detection limits for water vapor and shows promise for detecting toxic chemicals.
Area of Science:
- Micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS)
- Optoelectronics
- Chemical sensing
Background:
- Chemo-selective polymers are crucial for targeted analyte detection.
- Micro-opto-electro-mechanical systems (MOEMS) offer high sensitivity for mass-loading detection.
- Accurate measurement of displacement and resonant frequency is key for MOEMS sensors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate a silicon MOEMS sensor for high-resolution mass-loading detection.
- To investigate the sensor's performance using water vapor as an analyte.
- To explore potential improvements for detecting a wider range of chemicals.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of a silicon microbridge resonator with paddles.
- Coating the microbridge with a chemo-selective polymer.
- Optical probing using an on-chip waveguide Fabry-Pérot interferometer.
- Water vapor sorption experiments to measure mass-loading and humidity detection.
Main Results:
- Achieved a minimum humidity detection of DeltaRH = 0.25%, corresponding to a limit-of-detection of 68 parts-per-million (ppm).
- Measured a mass-loading resolution of 4.6 picograms (pg).
- Determined the chemo-selective polymer's partition coefficient, confirming strong sorption.
Conclusions:
- The developed silicon MOEMS sensor effectively detects mass-loading with high resolution.
- The sensor demonstrates significant potential for sensitive chemical detection, with future improvements targeting parts-per-billion (ppb) levels.
- Further development could lead to large-scale sensor arrays for diverse toxic chemical monitoring.
