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Updated: Feb 7, 2026
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Development of Whispering Gallery Mode Polymeric Micro-optical Electric Field Sensors
Published on: January 29, 2013
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Polymer Based Whispering Gallery Mode Humidity Sensor
Ann Britt Petermann1, Thomas Hildebrandt2, Uwe Morgner3
1Hannover Centre for Optical Technologies (HOT), Leibniz Universität Hannover, Nienburger Strasse 17, D-30167 Hannover, Germany. ann-britt.petermann@hot.uni-hannover.de.
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland)
|July 25, 2018
Summary
We developed a simple, inexpensive all-polymer whispering gallery mode (WGM) resonator sensor. This sensor demonstrates high sensitivity for relative humidity measurements, showing potential for practical applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Sensor Technology
- Optics
Background:
- Whispering gallery mode (WGM) resonators offer high sensitivity for sensing applications.
- Current WGM sensor technology often involves complex and costly manufacturing and readout processes.
- There is a need for more accessible and affordable WGM sensor solutions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and evaluate a simple, inexpensive all-polymer WGM sensor concept.
- To assess the sensor's performance for relative humidity (RH) measurements.
- To demonstrate the potential of this novel sensor for real-world applications.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of an all-polymer WGM resonator.
- Integration of the WGM resonator into a sensor setup.
- Experimental evaluation of the sensor's response to varying relative humidity levels.
Main Results:
- Successful realization of a cost-effective all-polymer WGM sensor.
- Demonstrated sensitivity of 47 picometers per percent relative humidity (pm/% RH).
- The sensor exhibited promising performance characteristics for RH sensing.
Conclusions:
- The developed all-polymer WGM sensor offers a simple and inexpensive alternative to existing technologies.
- The sensor's high sensitivity makes it suitable for practical relative humidity monitoring.
- This technology holds significant potential for deployment in diverse real-life applications and environments.
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