Optical whispering-gallery mode barcodes for high-precision and wide-range temperature measurements

Area of Science:

• Physics
• Optical Sensing
• Materials Science

Background:

• Temperature is a fundamental property influencing physical, chemical, and biological systems.
• Conventional temperature sensors struggle with high-precision, submicron-scale thermal sensing.
• Optical whispering-gallery mode (WGM) sensors offer high sensitivity but conventional methods have limited dynamic range and only provide relative temperature changes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a high-precision, large-dynamic-range temperature sensor.
• To overcome the limitations of single-mode WGM sensing.
• To enable direct temperature readout from optical spectra.

Main Methods:

• Demonstration of an optical WGM barcode technique.
• Simultaneous monitoring of multiple WGM modes.
• Utilizing mode patterns for temperature determination instead of single mode tracking.

Main Results:

• The WGM barcode technique provides a direct temperature readout from the spectrum.
• Measurement relies on multi-mode patterns, not single mode shifts.
• Achieved high sensitivity with a broad dynamic range.

Conclusions:

• The WGM barcode technique offers a novel approach for accurate temperature sensing.
• This method enhances dynamic range and provides absolute temperature values.
• Lays the foundation for advanced, high-performance temperature sensors.