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Ultrahigh Sensitivity Mach-Zehnder Interferometer Sensor Based on a Weak One-Dimensional Field Confinement Silica
Chenming Zhao1, Lei Xu1, Liying Liu1
1Key Lab for Micro and Nanophotonic Structures (Ministry of Education) of Ultra Precision Optical Manufacturing, Shanghai Engineering Research Center, Department of Optical Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China.
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland)
|October 13, 2021
Summary
A new Mach-Zehnder interferometer sensor uses a weak one-dimensional field confinement silica waveguide for enhanced sensitivity. This novel sensor achieves ultrahigh waveguide sensitivity and a low limit of detection for refractive index sensing.
Area of Science:
- Photonics and optical sensing technologies.
- Nanophotonics and waveguide-based devices.
Background:
- Mach-Zehnder interferometers (MZIs) are widely used for sensing applications.
- Achieving high sensitivity and low detection limits in MZI sensors remains a challenge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel MZI sensor with enhanced sensitivity and a low limit of detection.
- To investigate the performance of a weak one-dimensional field confinement silica waveguide (WCSW) in an MZI sensor.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of a WCSW with a large aspect ratio and low refractive index difference.
- Integration of the WCSW into an MZI sensor configuration.
- Experimental characterization of the sensor's waveguide sensitivity, MZI sensitivity, and limit of detection.
Main Results:
- The WCSW demonstrated easy preparation and a large evanescent field.
- Ultrahigh waveguide sensitivity of 0.94 was achieved.
- The MZI sensor exhibited a sensitivity of 44,364 π/RIU and a low limit of detection (LOD) of 6.1 × 10⁻⁷ RIU.
Conclusions:
- The novel WCSW-based MZI sensor offers a promising platform for high-performance refractive index sensing.
- The sensor design facilitates easy fabrication and achieves superior sensitivity and detection limits.
- This technology has potential applications in various fields requiring precise optical sensing.
