A temperature sensor based on Si/PS/SiO₂ photonic crystals.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Optics

Background:

• Conventional temperature sensors face limitations in sensitivity and accuracy.
• Photonic crystals offer unique optical properties for sensing applications.
• Defective photonic crystal structures can exhibit enhanced sensitivity to external stimuli.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the temperature-sensing capabilities of a defective one-dimensional photonic crystal (1DPC) structure.
• To analyze the thermal properties and defect mode variations in the Si/PS/SiO2 structure.
• To evaluate the potential of this structure as an ultra-sensitive temperature sensor.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a defective 1DPC structure with alternating Si/PS layers and a central SiO2 defect layer.
• Utilizing the transfer matrix method and MATLAB for simulating transmission spectra.
• Computing transmission spectra across a temperature range of 25-900 °C.

Main Results:

• The defect mode exhibited significant shifts with increasing temperature due to thermal expansion and the thermo-optical coefficient.
• The structure demonstrated a considerable impact on the transmission intensity of the defect mode.
• Achieved a high quality factor of 2216.6 and a sensitivity of 0.085 nm/°C.

Conclusions:

• The proposed defective photonic crystal sensor shows promise for ultra-sensitive temperature detection.
• The design offers a potential solution to overcome challenges associated with conventional temperature sensors.
• The demonstrated sensitivity and quality factor support its application in advanced temperature sensing.