Roadmap on optical sensors

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Sensor Technology

Background:

• Optical sensors are increasingly vital in modern technology.
• Applications span medical diagnosis, defense, industrial, and environmental monitoring.
• Effective sensor design requires understanding optical, material, and environmental interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive overview of optical sensor technologies.
• To highlight the current state-of-the-art and future challenges in the field.
• To cover diverse sensing modalities and application domains.

Main Methods:

• A collection of twelve expert contributions.
• Review of various optical sensing technologies.
• Discussion of applications across different spectral regions (visible, infrared, THz).

Main Results:

• Exploration of optical fiber sensors (conventional and specialty).
• Detailed insights into laser-based, micro/nano-engineered, whispering-gallery mode, and plasmonic sensors.
• Coverage of chemical, biological, and biomedical sensing applications.

Conclusions:

• Optical sensing technologies are rapidly advancing.
• Significant challenges remain in sensor design and application.
• The field offers potential for compact, sensitive, and selective detection solutions.