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Beyond Spectral Resolution in Nanophotonic Sensing: Picometer-Level Precision with Multispectral Readout
M S Cano-Velázquez1, S Buntinx1, A L Hendriks1
1Department of Applied Physics and Science Education, and Eindhoven Hendrik Casimir Institute, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven 5600 MB, The Netherlands.
ACS Nano
|July 21, 2025
Summary
This study introduces a novel approach to nanophotonic sensing, demonstrating picometer-level precision with low-resolution detectors. This innovation significantly reduces costs and complexity for high-performance optical sensing systems.
Area of Science:
- Optics and Photonics
- Sensor Technology
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Nanophotonic sensors provide precise, remote, and interference-immune measurements.
- Current adoption is limited by complex and expensive high-resolution readout instrumentation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To challenge the necessity of high spectral resolution in optical sensing.
- To propose a cost-effective, high-precision readout method for nanophotonic sensors.
Main Methods:
- Co-optimizing sensor and readout line widths.
- Utilizing low-resolution multispectral detector arrays and incoherent light sources.
- Validating the approach in temperature, refractive index, and biosensing applications.
Main Results:
- Achieved picometer-level precision, surpassing high-resolution spectrometers.
- Demonstrated superior performance in diverse sensing applications (temperature, refractive index, biosensing).
- Validated the effectiveness of low-resolution readout with co-optimized components.
Conclusions:
- High spectral resolution is not essential for high-performance nanophotonic sensing.
- The proposed method enables cost-effective and compact optical sensing systems.
- This paradigm shift facilitates broader adoption of nanophotonic sensors.
