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Published on: April 4, 2017
Wavelength-scale noise-resistant on-chip spectrometer
Jianbo Yu1, Hsuan Lo2, Wenduo Chen1
1School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.
Nature Communications
|July 16, 2026
Summary
We developed a miniaturized, wavelength-scale on-chip spectrometer using inverse-designed quasinormal modes. This noise-resistant spectrometer achieves high accuracy for molecular sensing applications.
Area of Science:
- Photonics
- Nanotechnology
- Spectroscopy
Background:
- On-chip spectrometers are crucial for sensing technologies like environmental monitoring and biomedical diagnostics.
- Existing spectrometers face accuracy limitations due to small footprints and noise sensitivity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate a wavelength-scale, CMOS-compatible on-chip spectrometer.
- To overcome accuracy constraints of previous designs using inverse-designed quasinormal modes.
Main Methods:
- Utilized inverse-designed quasinormal modes within a complex photonic resonator.
- Engineered modes to extend effective optical path length beyond physical device dimensions.
- Fabricated a spectrometer with a 3.5 wavelength lateral footprint.
Main Results:
- Achieved a spectral resolution of 10 nm in the mid-infrared band (3590-3760 nm).
- Demonstrated highly decorrelated spectral responses, theoretically optimal for minimizing noise-induced error.
- The spectrometer is suitable for molecular sensing applications.
Conclusions:
- The developed spectrometer offers a miniaturized, noise-resistant solution for on-chip sensing.
- The design is extensible to other spectral bands, enabling lab-on-a-chip devices and chemical sensors.
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