title: Refractive index sensor based on a 1D photonic crystal in a microfluidic channel.
abstract: A refractive index sensor has been fabricated in silicon oxynitride by standard UV lithography and dry etching processes. The refractive index sensor consists of a 1D photonic crystal (PhC) embedded in a microfluidic channel addressed by fiber-terminated planar waveguides. Experimental demonstrations performed with several ethanol solutions ranging from a purity of 96.00% (n = 1.36356) to 95.04% (n = 1.36377) yielded a sensitivity (Δλ/Δn) of 836 nm/RIU and a limit of detection (LOD) of 6 × 10(-5) RIU, which is, however, still one order of magnitude higher than the theoretical lower limit of the limit of detection 1.3 × 10(-) (6) RIU.
authors.affiliation: Department of Micro and Nanotechnology, Technical University of Denmark, DTU Nanotech, Building 345 East, DK-2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark. pedro.nunes@nanotech.dtu.dk
authors.forename: Pedro S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Nunes
authors.forename: Niels Asger
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Mortensen
authors.forename: Jörg P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Kutter
authors.forename: Klaus B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Mogensen
mesh_terms: D000431:Ethanol; D057230:Limit of Detection; D016014:Linear Models; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D055095:Optics and Photonics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012031:Refractometry / Q000295:instrumentation*; D017655:Silicon Compounds
chemical_list: D017655:Silicon Compounds; D000431:Ethanol; C032734:silicon nitride