Refractive index sensing utilizing a cw photonic crystal nanolaser and its array configuration

We demonstrate refractive index sensing using photonic crystal point shift nanolasers. These lasers operate continuously at room temperature by photopumping in a liquid, and exhibit a 50-dB peak intensity over the background level and a spectral linewidth of < 26 pm, the resolution limit of the p...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inOptics express Vol. 16; no. 11; pp. 8174 - 8180
Main Authors Kita, Shota, Nozaki, Kengo, Baba, Toshihiko
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 26.05.2008
Subjects
Computer Simulation
Computer-Aided Design
Crystallization - methods
Equipment Design
Equipment Failure Analysis
Lasers
Models, Theoretical
Nanotechnology - instrumentation
Refractometry - instrumentation
Refractometry - methods
Transducers
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Summary:We demonstrate refractive index sensing using photonic crystal point shift nanolasers. These lasers operate continuously at room temperature by photopumping in a liquid, and exhibit a 50-dB peak intensity over the background level and a spectral linewidth of < 26 pm, the resolution limit of the present experiment. The lasing wavelength shifts by soaking in different liquids; the wavelength to index sensitivity was 350 nm/RIU, the highest value recorded to date for nanocavity- based sensors. An index resolution of 9.0 x 10(-5) was thus confirmed, leading to an expectation of a resolution of < 10(-6). We propose and demonstrate a spectrometer-free sensor based on nanolasers in an array configuration. These will be disposable sensors with very simple optical I/O. They are anticipated to be integrated with biochips and used for label-free single molecule detection.
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ISSN:1094-4087
DOI:10.1364/OE.16.008174