<p>Integrated photonic sensors have attracted significant attention recently for their potential for high-density integration. However, they face challenges in sensing gases with high sensitivity due to weak light-gas interaction. Slow light, which dramatically intensifies light-matter interaction through spatial compression of optical energy, provides a promising solution. Herein, we demonstrate a dual slow-light scheme for enhancing the sensitivity of photothermal spectroscopy (PTS) with a suspended photonic crystal waveguide (PhCW) on a CMOS-compatible silicon platform. By tailoring the dispersion of the PhCW to generate structural slow light to enhance pump absorption and probe phase modulation, we achieve a photothermal efficiency of 3.6 × 10<sup>−4</sup> rad·cm·ppm<sup>−1</sup> · mW<sup>−1</sup> · m<sup>−1</sup>, over 1 − 3 orders of magnitude higher than the strip waveguides and optical fibers. With a 1-mm-long sensing PhCW incorporated in a stabilized on-chip Mach-Zehnder interferometer with a footprint of 0.6 mm<sup>2</sup>, we demonstrate acetylene detection with a sensitivity of 1.4 × 10<sup>−6</sup> in terms of noise-equivalent absorption and length product (NEA · L), the best among the reported photonic waveguide gas sensors to our knowledge. The dual slow-light enhanced PTS paves the way for integrated photonic gas sensors with high sensitivity, miniaturization, and cost-effective mass production.</p>

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Dual slow-light enhanced photothermal gas spectroscopy on a silicon chip

  • Kaiyuan Zheng,
  • Zihang Peng,
  • Hanyu Liao,
  • Yijun Huang,
  • Haihong Bao,
  • Shuangxiang Zhao,
  • Yu Zhang,
  • Chuantao Zheng,
  • Yiding Wang,
  • Wei Jin

摘要

Integrated photonic sensors have attracted significant attention recently for their potential for high-density integration. However, they face challenges in sensing gases with high sensitivity due to weak light-gas interaction. Slow light, which dramatically intensifies light-matter interaction through spatial compression of optical energy, provides a promising solution. Herein, we demonstrate a dual slow-light scheme for enhancing the sensitivity of photothermal spectroscopy (PTS) with a suspended photonic crystal waveguide (PhCW) on a CMOS-compatible silicon platform. By tailoring the dispersion of the PhCW to generate structural slow light to enhance pump absorption and probe phase modulation, we achieve a photothermal efficiency of 3.6 × 10−4 rad·cm·ppm−1 · mW−1 · m−1, over 1 − 3 orders of magnitude higher than the strip waveguides and optical fibers. With a 1-mm-long sensing PhCW incorporated in a stabilized on-chip Mach-Zehnder interferometer with a footprint of 0.6 mm2, we demonstrate acetylene detection with a sensitivity of 1.4 × 10−6 in terms of noise-equivalent absorption and length product (NEA · L), the best among the reported photonic waveguide gas sensors to our knowledge. The dual slow-light enhanced PTS paves the way for integrated photonic gas sensors with high sensitivity, miniaturization, and cost-effective mass production.