Abstract

We introduce a microfluidic refractive index sensor based on a directional coupler architecture using solid-core photonic crystal fibers. The sensor achieves very high sensitivity by coupling the core mode to a mode in the adjacent fluid-filled waveguide that is beyond modal cutoff, and with strong field overlap. We demonstrate the device through the selective infiltration of a single hole with fluid along a microstructured optical fiber. A detection limit of 4.6×10⁻⁷ refractive index units has been derived from measurements with a sensitivity of 30,100 nm per refractive index unit, which is the highest for a fiber device to date.

© 2009 Optical Society of America

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History
Original Manuscript: November 11, 2008
Manuscript Accepted: December 5, 2008
Published: January 27, 2009

References

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Author Affiliations

Darran K. C. Wu, Boris T. Kuhlmey, Benjamin J. Eggleton

University of Sydney

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