Fish-bone subwavelength grating waveguide photonic integrated circuit sensor array

Recent advances in subwavelength grating (SWG) structures have shown promise in sensing applications. Though prior sensors have obtained high index sensitivities, their designs have not focused on providing strong analyte/light interaction efficiency for low analyte concentration flows. We have explored high-contrast grating "fish-bone" and segmented SWG structures in the hopes of improving this aspect. We present below the progress of our design exploration of these structures and compare their performance to a typical slot waveguide to understand their impact on spectral transmission and analyte interaction. The best performing structures will be experimentally functionalized with label-free analyte capture materials to sense specific threat molecules via index change. We envision building many-analyte multiplexed sensor arrays from these devices to enable simultaneous monitoring of multiple chemical and biological threats or human biomarkers with high sensitivity, specificity, and low probabilities of false alarm.