Spherical microresonators have been demonstrated to be potential label-free tools for identifying chemical species on the sub-nanoscale level. Here a novel sensor based on the high-Q spherical microresonators will be presented. Recently, it was demonstrated that WGM spherical microresonators provide surface second harmonic light generation from a low number of small molecules [1]. The sensor signal is in this case directly related to the chemical distribution found at the surface. Results will be presented for the proof of principle of a new device integrated by an inert material onto which a periodic patterning is lithographically imprinted allowing the WGM generation of the second harmonic of only those analyte molecules attached to the imprinted area. The realistic implementation of the device will be discussed, as well as its prospective capabilities for bio- and chemical-sensing for large and small molecules.

Date Published: 9 May 2012
PDF: 7 pages
Proc. SPIE 8439, Optical Sensing and Detection II, 843912 (9 May 2012); doi: 10.1117/12.922280

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 8439:
Optical Sensing and Detection II
Francis Berghmans; Anna Grazia Mignani; Piet De Moor, Editor(s)