High sensitivity (S) and high quality factor (Q) are desirable to achieve low detection limit in label-free optical sensors. In this paper, we theoretically demonstrate that single-layer and coupled bi-layer photonic crystal slabs (PCS) possess simultaneously high S and high Q near the bound states in the continuum (BIC). We theoretically achieved S > 800 nm/RIU and Q > 107 in refractive index sensing in the 1400–1600 nm telecom optical wavelength bands. We experimentally demonstrated an S of 94 nm/RIU and a Q of 1.2 × 104, with a detection limit of 6 × 10−5 refractive index unit. These sensor designs can find applications in biochemical sensing, environmental monitoring, and healthcare.
CITATION STYLE
Liu, Y., Zhou, W., & Sun, Y. (2017). Optical refractive index sensing based on high-Q bound states in the continuum in free-space coupled photonic crystal slabs. Sensors (Switzerland), 17(8). https://doi.org/10.3390/s17081861
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