Double resonance 1-D photonic crystal cavities for single-molecule mid-infrared photothermal spectroscopy: theory and design

Abstract

We propose and theoretically examine a novel mid-infrared (mid-IR) photothermal spectroscopic sensing technique capable of detecting a single small molecule. Our conceptual design attains such high sensitivity by leveraging dramatically amplified photothermal effects in an optical nanocavity doubly resonant at both mid-IR pump and near-IR probe wavelengths. Unlike conventional mid-IR spectroscopy, the technique eliminates the need for cryogenically cooled mid-IR photodetectors, as optical detection is performed solely at the near-IR probe wavelength. A device design based on nested one-dimensional nanobeam photonic crystal cavities is numerically analyzed to demonstrate the technique’s potential for single small gas molecule detection.

©2012 Optical Society of America

New miniaturized exhaled nitric oxide sensor based on a high Q/V mid-infrared 1D photonic crystal cavity

D. Conteduca, F. Dell’Olio, C. Ciminelli, and M. N. Armenise
Appl. Opt. 54(9) 2208-2217 (2015)

Demonstration of mid-infrared waveguide photonic crystal cavities

Hongtao Lin, Lan Li, Fei Deng, Chaoying Ni, Sylvain Danto, J. David Musgraves, Kathleen Richardson, and Juejun Hu
Opt. Lett. 38(15) 2779-2782 (2013)

Ultra-sensitive chemical vapor detection using micro-cavity photothermal spectroscopy

Juejun Hu
Opt. Express 18(21) 22174-22186 (2010)

Photonic crystal cavity on optical fiber facet for refractive index sensing

Bowen Wang, Timothy Siahaan, Mehmet A. Dündar, Richard Nötzel, Marinus J. van der Hoek, Sailing He, and Rob W. van der Heijden
Opt. Lett. 37(5) 833-835 (2012)

Optimized light–matter interaction and defect hole placement in photonic crystal cavity sensors

Christopher Kang, Sharon M. Weiss, Yurii A. Vlasov, and Solomon Assefa
Opt. Lett. 37(14) 2850-2852 (2012)