Resonant cavity spectrometer on a chip

ABSTRACT: This Small Business Technology Transfer Research phase I program will develop a new class of chip level high resolution spectrometers using waveguide coupled resonant cavities. The basic concept can be used from visible to long wave IR wavelengths, limited only by available detector arrays and materials for low loss waveguides. Our proposed development will concentrate on short wave IR including the telecommunications bands around 1.3 and 1.5m. This will leverage our recent development of silicon-on-insulator (SOI) hybrid plasmonic/dielectric waveguides. The phase I effort provides a balanced mix of optical modeling and fabrication of key sub-components to provide a proof of concept demonstration by the end of the phase I effort. BENEFIT: High resolution, compact spectrometers have great potential for diverse applications including chemical and biological sensing, security screening, material characterization, and communications. The availability of highly sensitive, low power, low cost compact spectrometers will greatly expand field applications.