Method and apparatus for on-chip derivative spectroscopy

Abstract

A derivative spectroscopy system (300) for obtaining a tunable resolution of 2 nm or less in a spectral component (328) of an analytical input optical signal (380) is provided to estimate the derivative spectrum of the optical singal (380) based on the resolved spectral component (328). In the derivative spectroscopy system (300), a first dispersive element structure (310) spectrally decomposes the input optical signal (380) into sub-band signals (318). A second dispersive element structure (320) receives some or all of the subband signals (318) and spectrally decomposes the received subband signals (318) into a plurality of spectral components (328). The second dispersive element structure (320) is constructed using a material having a temperature-changing refractive index such that the central wavelength shift of each spectral component (328) is at most 2nm when the temperature of the second dispersive element structure (320) is changed. First-order and second-order derivative spectra can be obtained with high precision by obtaining three spectral component sets obtained at three different predetermined temperatures with a central wavelength shift of 2 nm or less.

Description

[0001] Cross References to Related Applications [0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 450,889, filed January 26, 2017, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. technical field [0003] The present invention relates generally to chemical and biological sensors using derivative spectroscopy, and more particularly to compact on-chip integrated circuit derivative spectroscopy methods and devices. Background technique [0004] In the field of portable devices capable of efficiently and reliably identifying chemical and biological agents, on-chip spectrometers offer an advantageous solution. Compact on-chip spectrometers can be realized in different configurations, such as resonant wavelength filters, such as microring resonators or Mach-Zender interferometers, and dispersive components, such as echelle gratings, etched diffraction gratings, and arrayed waveguides Raster (AWG). AWG manufactu...

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Problems solved by technology

Many existing spectrometers that provide absorption spectra cannot achieve such high resolution

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