<title>Novel integrated-optic chemical sensor for environmental monitoring and process control</title>

Abstract

This paper describes an inexpensive point sensor for chemical detection. The sensor is based on a novel integrated optic interferometer that provides a highly stable platform for measuring low concentrations of specific chemicals in gaseous or aqueous environments. Sensing is accomplished by monitoring refractive index changes in a thin-film surface coating, with specificity for a particular chemical achieved by using a surface coating that selectively interacts with that chemical. Multiple surface coatings can be used for simultaneous detection of several chemicals. This approach has a number of key advantages: (1) it is capable of quantifying concentrations down to at least the parts-per-billion level, yet has a broad dynamic range, (2) it is rapid response (