Integrated photonic MEMS chemical sensors

Abstract

We report micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) chemical sensors with improved on-chip optical interrogation method. A silicon-on-insulator (SOI) MEMS resonator is coupled to a waveguide Fabry-Perot microcavity enabling high resolution displacement and mechanical resonance measurement. By coating the MEMS resonator with a chemo-selective polymer, exposure to chemical analytes results in beam bending (static mode) as well as mass loading and a mechanical resonant frequency shift (dynamic mode). Proof-of-concept relative humidity sensing is demonstrated. Integrated waveguide power splitters/combiners are investigated for interconnecting many sensors on a chip.