Enhanced Polymer Waveguide Platforms for Absorption-based Optical Chemical Sensors

摘要

The development of polymer waveguide chips as platforms for optimized absorption-based optical chemical sensors is reported here. The chips were designed in accordance with theoretical predictions published elsewhere relating to the optimization of the sensitivity of optical absorption-based sensors. The waveguides were fabricated by micro-injection moulding and coated with a colourimetric, sol-gel-derived sensing layer. They were then incorporated into a compact, LED-based sensing device for the detection of gaseous NH_3. Results presented here demonstrate comparable sensitivity to more complex systems reported to date.