Design method for a distributed Bragg resonator based evanescent field sensor

• The presented design method determines the parameters of a slab waveguide DBR sensor.
• While not designed for rib waveguides the gained parameters provide a starting point.
• The design method allows the calculation of parameter sets for new material systems.

This paper presents an analytic design method for a distributed Bragg resonator based evanescent field sensor. Such sensors can, for example, be used to measure changing refractive indices of the cover medium of a waveguide, as well as molecule adsorption at the sensor surface. For given starting conditions, the presented design method allows the analytical calculation of optimized sensor parameters for quantitative simulation and fabrication. The design process is based on the Fabry–Pérot resonator and analytical solutions of coupled mode theory.