High-resolution liquid refractive-index sensor using reflective arrayed-waveguide grating

A high-resolution sensor for measuring the refractive index of liquids using a reflective arrayed-waveguide grating (AWG) is proposed. The refractive index of a liquid placed in the groove of the arrayed region is measured via the shift of the maximum intensity in the imaging plane of the AWG owing to the phase change in the region. The refractive index can be monitored in real time by measuring the power ratio between two output waveguides of the AWG with a narrow-band source. A mathematical model based on Fourier optics and wave optics is established. A fitting formula for the relationship between the power ratio and the refractive index of liquid is derived. The results of the study show that the proposed method can eliminate the effects of instability of the light source and the inner loss of the system and provide a refractive index resolution of 10−7.