A distributed Bragg reflector porous silicon layer for optical interferometric sensing of organic vapor

In this study, we successfully demonstrated the rapid, sensitive, and reversible sensing of organic vapor using a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) porous silicon (PS) layer. We fabricated the DBR PS layer on a p+-type silicon substrate and investigated its reflectance spectra before, during, and after exposure to the different concentrations of various organic vapors. When the DBR PS layer sample was exposed to methanol, acetone, ethanol, and isopropanol vapors, the maximum reflectance peak promptly shifted toward longer wavelengths by about 4.5, 23.2, 26.0, and 38.2 nm, respectively. We determined that the red-shift in the reflectance spectrum could be attributed to the changes in the refractive index induced by the capillary condensation of the organic vapor within the pores of the DBR PS layer. The DBR PS layer showed excellent sensing ability under the different concentrations and types of organic vapors. In addition, a slight hysteresis of the red-shift was observed during repeated exposure to organic vapors at different concentrations. After removing the organic vapors, the reflectance spectrum promptly returned to its original state.