Role of spectral resonance features and surface chemistry in the optical sensitivity of light-confining nanoporous photonic crystals

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dc.contributor.authorAcosta, L.K.
dc.contributor.authorLaw, S.
dc.contributor.authorLim, S.Y.
dc.contributor.authorAbell, A.D.
dc.contributor.authorMarsal, L.F.
dc.contributor.authorSantos, A.
dc.date.issued2021
dc.description.abstractNanoporous anodic alumina optical microcavities (NAA-μQVs) with spectrally tunable resonance band and surface chemistry are used as model light-confining photonic crystal (PC) platforms to elucidate the combined effect of spectral light confinement features and surface chemistry on optical sensitivity. These model nanoporous PCs show well-resolved, spectrally tunable resonance bands (RBs), the central wavelength of which is engineered from ∼400 to 800 nm by the period of the input anodization profile. The optical sensitivity of the as-produced (hydrophilic) and dichlorodimethylsilane-functionalized (hydrophobic) NAA-μQVs is studied by monitoring dynamic spectral shifts of their RB upon infiltration with organic- and aqueous-based analytical solutions of equally varying refractive index, from 1.333 to 1.345 RIU. Our findings demonstrate that hydrophilic NAA-μQVs show ∼81 and 35% superior sensitivity to their hydrophobic counterparts for organic- and aqueous-based analytical solutions, respectively. Interestingly, the sensitivity of hydrophilic NAA-μQVs per unit of spectral shift is more than 3-fold higher in organic than in aqueous matrices upon equal change of refractive index, with values of 0.347 ± 0.002 and 0.109 ± 0.001 (nm RIU<sup>-1</sup>) nm<sup>-1</sup>, respectively. Conversely, hydrophobic NAA-μQVs are found to be slightly more sensitive toward changes of refractive index in aqueous medium, with sensitivities of 0.072 ± 0.002 and 0.066 ± 0.006 (nm RIU<sup>-1</sup>) nm<sup>-1</sup> in water- and organic-based analytical solutions, respectively. Our advances provide insights into critical factors determining optical sensitivity in light-confining nanoporous PC structures, with implications across optical sensing applications, and other photonic technologies.
dc.description.statementofresponsibilityLaura K. Acosta, Cheryl Suwen Law, Siew Yee Lim, Andrew D. Abell, Lluis F. Marsal and Abel Santos
dc.identifier.citationACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, 2021; 13(12):14394-14406
dc.identifier.doi10.1021/acsami.1c00914
dc.identifier.issn1944-8244
dc.identifier.issn1944-8252
dc.identifier.orcidLaw, S. [0000-0002-3276-8052]
dc.identifier.orcidLim, S.Y. [0000-0002-5677-9039]
dc.identifier.orcidAbell, A.D. [0000-0002-0604-2629]
dc.identifier.orcidSantos, A. [0000-0002-5081-5684]
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2440/130634
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherAmerican Chemical Society
dc.relation.granthttp://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP200102614
dc.relation.granthttp://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/CE140100003
dc.rights© 2021 American Chemical Society
dc.source.urihttps://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.1c00914
dc.subjectlight confinement
dc.subjectnanoporous anodic alumina
dc.subjectoptical sensitivity
dc.subjectphotonic crystals
dc.subjectsurface chemistry
dc.titleRole of spectral resonance features and surface chemistry in the optical sensitivity of light-confining nanoporous photonic crystals
dc.typeJournal article
pubs.publication-statusPublished

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