A Fully Integrated Silicon Photonic Wire Sensor Array Chip and Reader Instrument

A complete instrumentation system for interrogating silicon photonic wire waveguide sensor array chips has been built and demonstrated. The system is designed to read 16 or more photonic wire sensors on a single silicon chip simultaneously and in real time, while delivering sample fluid to the sensors through microfluidic channels fabricated monolithically on the chip. The chip can be inserted into the instrument, automatically aligned with input optics and fluid connection, and be ready for measurement in a few minutes.