Association of vertically coupled polymer micro-resonator and phase-sensitive optical low coherence interferometer for label-free biosensing applications

We report on a new accurate investigation tool whose principle is that of a Michelson interferometer with a broadband source, namely a phase-sensitive optical low-coherence interferometer, used to interrogate an optical micro-resonator based sensor for label-free biosensing applications. This set-up, which is able to provide the amplitude and also the phase of the guided mode in a single measurement, is also used to evaluate the performances of the micro-resonators. The best vertically coupled polymer racetrack micro-resonator fabricated displays a Q-factor higher than 38 000 and a finesse of 21 at 1527.7 nm when immersed in deionized water. The association of the phase-sensitive optical low coherence interferometer and the vertically coupled polymer micro-resonator in an opto-fluidic cell for biosensing applications was tested and allowed the detection of a concentration of glucose in water solution around 0.23 mg ml(-1).