Developing Novel Holographic Optomechanical Sensing Platforms for Detection of Volatile Organic Compounds

Faolan Radford McGovern, Catherine Grogan, George Amarandei, S. Mintova, Izabela Naydenova

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

Abstract

Detecting volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is important, their presence in modern indoor environments being associated to health risks including respiratory diseases and cancers. State-of-the-art VOCs sensors as MEMS and semiconductor devices achieve high sensitivity but exhibit poor selectivity and high cross-sensitivity with other environmental analytes including temperature and humidity. Such sensors often require complex and costly fabrication/operation processes and/or expensive readout equipment. Here, a novel optomechanical sensing platform, based on the combination of a holographic diffractive element and a static deflection bilayer cantilever, is presented. Its operation principle is based on the differential response of the cantilever layers to target analytes, and was verified using COMSOL Multiphysics. The cantilever deflection due to analyte presence was visually measured. As the sensitive layer is a photopolymer, a transmission volume holographic diffraction grating was recorded enabling a second, more sensitive, detection mode based on the variations in the diffracted beam intensity as the cantilever deflection angle changes. We compared the sensitivity of the optomechanical holographic sensor configuration to that of a holographic diffraction grating in a photopolymer layer coated on a glass slide. Selectivity and sensitivity of both configurations was increased by doping the photopolymer matrix with zeolite nanoparticles. The initial tests monitored the diffraction efficiency changes during the 5 minutes exposure time to 1000 ppm ethanol. The TOS presented changes of 1–4% in diffraction efficiency depending on the dopant concentration and photopolymer layer thickness, while the optomechanical sensor exhibited 7–14% change in diffraction efficiency.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationHolography
Subtitle of host publicationAdvances and Modern Trends VIII
EditorsAntonio Fimia, Miroslav Hrabovsky
PublisherSPIE
ISBN (Electronic)9781510662681
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2023
EventHolography: Advances and Modern Trends VIII 2023 - Prague, Czech Republic
Duration: 24 Apr 202325 Apr 2023

Publication series

NameProceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume12574
ISSN (Print)0277-786X
ISSN (Electronic)1996-756X

Conference

ConferenceHolography: Advances and Modern Trends VIII 2023
Country/TerritoryCzech Republic
CityPrague
Period24/04/2325/04/23

Keywords

  • VOC
  • cantilever
  • holographic sensor
  • optomechanical

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