RTI uses cookies to offer you the best experience online. By clicking “accept” on this website, you opt in and you agree to the use of cookies. If you would like to know more about how RTI uses cookies and how to manage them please view our Privacy Policy here. You can “opt out” or change your mind by visiting: http://optout.aboutads.info/. Click “accept” to agree.
A planar optical waveguide with an input grating coupler was used as a label-free biodetection device. Nanoimprint lithography was used to integrate the grating patterns with low loss silicon oxynitride thin film waveguides. A widely tunable laser source at 1550 nm was used to characterize the device sensitivity to bulk medium changes, to thin film adsorption, and to protein binding. For each test, a comparison was performed between the sensitivity of wavelength interrogation and the more standard angular interrogation approach. The results indicate that these devices used in wavelength interrogation with a telecom laser source are perfectly suited to be integrated in compact and sensitive biodetection systems.