Hybrid Silicon-PDMS Optofluidic ARROW Waveguide

A hybrid silicon-poly (dimethysiloxane) (PDMS) liquid core antiresonant reflecting optical waveguide (ARROW) is proposed and analyzed. The waveguide hollow core is defined in the bottom silicon wafer sealed by a top PDMS layer. This configuration permits a strongly simplified fabrication process with respect to conventional full silicon-based ARROW waveguides. Furthermore, the transparent PDMS permits out-of-plane light detection and excitation improving the sensing capability. The numerical simulations and the experimental results show that a low loss liquid core ARROW waveguide with a broadband output transmission spectrum can be achieved.