Photonic crystals for sensor-applications, in particular sensing of gases

许多气体(和液体)在中红外波段(3-20微米)表现出特征吸收线。因此，基于光谱的传感器技术在加工和生产测量(例如，汽车市场中的CO和CO2测量)中发挥着重要作用，但主要缺点是此类系统成本较高。该项目的目的是评估和开发基于光子晶体的传感器，用于气体的光谱检测。与传统系统相比，这种系统的优势可能是小型化、集成化、批量处理，从而使这种传感器系统的低成本版本成为可能。大孔硅有望作为光子晶体材料，用其制作中红外波段的结构，具有很好的重复性。关于结构布局的理论计算是必要的(为所需的波长量身定做传感器几何形状、耦合区域的布局)。除了从理论上对预测的效果进行实验验证之外，该项目的主要目标是即使在早期阶段也为传感器制定出实用的解决方案，以便将来可以建立更多面向应用的项目(例如BMBF资助的项目)。

Many gases (and liquids) exhibit characteristic absorption lines in the mid infrared wavelength region (3-20µm). So spectroscopic-based sensor techniques play a major role in processing and production measurement (e.g. CO and CO2 measurement in the automotive market) but with the major drawback of high costs for such systems. The aim of this project is to evaluate and develop sensors on the basis of photonic crystals for spectroscopic detection of gases. The advantage of such systems over conventional ones could be the possibility of miniaturization, integration, batch processing and thus low-cost versions of such sensor systems. Macroporous silicon is intended to be used as photonic crystal material, from which structures for wavelength in the mid infrared region can be fabricated with great reproducibility. Theoretical calculations are necessary regarding the structure layout (tailoring of the sensor geometry for the desired wavelength, layout of the coupling regions). Beside the experimental verification of the effects predicted from theory it is the main goal of this project to work out practical solutions for sensors even at this early stage so that future, more application oriented projects, (e.g. BMBFfunded) could build upon.