Development of Planar Waveguide Based Gas Sensors for Challenging Environments

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This project looks to draw on the expertise within the CDT in Applied Photonics to support the development of novel optical sensing technologies to support AWE in its mission to support and maintain the UK's nuclear deterrent.Sensor technologies are essential to provide data from experiments to improve understanding of chemical ageing processes and mechanisms. In some situations, electrical-based measurements may introduce an unacceptable safety risk and as such optical-based sensor technologies provide a viable alternative to obtain empirical data. Although optical sensing is a relatively mature field it is niche, and many challenges exist that prevent these techniques from being readily deployed including lack of sensitivity, lack of selectivity, limited long-term stability and chemical incompatibility. This PhD project will look to develop novel optical gas sensor technologies based upon fibre coupled waveguide ultra-compact devices, using a silicon on insulator platform. The candidate will be required to develop gas specific device designs, fabricate these and then perform sensor evaluations, using the clean room fabrication facilities and optoelectronic laboratories, available in the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of St Andrews. The overall aim to enable this technology to deployed within future ageing experiments.