Optical sensor for hydrogen gas based on a palladium-coated polymer microresonator.

We report an integrated optical sensor of hydrogen (H 2 ) gas employing an SU-8 polymer microdisk resonator coated with a palladium (Pd) layer and coupled to a single-mode optical waveguide. The sensing mechanism relies on the expansion in the Pd lattice due to palladium hydride formation in the presence of H 2 . Strain induced in the microresonator then causes a red shift of the spectral positions of the resonator whispering gallery modes (WGMs) which is monitored using a tunable laser coupled to the waveguide. H 2 concentrations below the flammable limit (4%) down to 0.3% could be detected in nitrogen atmosphere at room temperature. For H 2 concentrations between 0.3 and 1%, WGM spectral positions shifted linearly with H 2 concentration at a rate of 32 pm/% H 2 . Average response time of the devices was measured to be 50 s for 1% H 2 . The proposed device concept can also be used to detect different chemical gases by using appropriate sensing layers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]