Heavy water detection using ultra-high-Q microcavities

Creators: Armani, Andrea M.; Vahala, Kerry J.

Abstract

Ultra-high-Q optical microcavities (Q>10 to the 7th) provide one method for distinguishing chemically similar species. Resonators immersed in H2O have lower quality factors than those immersed in D2O due to the difference in optical absorption. This difference can be used to create a D2O detector. This effect is most noticeable at 1300 nm, where the Q(H2O) is 10(to the 6th) and the Q(D2O) is 10(to the 7th). By monitoring Q, concentrations of 0.0001% [1 part in 10(to the 6th) per volume] of D2O in H2O have been detected. This sensitivity represents an order of magnitude improvement over previous techniques. Reversible detection was also demonstrated by cyclic introduction and flushing of D2O.

Additional Information

© 2006 Optical Society of America. Received February 6, 2006; revised March 23, 2006; accepted March 26, 2006; posted March 28, 2006 (Doc. ID 67842). The authors thank Sean Spillane of the Quantum Science Research Group at HP Labs for help with the numerical simulations of the resonator's behavior in water and Deniz Armani at HRL Labs for microresonator fabrication. This work was supported by the Center for Optofluidic Integration at the California Institute of Technology.

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