Refractive index (RI) sensing helps to identify biomolecules and chemicals in the mid-infrared range for drug discovery, bioengineering, and environmental monitoring. In this paper, we numerically demonstrate an elect...Refractive index (RI) sensing helps to identify biomolecules and chemicals in the mid-infrared range for drug discovery, bioengineering, and environmental monitoring. In this paper, we numerically demonstrate an electrically tunable RI sensor with ultrahigh sensitivity using a three-layer graphene nanoribbon array separated by hexagonal boron nitride (hBN). Unlike the weak resonance in single-layer graphene nanoribbons, a much stronger plasmon resonance featuring a higher-quality factor can be excited in the graphene/hBN few-layer ribbon array. Simultaneously, the high purity of graphene on hBN results in an outstanding charge mobility above 4 ×10^4 cm^2 · V^-1·s^-1 at 300 K, which allows a larger modulation depth. The interaction between the locally enhanced field around graphene ribbons and its surrounding analyte leads to ultrahigh sensitivity (4.207μm/RIU), with the figure of merit reaching approximately 58.Moreover, this ultrasensitive detector could selectively work in different wavebands by controlling gate voltages applied to graphene.These merits of ultrahigh sensitivity and electrical tunability are major advances compared to previous RI sensors, paving a way toward ultrasensitive detection using graphene/hBN few-layer devices.展开更多
基金Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency(DARPA)(HR00111720032)Air Force Office of Scientific Research(AFOSR)(FA9550-14-1-0389)China Scholarship Council(CSC)
文摘Refractive index (RI) sensing helps to identify biomolecules and chemicals in the mid-infrared range for drug discovery, bioengineering, and environmental monitoring. In this paper, we numerically demonstrate an electrically tunable RI sensor with ultrahigh sensitivity using a three-layer graphene nanoribbon array separated by hexagonal boron nitride (hBN). Unlike the weak resonance in single-layer graphene nanoribbons, a much stronger plasmon resonance featuring a higher-quality factor can be excited in the graphene/hBN few-layer ribbon array. Simultaneously, the high purity of graphene on hBN results in an outstanding charge mobility above 4 ×10^4 cm^2 · V^-1·s^-1 at 300 K, which allows a larger modulation depth. The interaction between the locally enhanced field around graphene ribbons and its surrounding analyte leads to ultrahigh sensitivity (4.207μm/RIU), with the figure of merit reaching approximately 58.Moreover, this ultrasensitive detector could selectively work in different wavebands by controlling gate voltages applied to graphene.These merits of ultrahigh sensitivity and electrical tunability are major advances compared to previous RI sensors, paving a way toward ultrasensitive detection using graphene/hBN few-layer devices.
