Silicon Photonic Microring Resonator for High-Sensitivity Temperature Sensing

Abstract

The rapid advancements in silicon photonics has enabled the development of novel optical devices tailored for high-precision sensing applications. Among these, plasmonic microring resonators are promising devices because of their compactness, high sensitivity, and ability to interact with surface plasmons, which enhances their sensing capabilities. This paper focuses on the design and simulation of a plasmonic microring resonator for temperature sensing applications. The numerical study of plasmonic micro-ring resonator is performed with COMSOL Multiphysics software. The device operates based on the thermo-optic effect, where temperature variations induce changes in the refractive index of the resonator material, leading to measurable shifts in the resonant wavelength. This resulted in a maximum device sensitivity(S<inf>D</inf>) of 463.23 nm/RIU, and maximum temperature sensitivity(S<inf>T</inf>) of 90.01 pm/K. This work contributes to the advancement of silicon photonic sensing technology, offering a robust and scalable solution for applications in biomedical diagnostics, environmental monitoring, and industrial sensing. © 2025 IEEE.