Sub-nm resolution cavity enhanced microspectrometer

A novel on-chip spectrometer device using combined functionalities of a micro-ring resonator and a planar diffraction grating is proposed. We investigate the performance of this architecture by implementing it in a silicon-on-insulator platform. We experimentally demonstrate such a device with 100 channels, 0.1 nm channel spacing and a channel crosstalk less than -10 dB. The entire device occupies an area of less than 2 mm(2). Based on our initial results we envision that this device enables the possibility of the realization of low-cost and high-resolution ultra-compact spectroscopy. (C) 2009 Optical Society of America