An On-Chip Silicon Photonics Thermometer with Milli-Kelvin Resolution

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

The object of research described in the manuscript is a photonic temperature sensor using a whispering gallery mode (WGM) ring resonator. Temperature  sensors using whispering gallery mode effect in a waveguide have been an active area of research for about a decade. Sensors using this effect have a relatively wide range of potential applications, which makes them interesting to a fairly broad audience. Novelty of the manuscript is acceptable. However, some  issues should be addressed prior to publication of this manuscript.

First, part of Section 2 referring to the measurement setup (Fig. 4) should be revised and expanded. At present the description is sufficient only to those working with this technique. Since this manuscript is of interest to a much broader audience, a paragraph or two describing  the operation of the setup should be added to make the manuscript more accessible, even though the principles of operation of such setups were outlined elsewhere (e.g. [17] and [28]).

Second, when describing the grating coupling method Authors should consider adding a reference to a paper where this technique is described in greater detail.

Third, the language of the manuscript should be revised to correct errors and ensure that intended meaning  is clearly expressed. In particular, ‘anti-electromagnetic interference’ (line 35) should probably become ‘immunity to electromagnetic interference’. The last paragraph of Section 1 should be rewritten, as it is unclear. At line 67 the intended meaning was probably: ‘The light from the probe laser travels…’. Similarly, at line 130 there should be ‘Q-factor dropped to’ and at lines 138-140 ‘the thermal expansion coefficient of silicon … has negligible impact on the result…’. Please note that the list is not exhaustive.

In conclusion, the manuscript cannot be published in its present form, before problems outlined in this review are addressed.

Author Response

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Reviewer 2 Report

I recommend the publication after he revision. 

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Reviewer 3 Report

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Round 2

Reviewer 2 Report

That is fine.