Enhanced detection limit in an exceptional surface-based fiber resonator by manipulating Fano interference

An exceptional surface (ES) has advantages in improving sensing robustness and enhancing frequency splitting. Typically, the eigenvalue splitting must exceed the mode linewidth in order to be clearly visible in the spectrum, which limits the precision of the ES-based sensing structure. In this paper, a strategy for manipulating spectral lineshape in an ES-based structure is experimentally realized. In addition, the limit of the minimum detectable displacement can be further reduced by monitoring the peak intensity of the Fano interference lineshape. The demonstration of Fano interference in an ES-based system opens the way for a new class of ultrasensitive optical sensors.