Influence of dopants on the performance of a fiber optic surface plasmon resonance sensor

In this paper, a theoretical analysis is carried out to estimate the sensitivity and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of a fiber optic surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor when fibers with different dopants and different doping concentrations are used. The dopants considered are germanium oxide (GeO₂), boron oxide (B₂O₃), and phosphorus pentoxide (P₂O₅) in a pure silica fiber. The variation of the dispersion relation with different dopants and doping concentrations are taken into account for the analysis. It is shown that the doping of B₂O₃ increases the sensitivity of the sensor while the effect of dopant on SNR is negligible. The analysis is extended to fiber optic SPR sensor with bimetallic layers.     

Numerical simulation of wavelength-modulated surface plasmon resonance-based fiber optic sensor

A systematically theoretical analysis of a surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-based optical fiber sensor is carried out. A three-layer mode (fiber core/gold/sample) is used to simulate the SPR-based optical fiber sensor. Several parameters including the thickness of gold layer, numerical aperture (NA) of fiber, sensing region length and fiber core diameter have been investigated to evaluate the sensitivity and measurement accuracy of sensor. A detailed explanation for the effect of these parameters on the sensor is presented to give a guideline to optimally design the SPR-based optical fiber sensor.     

LED based fiber optic surface plasmon resonance sensor

Modeling of a miniaturized fiber optic sensor based on surface plasmon resonance utilizing a broad band diffuse source is presented. Attenuated total internal reflection with Kretschmann configuration is the basis of the theoretical model. For simulation both meridional and skew rays are considered. The performance of the sensor is evaluated in terms of sensitivity, detection accuracy and signal to noise ratio. Effects of the numerical aperture of the fiber, core diameter and length of the sensing region on the performance parameters of the sensor are studied. The results are obtained for gold and silver metallic layer on the core of the fiber. The theoretical results obtained are compared with SPR based fiber optic sensor utilizing focused beam on the end face of the fiber from a collimated source. The advantages of using broadband LED (diffuse source) source for launching light in the fiber are the miniaturization, compactness and low cost of the sensor.     

内置调制层型光纤表面等离子体波共振传感器研究

研究了一种基于内置调制层结构的光纤表面等离子体波共振(SPR)传感器。通过在金膜与纤芯的内侧增覆具有不同厚度和属性的光学透明薄膜作为内调制层,构成了性能独特的光电复合薄膜,起到调节倏逝波矢量和金膜表面等离子体振荡波矢量的双重作用,进而控制共振效应,为调节灵敏度提供依据。采用时域有限差分方法对内置调制层结构光纤SPR共振激励模型属性进行数值仿真。在此基础上,研制了用于液体折射率测量的内置调制层型光纤SPR传感探针。实验结果表明,该传感器在1.335～1.392折射率范围内,随着待测液体折射率的增大,SPR共振光谱向长波方向偏移,且灵敏度达到2263.1nm/RIU,与基于纤芯-金膜-环境介质三层结构的常规光纤SPR传感器相比提高一倍,能够更好地满足环境折射率检测的需求。     

Lossy mode resonance-based uniform core tapered fiber optic sensor for sensitivity enhancement

A lossy mode resonance (LMR)-supported fiber optic sensor in which a uniform fiber core is placed among two identical tapered regions, is investigated numerically. Indium tin oxide (ITO) and aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) are considered as LMR active materials used to excite several lossy modes and gold and silver are used as surface plasmon resonance (SPR) active materials. In this probe design, a central uniform core coated with ITO/AZO is the active sensing region, whereas tapered regions are meant for bringing the incident angle close to the critical angle. The sensitivity of the present fiber optic bio-sensor is evaluated for first two LMRs utilizing both ITO and AZO separately, along with its variation with the taper ratio (TR). For ITO, the maximum sensitivity values are observed to be 18.425 μm RIU⁻¹ (refractive index unit) and 0.825 μm RIU⁻¹, corresponding to the first and second LMRs, respectively, at a TR of 1.6 and for AZO, equivalent values are 0.79 μm RIU⁻¹ and 0.35 μm RIU⁻¹, respectively, at a TR of 2.0. The results illustrate that the first LMR is more sensitive than the second LMR and the ITO-coated probe possesses greater sensitivity than the AZO-coated probe for both LMRs. Similarly, for the fiber optic SPR sensor, the maximum value of sensitivity is 5.6425 μm RIU⁻¹, in the case of gold and 5.0615 μm RIU⁻¹ in the case of silver, at a TR of 1.6. Hence, the result shows that the sensor with the present fiber optic probe design has around a 3-fold enhancement in sensitivity compared with conventional SPR sensors. This study will have applications in many sensing schemes where the requirement of large sensitivity is vital.     

Performances of different metals in optical fibre-based surface plasmon resonance sensor

The capability of various metals used in optical fibre-based surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensing is studied theoretically. Four metals, gold (Au), silver (Ag), copper (Cu) and aluminium (Al) are considered for the present study. The performance of the optical fibre-based SPR sensor with four different metals is obtained numerically and compared in detail. The performance of optical fibre-based SPR sensor has been analysed in terms of sensitivity, signal-to-noise (SNR) ratio and quality parameter. It is found that the performance of optical fibre-based SPR sensor with Au metal is better than that of the other three metals. The sensitivity of the optical fibre-based SPR sensor with 50 nm thick and 10 mm long Au metal film of exposed sensing region is 2.373 μm/RIU with good linearity, SNR is 0.724 and quality parameter is 48.281 RIU^− 1. The thickness of the metal film and the length of the exposed sensing region of the optical fibre-based SPR sensor for each metal are also optimized.     

Surface plasmon resonance based fiber optic sensor utilizing indium oxide

A highly sensitive surface plasmon resonance (SPR) based fiber optic sensor with indium oxide (In₂O₃) layer coated on the core of the optical fiber is presented and theoretically analyzed. The sensitivity of the SPR based fiber optic sensor has been evaluated numerically. It is shown that the proposed SPR based fiber optic sensor with In₂O₃ layer possesses high sensitivity in the near infrared region of spectrum, which needs attention to many environmental and security applications and offers more accurate and highly reproducible measurements. In addition, the sensitivity of the SPR based fiber optic sensor decreases with the increase in the thickness of In₂O₃ layer. With sensitivity as high as 4600 nm/RIU, the 170 nm thick In₂O₃ layer based fiber optic SPR sensor demonstrates better performance.     

Design and optimization of nano-column array based surface plasmon resonance sensor

In this paper, a surface plasmon resonance fiber sensor based on gold nano-column array instead of gold film is designed and optimized. The finite element method is used to optimize the diameter of the nano-gold column under the consideration of figure of merit, which relates to the sensitivity, resonance wavelength and resonance intensity. The optimized sensor has 70 nm gold nano-column coated on a side polished single mode fiber. The results show that the average sensitivity reaches 5318 nm/RIU when the environmental refractive index changing from 1.33 to 1.39 RIU, which is much higher than those in the conventional surface plasmon resonance structure. The optimizes design will serve a vital foundation to the fabrication of high performance fiber optic surface plasmon resonance sensors based on nano metallic structure.     

光纤SPR湿敏传感器及其共振光谱特性研究

提出并研制了基于光纤SPR传感探针的新型湿敏传感器。首先研究了光纤SPR传感探针对环境湿度变化的敏感特性,在此基础上提出在光纤SPR传感探针表面增覆不同厚度且具有水分子吸附功能的PVA薄膜来实现环境相对湿度的监测。研究结果表明,增覆双层PVA薄膜的光纤SPR传感探针在高湿区具有较好监测效果,其共振强度对应的相对湿度测量灵敏度达到1.59%/%RH,较光纤SPR探针呈现显著提高。而增覆单层PVA薄膜的光纤SPR传感探针在高湿区共振波长对应的相对湿度监测灵敏度达到2.411nm/%RH。此外所提出的新型光纤SPR湿敏探针在PVA薄膜失效后经过特殊工艺处理仍可重复镀膜使用。     

利用SPR效应测定可见光波段金膜折射率

利用金膜光纤SPR传感器测定标准试剂折射率,实现了对金膜折射率的测试.给出金膜光纤SPR传感器总反射系数与金膜折射率等参量关系表达式.采用经典金膜折射率计算结果与试验结果相比具有相当差距.为此采用一组标准试剂进行试验,对测试数据进行计算,修正了可见光波段金膜的折射率.     

Bimetallic Silver–Gold Film Waveguide Surface Plasmon Resonance Sensor

Abstract

It is desirable that a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor is highly sensitive to binding interactions within the sensing region, generate evanescent fields with long penetration depths, and utilize a metal film that is very stable even in extreme environmental conditions. In this study, we present the first example of a wavelength-modulated waveguide SPR sensor with a bimetallic silver–gold film for surface plasmon excitation. The underlying silver yields better evanescent field enhancement of the sensing surface, while the overlying gold ensures that the stability of the metallic film is not compromised. It is shown experimentally that in terms of dλ/dn, the bimetallic film waveguide SPR configuration has a sensitivity of 1232 nm/RIU, greater than two times improvement from the 594 nm/RIU achievable with single gold film waveguide SPR sensor. The higher sensitivity, compact nature, and better evanescent field enhancement of this configuration provides the potential to biosensing applications.     

基于空气孔微结构光纤的表面等离子体共振折射率传感器北大核心CSCD

提出了一种基于表面等离子体共振(SPR)效应增强的光子晶体光纤折射率传感器。该传感器结构通过光纤熔接机拼接光子晶体光纤(PCF),在光子晶体光纤中间引入一个空气孔形成PCF-空气孔-PCF的光纤传感结构,随后使用磁控溅射镀膜工艺在其表面沉积一层薄金膜制备而成。实验探究了折射率及温度对传感器的响应。结果表明,在1.333~1.389的折射率范围内,所提出的传感器的平均折射率灵敏度为2 142.52 nm,且测量线性度为0.981,品质因子约13.10。实验结果表明该传感器对温度不敏感。相比于无空气孔的PCF传感结构,引入的空气孔增强了SPR效应,使得传感器拥有良好的共振峰深度。得益于上述优势,该类型传感器有望在生物医学、环境监测等领域得到应用。     

Design of a highly sensitive surface plasmon resonance sensor using aluminum-based diffraction grating

A highly-sensitive grating-based surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor is proposed. The angular interrogation method has been used to study the performance of the sensor, and high sensitivity is obtained if the ?1st diffraction order is used to excite surface plasmon (SP). The sensitivity as well as the width of the SPR curves and reflective amplitude is considered for designing the sensor. Compared with the conventional gold (Au)-based or silver (Ag)-based SPR sensor, it is found that the aluminum (Al)-based sensor has the best performance. The oxidation problem of an Al-based SPR sensor has been addressed by coating it with an ultrathin gold film on the surface. Numerical simulations based on rigorous coupled wave analysis (RCWA) show that the sensitivity of the optimized sensor is 245°/RIU (degree per refractive index unit).     

Bimetallic Silver-Gold Film Waveguide Surface Plasmon Resonance Sensor

It is desirable that a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor is highly sensitive to binding interactions within the sensing region, generate evanescent fields with long penetration depths, and utilize a metal film that is very stable even in extreme environmental conditions. In this study, we present the first example of a wavelength-modulated waveguide SPR sensor with a bimetallic silver-gold film for surface plasmon excitation. The underlying silver yields better evanescent field enhancement of the sensing surface, while the overlying gold ensures that the stability of the metallic film is not compromised. It is shown experimentally that in terms of dλ/dn, the bimetallic film waveguide SPR configuration has a sensitivity of 1232 nm/RIU, greater than two times improvement from the 594 nm/RIU achievable with single gold film waveguide SPR sensor. The higher sensitivity, compact nature, and better evanescent field enhancement of this configuration provides the potential to biosensing applications.     

Theoretical analysis of surface plasmon resonance based fiber optic sensor using indium nitride

An extremely sensitive surface plasmon resonance based fiber optic sensor with indium nitride (InN) layer coated on the core of the optical fiber is theoretically analyzed. The proposed sensor exhibits high sensitivity in the near infrared region of spectrum. The optimized value of thickness of InN layer is found to be 70 nm. Possessing high sensitivity of 4493 nm/RIU, the 70 nm thick InN layer based fiber optic SPR sensor illustrates good sensing behavior.     

基于表面等离子体共振和定向耦合的D形光子晶体光纤折射率和温度传感器

利用光子晶体光纤结构的灵活性和性能的优越性, 设计了一种基于D形光子晶体光纤的折射率和温度传感器. 在D形光子晶体光纤表面抛磨并镀上金纳米薄膜, 作为表面等离子体共振传感通道用来测量液体折射率; 在包层的一个空气孔中填充温敏液体甲苯, 作为定向耦合通道实现对温度的测量. 进一步的数值计算发现, 基于定向耦合效应的温度传感和基于表面等离子体共振的折射率传感相互独立, D形光子晶体光纤同时进行折射率和温度传感检测. 在各向异性的完美匹配层边界条件下利用全矢量有限元法对该传感器特性进行了数值研究, 发现D形光子晶体光纤的空气孔直径决定了定向耦合吸收峰的中心波长和温度传感的灵敏度, 金薄膜的厚度和D形结构的抛磨深度仅影响表面等离子体共振峰的相对强度. 结果表明: 该传感器在-10–80 ℃的温度范围内具有11.6 nm/℃的温度灵敏度, 在1.34–1.44折射率范围内折射率灵敏度最高可达26000 nm/RIU.     

表面等离子共振效应中传统近似理论与薄膜光学理论

指出Kretschmann模型的传统表面等离子共振公式在求解金属薄膜的参量时存在近似性,采用更为严密的薄膜光学理论,通过薄膜膜系的特征矩阵,得出表面等离子体共振衰减曲线.结果表明,表面等离子体共振近似理论与薄膜光学理论得到的共振角及反射率幅度存在差别;采用等高线图,给出了共振角差随着金属介电常量的变化规律.进一步的实验表明,薄膜光学理论所得模拟结果较表面等离子体共振近似理论与实验值吻合地更好,证明薄膜光学理论应用在表面等离子体共振效应要优于常用的近似理论.最后,采用两种理论对表面等离子体共振传感器进行优化设计,结果表明,两种理论所获得的高灵敏度分布区域差异较大,必须采用薄膜光学理论提供更精确的薄膜参量,来优化设计高灵敏度表面等离子体共振传感器.     

纳米金表面修饰与表面等离子体共振传感器的相互作用研究

为了分析纳米金表面修饰对表面等离子体共振(SPR)的放大作用,以及其对传感器本身的影响,首先,基于色散介质的吸收理论,通过建立波长型SPR生物传感器四层膜结构的数学模型,理论分析了传感器表面所吸附纳米金对传感器的影响:纳米金的表面修饰,改变了表面等离子体传感器中棱镜表面各介质层内电磁场的能量分布,削弱了金属膜在共振吸收中的作用,从而使SPR曲线的半波宽度增加,最小反射系数增大,金膜的最优膜厚度也随之改变.其次,通过不同厚度的金膜外吸附纳米金的对比试验,验证了此理论.金膜厚45nm、表面修饰10nm纳米金颗 关键词： 表面等离子体共振 生物传感器 纳米金 金属膜     

Magnetized SPR sensor for enhanced functionality

It is known that a magnetic field changes the RI and the SPR angle of specific analytes. We have applied an external magnetic field to a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor to exploit this phenomenon. A gold film is used for excitation of SPR in the sensor with a Kretschmann configuration. According to the concentration of 4-type analyte, we observed unique changes of the SPR angle due to the magnetic field, providing better classification of material type than a conventional SPR sensor.     

Sensitivity enhancement for a multimode fiber sensor with an axisymmetric metal grating layer

This paper proposes a novel design for a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) fiber sensor with an axisymmetric sub-wavelength metal grating layer. The relationship between the sensor performance (the sensitivity S and the quality factor Q of the SPR dip) and the characteristic parameters are investigated. Numerical simulation results show that the proposed sensor can achieve a maximum sensitivity of 13,000 nm/RIU (refractive index unit) for a refractive index range from 1.3 to 1.4.