Measurement of refractive index variation of liquids by surface plasmon resonance and wavelength-modulated heterodyne interferometry

In this study an alternative method based on surface plasmon resonance is proposed for in-situ monitoring of variation in the refractive index of a test sample. A wavelength-modulated light source and an unequal-path-length optical configuration heterodyne interferometer are used to detect the phase difference change, which can then be used to estimate the change in the refractive index of a test sample. The experimental results demonstrate a phase stability of 0.02°. The resolution power of the refractive index is 1.5 × 10^− 6 RIU. This method has several advantages over previously used methods such as simple optical setup, easier operation in real time, and low cost.     

Surface plasmon resonance device with imaging processing detector for refractive index measurements

This work presents a new surface plasmon resonance (SPR) instrument based on Kretschmann configuration. This device acquires and processes the reflected SPR image of the sample by using a webcam together with an image processing algorithm that transforms the RGB image in numeric values and correlates the integrated intensity with the refractive index of the solution. Experimental signals were compared with theoretical values and it was found an excellent agreement. In addition, the applicability of the instrument was tested by measuring the refractive index of solutions in a continuous flow mode. Excellent stability and sensitivity of the signal were found in the presence of small changes of the refractive index.     

Spectral modulation of ultra-broadband femtosecond laser pulses based on surface plasmon resonance

The surface plasmon resonance (SPR) for spectral modulation of the femtosecond laser pulses with 110 nm ultra-broad bandwidth is demonstrated on the basis of the development of ultrashort pulse laser sources which supports good spatial resolution and high peak intensity. Employing the femtosecond surface plasmon polariton pulses launched by a Kretschmann configuration, whose reflectivity curve has the characteristic of the ultra-broad bandwidth, we observe a frequency-dependent loss with greater attenuation at the peak of the spectrum profile than in the wings, which is very useful for adequate spectral modulation. The SPR for the spectral modulation is investigated in theoretical and experimental aspects. The arbitrary spectral modulation of the femtosecond laser pulses can be fulfilled by controlling and optimizing the SPR of the gold film. The experimental result agrees well with the calculation.     

角度型表面等离子体振荡传感器测量精度提高的新方法

设计了一种基于棱镜的角度型表面等离子体振荡自动测量系统,建立了共轴双旋转台的机械结构,提出了新型扫描的角度测量法,得到表面等离子体振荡谐振曲线。研究了影响系统多次测量一致性的因素,提出了减少采样点、提高单点数据采集次数,并采用三级变步长的测量方法,测量时间缩短至小于原来的1/10,使系统测量精度从1E 4折射率单位提高到了4E-5折射率单位。     

Optical characteristics of subwavelength metallic grating coupled porous film surface plasmon resonance sensor with high sensitivity

A high performance sub-wavelength metallic grating coupled surface plasmon resonance (SWMGCSPR) sensor with metal and porous composite layer is proposed. Rigorous coupled-wave analysis (RCWA) is conducted to prove the design feasibility, characterize the sensor's performance and determine geometric parameters of the structure, which is also employed to compute the electromagnetic (EM) field distributions at the resonant wavelengths. Parameters of sensing platform are optimized to achieve the best performance of the SPR sensor. Obtained results reveal that the proposed structure can excite SPR with negative diffraction order of SWMG. Both wavelength and angular sensitivities are greatly enhanced because surface plasmon wave (SPW) exhibits a large penetration depth which will enlarge the distance of interactions between SP and analytes. The detection sensitivities and quality parameters are estimated to be 700 nm/RIU and 509°/RIU with full width at half maximum (FWHM) less than 2.5 nm using the same optimized structure.     

契形结构光纤表面等离子体共振传感器研究

提出了一种契形端面结构的光纤表面等离子体共振(SPR)传感器激励模型. 采用时域有限差分法对契形SPR波导的共振模型进行数值模拟, 通过在光纤出射端抛磨契形角度并进行敏感膜修饰, 制出具有契形端面结构的类Kretschmann微棱镜式光纤SPR传感器, 实现激发SPR的光波调制.结果表明, 在1.3330–1.4215折射率范围内, 制备的契形光纤SPR传感器相对于常规光纤SPR传感器, 其平均灵敏度提高了近1–6倍, 1倍和6倍分别出现在小角度结构(15° 契形) 传感器和大角度结构(60°契形) 传感器, 且仍保持 10^-5 等级的分辨率. 该类型结构的传感器具有契形端面激励模式, 设计灵活性高、制备工艺简单、可微量检测样本等优点, 能够很好地适应于不同环境和测量条件的实际生化检测、环境监测需求. 关键词： 光纤传感器 表面等离子体共振 契形端面结构 折射率灵敏度     

Quantitative model for the change of optical resonance in neural activity detection systems based on surface plasmon resonance

The mechanism of neural activity detection using the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) phenomenon was theoretically explored in this paper. Investigating the mechanism of SPR neural recordings has been difficult due to the complex relationship between different physiological and physical processes such as excitation of a nerve fiber and coherent charge fluctuations on the metal surface. This paper examines how these different processes may be connected by introducing a set of compartmental theoretical models that deal with the molecular scale phenomena; Poisson-Boltzmann (PB) equation, which was used to describe the ion concentration change under the time varying electrostatic potential, Drude-Lorentz electron model, which was used to describe electron dynamics under the time varying external forces, and a Fresnel's three-layered model, which expresses the reflectivity of the SPR system in terms of the dielectric constants. Each physical theoretical model was numerically analyzed using the finite element method (FEM) formulated for the PB equation and the Green's method formulated for the Drude-Lorentz electron equation. The model predicts that the ionic thermal force originating from the opening of the K⁺ ion channel is fundamental for modifying the dipole moment of the gold's free electron; thus, the reflectivity is changed in the SPR system. The discussion was done also on important attributes of the SPR signal such as biphasic fluctuation and the electrical noise-free characteristics.     

基于LabVIEW的表面等离激元共振测量液体折射率

利用LabVIEW编写硬件控制软件,搭建了基于表面等离激元共振原理的光强探测型液体折射率测量实验平台.实验测量纯水和纯酒精的表面等离激元共振的共振角分别与理论计算数据相吻合,证明该系统测量的共振角数值能正确地反映液体折射率的变化.利用该系统测量了不同浓度的酒精-水混合液的折射率.     

Measurement of small displacement based on surface plasmon resonance heterodyne interferometry

This paper proposes an optical method for measuring small displacements using the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) heterodyne interferometry. A heterodyne light beam reflected by a mirror passes through a hemisphere glass and then enters into a surface plasmon resonance apparatus at the resonant angle. A small displacement of the mirror will introduce a phase-difference variation between p- and s-polarizations of the light emerging from the SPR apparatus. The phase-difference variation can be precisely measured with the heterodyne interferometric technique, and the associated displacement can be estimated. The feasibility of this method was verified by experiment, and the displacement measurement resolution of about 1.4 nm over a traveling range of 6 μm was achieved. Our method of measurement has the merits of both common-path interferometry and heterodyne interferometry.     

Fiber optic sensor based on surface plasmon resonance with nanoparticle films

This paper reports on a novel design of a fiber optic surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor based on nanoparticle metal film. The performance of the proposed sensor in terms of its signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and sensitivity under different conditions related to the film with spherical gold nanoparticles embedded in a host material is theoretically analyzed. In particular, the effect of the parameters such as gold particle size, film thickness, and refractive index of host material is studied and the possible explanation, whenever required, is given. The numerical results presented in this paper leads to fulfill the requirement of significant optimization of the important design parameters to achieve a high SNR and sensitivity of a fiber optic SPR sensor with nanoparticle films.     

基于表面等离子体共振的新型超宽带微结构光纤传感器研究

基于表面等离子体共振的微结构光纤传感器具有高灵敏、免标记和实时监控等优点.如今,由于此类传感器广泛应用于食品安全控制、环境检测、生物分子分析物检测等诸多领域而受到大量研究.然而,目前所报道的绝大多数此类传感器只能应用于可见光或近中红外传感.因此,对可应用于中红外传感的表面等离子体共振微结构光纤传感器的研究是一项极具挑战...     

基于表面等离子体共振传感器的金胶体表征

设计了表面等离子体共振(SPR)传感器实验装置,制备了金膜和金纳米胶体溶液,测量了不同厚度金膜和不同浓度金胶体溶液的SPR角谱,得到了不同浓度金胶体溶液的折射率.     

Measuring physical parameters with surface plasmon resonance heterodyne interferometry

If the incident angle of a light beam on the boundary surface between the thin metal film of a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) apparatus and a test medium is equal to or very near the resonant angle, then the phase difference between the p- and s-polarizations of the reflected light is related to the associated physical parameter. The phase difference can be measured accurately with heterodyne interferometry. If the relationship between the phase difference and the associated physical parameter is specified, then the associated physical parameter can be estimated from the phase difference data. This method has the benefits of both common-path interferometry and heterodyne interferometry, such as simple structure, high stability, high resolution, easy operation, and rapid real-time measurement.     

基于超连续谱的光子晶体光纤表面等离子体效应

提出了利用光子晶体光纤空气孔塌缩技术制作光子晶体光纤表面等离子体共振传感器,构建了空气孔完全塌缩的光子晶体光纤表面等离子体共振传感器模型,并模拟计算了其中的表面等离子体共振效应。制作了全光纤化的波长检测型的光子晶体光纤表面等离子体共振传感器,利用超连续谱光源进行了相关实验。实验结果表明:以空气为待测环境介质时,对应的共振波长为465 nm,与理论计算相符合。     

Modelling of surface plasmon resonance sensor for detection of mass concentration of ethanol and methanol in a binary mixture

Modelling of a surface plasmon resonance sensor for detection of ethanol or methanol content in water is presented. The reflectivities of these sensors are derived using transfer matrix method and hence the corresponding sensitivity and detection accuracy are obtained in the presence of high index overlayer, like silicon and chalcogenide. It is observed that the resonant wavelength of surface plasmon resonance sensor is shifted toward higher wavelength with increase of refractive index and thickness of overlayer. Hence, by adjusting their values, the desired spectral operation range of this sensor is obtained. The sensitivity of this sensor with silicon overlayer is larger than the chalcogenide overlayer but at the same time detection accuracy is smaller. This sensor can be used to detect the mass concentration of ethanol, methanol and other similar materials. A method to obtain the percentage mass concentration of ethanol is discussed.     

基于辅助电介质层的棱镜表面等离子体共振效应研究

研究了一种基于棱镜基底-辅助电介质层-金膜-待测介质四层结构的表面等离子体共振(surface plasmon resonance,SPR)效应激励模型.采用薄膜光学与波导理论,探索了由辅助电介质层与金膜复合而成共振薄膜对SPR效应的激励机理与调制特性.借助时域有限差分方法,数值模拟得到辅助电介质层属性与共振能量传输特性关系.在此基础上,构建了波长调制型棱镜辅助电介质层结构SPR激励系统.研究结果表明,当待测介质折射率相同时,相较基于棱镜基底-金膜-待测介质三层结构的Kretschmann激励模型,辅助电介质层激励模型共振光谱整体向长波方向偏移且半波宽度出现显著展宽效应.而当待测介质折射率增大时,辅助电介质层型激励模型的共振光谱不仅会向长波方向偏移,而且折射率响应灵敏度比棱镜Kretschmann三层激励模型高出75%.因此该模型能够为诸如高灵敏度检测、新型光学滤波与调制器件设计等领域的研究应用提供理论与实践储备.     

准晶体结构光纤表面等离子体共振传感器特性研究

光纤表面等离子体共振传感器在高灵敏度传感和在线实时监测等领域具有重要意义. 设计了一种六重准晶体结构环形通道光纤表面等离子体共振传感器, 基于有限元法对该传感器的传感特性进行了数值模拟. 研究了光纤各结构参量对传感器特性的影响规律. 研究结果表明: 待测液折射率的有效监测范围为1.25–1.331, 最高灵敏度可达26400 nm·RIU^-1, 传感器具有损耗谱杂峰少、探测范围广、灵敏度高、设计灵活性高和光路可弯曲等特点, 在生化检测、公共安全、环境污染监测以及高灵敏度传感等领域具有广泛的应用前景.     

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.     

Effect of metamaterial layer on optical surface plasmon resonance sensor

In this paper an optical surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor with metamaterial for four and five layered structure is studied. The numerical results presented in this paper leads to a significant properties of metamaterials in sensing field. Computed results of SPR sensors using metamaterial are compared with conventional optical SPR sensors for four and five layered structure. It is seen that wider dynamic range or effective range of measurable refractive index increases when metamaterial layer is used. It is also verified that SPR sensor with metamaterial layer can dramatically enhance the resolution and reduce the reflectivity compared with conventional SPR. Validity of the magnetic field results is proved on the basis of smooth match of the fields in the different layers of the proposed optical SPR sensor.     

基于超连续谱的光子晶体光纤表面等离子体效应

 提出了利用光子晶体光纤空气孔塌缩技术制作光子晶体光纤表面等离子体共振传感器,构建了空气孔完全塌缩的光子晶体光纤表面等离子体共振传感器模型,并模拟计算了其中的表面等离子体共振效应。制作了全光纤化的波长检测型的光子晶体光纤表面等离子体共振传感器,利用超连续谱光源进行了相关实验。实验结果表明:以空气为待测环境介质时,对应的共振波长为465 nm,与理论计算相符合。