Highly sensitive selectively coated D-shape photonic crystal fibers for surface plasmon resonance sensing

We propose a design for a high sensitivity plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor based on photonic crystal fiber (PCF) and analyze the sensor using finite element software (FEM). By introducing a D-shape hole instead of a circular hole in the first ring of the photonic crystal fiber, which increases the coupling effect and proficient infiltration of the sensing, resulting in enhance the performance of the sensor due to the flat structure of the D-shape hole and the homogeneous metal coating facility. We study the influence of the parameters of the D-shape hole on the sensing performance and analyze the sensor performance based on the wavelength and amplitude sensitivity. The results show that the proposed sensor is capable of detecting analyte refractive index ranging from 1.30 to 1.42, and the maximum sensitivities of 14,600 nm/RIU and 1475 RIU^?1 can be achieved in this sensing range, respectively. The largest sensor resolutions for wavelength and amplitude sensing are $6.84\times {10}^{?6}$ and $6.78\times {10}^{?6}\text{ RIU}$, and the maximum figure of merits (FOM) of the proposed sensor being 618.     

Understanding of optical readout accuracy with micromechanical sensor cantilever monitored by surface plasmon resonance

This paper reports a concept of micromechanical sensing of environmental condition using the surface plasmon resonance phenomenon. We calculate the resolution in the cantilever bending monitoring using the transfer matrix numerical method. We show that the cantilever deflection can be monitored with a resolution in the nanometer range. The SPs resonance behavior of the multilayer stack in the case of gold cantilever is discussed. We believe that this concept permits a low cost and ease of fabrication for a large bi-dimensional array of sensors with an enhanced signal-to-noise ratio.     

Sensitivity enhancement of surface plasmon resonance sensor using continuous film metallic gratings

A surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor based on continuous film metallic gratings is numerically investigated for enhance sensitivity. The results calculated by rigorous coupled-wave analysis (RCWA) present that interplays between localized surface plasmons and surface plasmons polaritons contribute to sensitivity enhancement. The sensitivity enhancement factor (SEF), which represents the influence of metallic grating, increased as the grating period decreased. In addition, several reflection dips can be achieved as the period of metallic grating increased. By double-dips method, the sensitivity SPR sensor based on continuous film grating-based is improved into 153.23°/RIU, which is more sensitive than conventional thin film-based SPR sensor in the same condition. The SPR sensor based on continuous film metallic gratings exhibits good linearity.     

Twin-hollow-core optical fibres

Twin-hollow-core microstructured optical fibres have been fabricated and characterised for the first time. The fibre cladding structure results in guidance by the inhibited coupling mechanism, in which there is a low overlap between the core modes and surrounding structure. This results in minimal interaction between the modes of each core in the transmission bands of the fibre and hence minimal coupling between the cores. It is shown that light is able to couple between the cores via coupling to cladding struts in the high loss wavelength bands.     

Polarization-insensitive surface plasmon resonance sensor by cross-slit metallic periodic arrays

We propose a plasmonic structure to obtain polarization-insensitive localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) sensor, which consists of cross-slit metallic periodic arrays embedded in the background material. Numerical simulation illustrates that the mechanism of the LSPR sensor is based on the shift of the Fabry–Perot cavity mode resonance peak in the spectrum as the change of the dielectric material properties for the near fields. And one of the transmission dips of the structure is very sensitive to the background materials; the structure could gain the sensitivity (nm/RIU) more than 500 nm/RIU. Meanwhile, the structure holds great potential to achieve high-performance sensors in practical application due to polarization-insensitive virtue.     

Investigation of surface plasmon resonance using cylindrical dielectric-metal-dielectric (C-DMD) plasmonic configuration

In this paper we have proposed a technique based on image analysis of the surface plasmon excitation at the metal-dielectric interface of inside silver coated fused silica capillary glass tube. Chemical deposition technique has been used for the deposition of silver. Angular interrogation in Kretschmann-like configuration is realized by non-radial transverse illumination of this cylindrical dielectric-metal-dielectric (C-DMD) structure with a He–Ne laser source. Here the uniform film deposition of the inside surface of the capillary is not that crucial except within the transversely illuminated working area concerned. Moreover, the proposed technique has been validated experimentally for sensing different aqueous dielectric samples inserted inside the tube.     

Nanotube based hybrid plasmon polariton waveguide for propagation loss reduction and enhanced field confinement inside the gap region at the subwavelength scale

We present a comprehensive numerical investigation on the guiding properties of a nanotube based hybrid plasmonic waveguide, which comprises a high-index dielectric nanotube placed above a metallic substrate. It is shown that the incorporation of the nanotube offers additional freedom for tuning the optical performance of the hybrid plasmonic structure when compared to the traditional nanowire based hybrid counterparts, which enables further reduction of the propagation loss and enhanced field confinement inside the gap region, while simultaneously maintaining a subwavelength mode size at appropriate geometries. Systematic geometric parameters mapping considering the size of the nanotube and the dimension of the gap reveals that the tradeoff between the confinement and loss could be further balanced through optimizing key physical parameters. These investigations potentially lay the groundwork for the further applications of nanotube based hybrid structures.     

Ultimate capabilities of sharp metal tips for plasmon nanofocusing, near-field trapping and sensing

This Letter considers an ‘ultimate’ nanofocusing system with arguably the largest field enhancements achievable in plasmonic nanofocusing structures. These enhancements appear far beyond those required for single molecule detection. The proposed structure is demonstrated to be ∼4 orders of magnitude more efficient for trapping of small nanoparticles and single molecules, than the tip-assisted trapping. It does not require direct irradiation of the tip, and this will enable highly targeted delivery of the optical energy to nanoscale regions as small as a few nanometers (e.g., inside living cells) for trapping, imaging, localized heat discharge, and superior sensing in a new generation of nano-optical detectors.     

Surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy on rotated sub-micrometer polymer gratings generated by UV-laser based two-beam interference

Two-beam interference method was applied to generate gratings having periods of 416 nm and 833 nm by the forth harmonic of a Nd:Yag laser on thin poly-carbonate films spin-coated onto silver layer-covered substrates. The dependence of the modulation depth on the fluence and number of laser pulses was investigated by atomic force microscopy. A secondary pattern appeared on very thin polymer layers thanks to the “p” polarized laser beam illumination induced self-organized processes. The conditions of the emergence of grating-coupling caused additional plasmon resonance peak were determined for the sub-micrometer periodic polymer gratings. Surface plasmon resonance measurements were performed in attenuated total reflection arrangement to determine the effect of the angle between the plasmon propagation direction and the polymer groves on the grating-coupling. The effect of the modulation depth on the grating-coupling caused additional resonance minimum was also analyzed. We found coupling phenomena according to our calculations, the differences between the measured and theoretically predicted resonance curves were explained by the scattering on the complex surface structure.     

Compact surface plasmon amplifier in nonlinear hybrid waveguide

Surface plasmon polariton(SPP), a sub-wavelength surface wave promising for photonic integration, always suffers from the large metallic loss that seriously restricts its practical application. Here, we propose a compact SPP amplifier based on a nonlinear hybrid waveguide(a combination of silver, LiNbO_3, and SiO_2), where a couple of Bragg gratings are introduced in the waveguide to construct a cavity. This special waveguide is demonstrated to support a highly localized SPP-like hybrid mode and a low loss waveguide-like hybrid mode. To provide a large nonlinear gain, a pumping wave input from the LiNbO_3 waveguide is designed to resonate inside the cavity and satisfy the cavity phase matching to fulfill the optical parametric amplification(OPA) of the SPP signal. Proper periods of gratings and the cavity length are chosen to satisfy the impedance matching condition to ensure the high input efficiency of the pump wave from the outside into the cavity. In theoretical calculations, this device demonstrates a high performance in a very compact scheme(~3.32 μm) and a much lower pumping power for OPA compared with single-pass pumping. To obtain a comprehensive insight into this cavity OPA, the influences of the pumping power, cavity length, and the initial phase are discussed in detail.     

Bragg grating writing through the polyimide coating of high NA optical fibres with femtosecond IR radiation

Bragg gratings are written with ultrafast 800 nm radiation and a phase mask through the polyimide polymer coatings of commercially available high NA fibres that are both unloaded and loaded with high pressure hydrogen gas. For polyimide coated fibres with very high germanium core concentrations, index modulations greater than 1 × 10⁻⁴ are induced. Stable core index modulations 60% of their original value were present after 115 h at 500 °C.     

Utilization of surface plasmon resonance of Au/Pt nanoparticles for highly photosensitive ZnO nanorods network based plasmon field effect transistor

Hydrothermally processed highly photosensitive ZnO nanorods based plasmon field effect transistors (PFETs) have been demonstrated utilizing the surface plasmon resonance coupling of Au and Pt nanoparticles at Au/Pt and ZnO interface. A significantly enhanced photocurrent was observed due to the plasmonic effect of the metal nanoparticles (NPs). The Pt coated PFETs showed I_on/I_off ratio more than 3 × 10⁴ under the dark condition, with field-effect mobility of 26 cm² V⁻¹ s⁻¹ and threshold voltage of −2.7 V. Moreover, under the illumination of UV light (λ = 350 nm) the PFET revealed photocurrent gain of 10⁵ under off-state (−5 V) of operation. Additionally, the electrical performance of PFETs was investigated in detail on the basis of charge transfer at metal/ZnO interface. The ZnO nanorods growth temperature was preserved at 110 °C which allowed a low temperature, economical and simple method to develop highly photosensitive ZnO nanorods network based PFETs for large scale production.     

用于接触式探测的多模光纤探针形状优化

对于进行接触式探测的多模光纤探针,信号光来自于附着于探针表面的待测物。基于几何光学,提出了一个物理模型,用以分析探头形状对所收集的信号光强度的影响。采用此模型,对抛物线型探头进行了仿真,给出了最优形状参数,并采用表面增强拉曼探针进行了初步实验验证。此分析可用于指导各种光纤传感器的设计,以确定其最佳的形状参数,适用于荧光传感器、表面等离子体共振传感器、表面增强拉曼传感器等。     

Nonlinear planar asymmetrical optical waveguides for sensing applications

This paper provides a theoretical analysis for TE polarized waves guided by a linear film surrounded by two asymmetrical nonlinear media for sensing applications. The sensitivity of the proposed sensor is derived. The conditions required for the sensor to exhibit its maximum sensitivity are presented. This analysis covers the case when the measurand is homogeneously distributed in the covering medium. We show that nonlinear sensors have sensitivities higher than those of linear sensors. The authors believe that optical sensing can be improved by introducing nonlinear waveguides.     

High sensitivity refractive index gas sensing enhanced by surface plasmon resonance with nano-cavity antenna array

The surface plasmon resonance gas sensor is presented for refractive index detection using nano-cavity antenna array.The gas sensor monitors the changes of the refractive index by measuring the spectral shift of the resonance dip,for modulating the wavelength of incident light.It is demonstrated that minute changes in the refractive index of a medium close to the surface of a metal film,owing to a shift in the resonance dip of the wavelength,can be detected.The average detection sensitivity is about 3200 nm/RIU(refractive index units),which is more than twice that of a metal grating-based gas sensor.The reflectivity of the surface plasmon resonance dip is only ～ 0.03%,and the full widths at half maximum(FWHMs) of bandwidth of the angle and wavelength are ～ 0.20° and 4.71nm,respectively.     

Semiconductor optical fibres: progress and opportunities

This paper reviews recent progress in the nascent field of semiconductor optical fibres, from the fundamentals through to device demonstration. The incorporation of semiconductor materials into both the step‐index and microstructured fibre geometries provides a route to introducing new optoelectronic functionality into existing glass fibre technologies. Herein, the various fabrication methods that have been developed as of to date are described, and their compatibility with the different semiconductor materials and fibre designs discussed. Results will be presented on the optical transmission properties of several fibre types, with particular attention being paid to the observation of nonlinear propagation in silicon core fibres. Finally, some speculation regarding the future prospects and applications of this new class of fibre will be provided.     

Numerical synthesis of metallic nanostructures for enhancing the emission of a dipole through surface plasmon coupling

In this study, we numerically synthesize a two-dimensional metallic nanostructure consisting of a Au half-space and two separate Ag elliptical cylinders by the simulated annealing (SA) method. The simulated nanostructure is so designed that the surface plasmon polariton (SPP) and the localized surface plasmon (LSP) are simultaneously excited at their common resonant wavelength (535 nm), leading to the enhancement of emission of a nearby dipole source. This enhancement effect is more significant than that of the case where only one of the SPP and LSP is excited. In numerically synthesizing a metallic nanostructure, we try to maximize both the downward emission (in the direction away from the metallic structure) and the emission efficiency. A cost function is defined as some combination of the downward emission and the emission efficiency. We adjust the simulated structure by SA to minimize the cost function at a designated resonant wavelength, and calculate and analyze the spectra of downward emission and emission efficiency for the optimal structure. Other structures are also investigated for comparison. From numerical simulations, it is demonstrated that the enhancement of dipole emission is better for optimization at wavelength 535 nm than at other wavelengths. Note that the downward emission and the emission efficiency can reach maxima almost simultaneously when the SPP and the LSP couple effectively at a common resonant wavelength. This implies that the lighting efficiency of green light-emitting diodes (LEDs) can be increased by the coupling effect at a common resonant wavelength of SPP and LSP.     

Photonic bandgap structures for long-range surface plasmon polaritons

Propagation of long-range surface plasmon polaritons (LR-SPPs) along periodically thickness-modulated metal stripes embedded in dielectric is studied both theoretically and experimentally for light wavelengths in the telecom range. We demonstrate that symmetric (with respect to the film surface) nm-size thickness variations result in the pronounced band gap effect, and obtain very good agreement between measured and simulated (transmission and reflection) spectra. This effect is exploited to realize a compact wavelength add-drop filter with the bandwidth of 20 nm centered at 1550 nm. The possibilities of achieving a full bandgap (in the surface plane) for LR-SPPs are also discussed.     

Frequency response of metal clad planar optical waveguides

The propagation characteristics of metal clad planar optical waveguide as a function of wavelength are investigated theoretically for Al, Ag, and Au. The results obtained show that attenuation of the propagation modes in these guides is highly dependent on wavelength, which can be used to design an efficient integrated optical waveguide polarizer with high extinction ratios, or to select the wavelength for the surface plasmon based metal clad optical waveguide sensors. It is observed that Al is the only metal that still supports the surface plasmons in the UV region.     

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.