Design criteria for microstructured-optical-fiber-based surface-plasmon-resonance sensors

Abstract

Design strategies for microstructured-optical-fiber (MOF-) based surface-plasmon-resonance (SPR) sensors are presented. In such sensors, plasmons on the inner surface of the large metallized channels containing analyte can be excited by a fundamental mode of a single-mode microstructured fiber. Phase matching between a plasmon and a core mode can be enforced by introducing air-filled microstructures into the fiber core. Particularly, in its simplest implementation, the effective refractive index of a fundamental mode can be lowered to match that of a plasmon by introducing a small central hole into the fiber core. Resolution of the MOF-based sensors is demonstrated to be as low as 3 ϫ 10 −5 RIU, where RIU means refractive index unit. The ability to integrate large-size microfluidic channels for efficient analyte flow together with a single-mode waveguide of designable modal refractive index is attractive for the development of integrated highly sensitive MOF-SPR sensors operating at any designable wavelength.

Surface Plasmon Resonance‐Based Fiber Optic Sensors: Principle, Probe Designs, and Some Applications

“…The other designs for SPR-based fiber optic sensor includes SPR probe at one of the ends of the fiber with the reflecting end face [37,38] and a fiber tip [39,40]. The photonic bandgap fiber based SPR sensors have also been reported very recently [41,42].…”

Multi-channel SPR biosensor based on PCF for multi-analyte sensing applications

“…Classical SPR based bio-chemical sensors were focused primarily on using a single channel for sensing purposes and did not take in to account noise (error) causing scenarios such as non-specific analyte binding events, temperature variations and instrumental instability that occur in reality [6]. Demands for more accurate, highly sensitive SPR based bio-chemical sensors capable of multi-analyte sensing prompted research interest and development transition from the bulky Kretschmann prism based configuration with many moving optical and mechanical moving parts to micron level wave guide based configurations which are portable, adaptable to remote sensing and have better integration capabilities [7]. However, sections of cladding and jacket of the wave guide had to be removed manually before gold layer deposition, thus resulting in structural failures and higher fabrications cost.…”

Overview of Micro- and Nano-Structured Surface Plasmon Resonance Fiber Sensors

“…In Fig. 16.13b, two large semicircular metalized channels are integrated into the fiber structure to raise microfluidic flow rate and the efficiency of plasmonic excitation [45]. SPR-based three-hole microstructured optical fiber was proposed and numerically demonstrated with 1 9 10 -4 RI resolution for aqueous analytes in Fig.…”