A new sensor device is reported to measure the change in dielectric permittivity or refractive index of liquid samples. This novel device is extremely compact in nature and can be fabricated on a chip by integrated optical design method. The device works on change in surface plasmon (SP) amplitude to obtain permittivity values of samples adjacent to a specially designed metal-dielectric interface in a waveguide. The geometry of the interface has a distinct effect on sensitivity of measurement. The performance of the device is analyzed, and predicted through analytical and numerical calculations.
2. Nemova, G. and R. Kashyap, "Theoretical model of a planar integrated refractive index sensor based on surface plasmon-polariton excitation with a long period garting," J. Opt. Soc. Am. B, Vol. 24, No. 10, 2696, 2007.
doi:10.1364/JOSAB.24.002696
3. Hong, S. H., C. K. Kong, B. S. Kim, M. W. Lee, S. G. Lee, S. G. Park, E. H. Lee, and O. Beom-Hoan, "Implementation of surface plasmon resonance planar waveguide sensor system," Microelectron. Eng., Vol. 87, 1315, 2010.
doi:10.1016/j.mee.2009.12.056
4. Luo, Z., T. Suyama, X. Xu, and Y. Okuno, "A grating-based plasmon biosensor with high resolution," Progress In Electromagnetics Research, Vol. 118, 527-539, 2011.
doi:10.2528/PIER11060103
5. Guillod, T., F. Kehl, and C. Hafner, "FEM-based method for the simulation of dielectric waveguide grating biosensors," Progress In Electromagnetics Research, Vol. 137, 565-583, 2013.
6. Homola, J., J. Ctyroky, M. Skalsky, J. Hradilova, and P. Kolarova, "A surface plasmon resonance based integrated optical sensor," Sens. Act. B, Vol. 286, 38-39, 1997.
7. Liedberg, B., C. Nylander, and I. Lundstrom, "Surface plasmon resonance for gas detection and biosensing," Sens. Act., Vol. 4, 299, 193.
8. Rakic, A. D., A. B. Djuri·sic, J. M. Elazar, and M. L. Majewski, "Optical properties of metallic films for vertical-cavity optoelectronic devices," App. Opt., Vol. 37, No. 22, 5271-5283, 1998.
doi:10.1364/AO.37.005271
9. Homola, J. and O. S. Wolfbeis, "Surface plasmon resonance based sensors," Springer Series on Chemical Sensors and Biosensors, Vol. 4, Part 1, Chapter 3, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg, 2006.
10. Min, C. and G. Veronis, "Theoretical investigation of fabrication-related disorders on the properties of subwavelength metal-dielectric-metal plasmonic waveguides," Optics Express, Vol. 18, 20939, Aug. 2010.
doi:10.1364/OE.18.020939
11. Maier, S. A. and H. A. Atwater, "Plasmonics: Localization and guiding of electromagnetic energy in metal/dielectric structures," Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 98, 011101, 2005.
doi:10.1063/1.1951057
12. Kauranen, M. and A. V. Zayats, "Nonlinear plasmonics," Nature Photonics, Vol. 6, 737, Nov. 2012.
13. Lal, S., S. Link, and N. J. Halas, "Nano-optics from sensing to waveguiding," Nature Photonics, Vol. 1, 641, Nov. 2007.
14. Stockman, M. I., "Nanoplasmonics: The physics behind the application," Physics Today, 39-44, Feb. 2011.
doi:10.1063/1.3554315