Quantitative Cross-Platform Performance Comparison between Different Detection Mechanisms in Surface Plasmon Sensors...

Area of Science:

• Nanotechnology
• Materials Science
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) is a promising label-free technique for voltage sensing.
• Existing SPR sensor structures and measurement protocols lack standardization, hindering direct performance comparisons.
• Variations in electrolytic solutions and applied potentials further complicate cross-platform analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a quantitative approach for direct, cross-platform comparison of diverse SPR structures and measurement mechanisms.
• To establish standardized performance metrics for evaluating SPR sensors in voltage sensing applications.
• To provide a framework for optimizing SPR sensor design and performance.

Main Methods:

• Theoretical investigation of two SPR sensor structures: uniform plasmonic gold and a silver-gold (Ag/Au) bimetallic layered structure.
• Quantitative analysis using key performance parameters: sensitivity (S), full width half maximum (FWHM), and figure of merit (FoM).
• Evaluation across different electrolytic solutions and SPR measurement mechanisms.

Main Results:

• The proposed quantitative approach facilitates direct comparison of SPR sensor performance.
• Bimetallic Ag/Au layered structures demonstrate potential for enhanced SPR performance.
• The enhancement factor for the figure of merit (FoM) using bimetallic layers ranges from 1.34 to 25, depending on the SPR detection mechanism.

Conclusions:

• A standardized quantitative method is crucial for advancing SPR-based voltage sensing.
• Bimetallic layered structures offer a significant advantage in improving SPR sensor performance, particularly the figure of merit.
• This work provides a foundation for the rational design and selection of SPR sensors for various applications.