Dual-channel fiber surface plasmon resonance sensor based on a metallized core

Area of Science:

• Photonics and Optics
• Materials Science
• Sensor Technology

Background:

• Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) sensors are crucial for real-time chemical and biological analysis.
• Accurate temperature monitoring is essential for reliable refractive index measurements.
• Existing SPR sensors often face limitations in stability and integrated temperature compensation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel dual-channel fiber SPR sensor for simultaneous refractive index and temperature measurement.
• To optimize sensor performance by investigating various metal films and polymer coatings.
• To enhance the accuracy of refractive index sensing through integrated temperature compensation.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a dual-channel fiber SPR sensor with a metalized core.
• Coating the sensor with different metal films (silver, gold) and polymer layers (UV-curable adhesive, PDMS).
• Optimization of polymer and metal film parameters to maximize dynamic range and sensing sensitivity.
• Construction of a temperature compensation system using separate refractive index and temperature sensing units.

Main Results:

• Optimized sensor configurations achieved high sensitivities: 1.39 nm/°C (silver/UV adhesive) and 1.48 nm/°C (gold/PDMS).
• A dual-channel sensor was successfully constructed using a 20-nm gold film for refractive index and a 50-nm gold/PDMS film for temperature sensing.
• The developed sensor demonstrated improved accuracy for refractive index measurements with integrated temperature compensation.

Conclusions:

• The proposed dual-channel fiber SPR sensor offers a robust and practical solution for accurate, temperature-compensated refractive index sensing.
• The sensor's all-fiber structure provides excellent mechanical properties and ease of application.
• This technology holds significant potential for real-time temperature monitoring and compensation in diverse scientific and industrial fields.