Design and analysis of a highly sensitive SPR based PCF biosensor with double step dual peak shift sensitivity.

Area of Science:

• Photonics
• Nanotechnology
• Sensor Technology

Background:

• Photonic Crystal Fibers (PCFs) offer unique light-confining properties for sensing.
• Plasmonic materials enhance sensitivity in optical sensors.
• Developing multi-functional sensors is crucial for advanced detection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate a quad-cluster multi-functional PCF sensor.
• To evaluate the performance of gold and Aluminum-doped Zinc Oxide (AZO) as plasmonic materials.
• To introduce a novel temperature sensing technique.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication and characterization of a PCF sensor.
• Integration of gold and AZO as plasmonic materials.
• Experimental measurement of Amplitude Sensitivity (AS) and Wavelength Sensitivity (WS) for refractive index (RI) detection.
• Implementation of the Double Step Dual Peak Shift Sensitivity (DS-DPSS) technique for temperature sensing.

Main Results:

• Maximum AS of 5336 RIU^-1 and WS of 40,500 nm/RIU achieved with gold.
• AS of 3763 RIU^-1 and WS of 9100 nm/RIU achieved with AZO.
• Expanded RI detection range from 1.32-1.43 to 1.19-1.42 using AZO.
• Achieved a temperature sensitivity of 1.05 nm/°C with a resolution of 0.095 °C for x-polarization using DS-DPSS.

Conclusions:

• The developed PCF sensor demonstrates high sensitivity and a broader RI detection range with AZO compared to gold.
• The novel DS-DPSS technique provides accurate temperature sensing.
• The multi-functional sensor shows significant potential for detecting various analytes in biochemical applications.