Design of Surface Plasmon Resonance-Based D-Type Double Open-Loop Channels PCF for Temperature Sensing

Area of Science:

• Photonics
• Optical Sensing
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) sensors are crucial for high-sensitivity detection.
• Photonic Crystal Fibers (PCFs) offer unique light manipulation properties for sensor development.
• Existing fiber optic temperature sensors have limitations in sensitivity and application scope.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and characterize a novel D-type double open-loop channel SPR-PCF for enhanced temperature sensing.
• To investigate the sensor's performance in terms of temperature and refractive index sensitivity.
• To explore the potential applications of the developed sensor in geological, biological, and meteorological fields.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a D-type PCF with grooves on polished surfaces, coated with a gold film.
• Design of a leakage window using air holes for efficient coupling of core mode energy with the gold film.
• Utilizing the temperature-sensitive properties of Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) for sensing mechanism.
• Experimental measurement of temperature and refractive index sensitivity.

Main Results:

• Achieved a high temperature sensitivity of up to 3757 pm/°C within the 5 °C to 45 °C range.
• Demonstrated a maximum refractive index sensitivity (RIS) of 4847 nm/RIU.
• The sensor exhibits a simple nanostructure with robust sensing performance.

Conclusions:

• The developed SPR-PCF sensor offers improved performance for small-diameter fiber optic temperature sensing.
• The sensor's high RIS and unique nanostructure present vast application prospects.
• This technology can advance environmental monitoring, geological exploration, and biological sensing.