Investigation of wide-range refractive index sensor based on asymmetric metal-cladding dielectric waveguide structure

A refractive index (RI) sensor based on an asymmetric metal-cladding dielectric waveguide structure, in which an analyte is used as the guiding layer, is proposed in this report. The angular scanning attenuated total reflection spectra of the sensor and optical field distributions under waveguide mode resonance conditions were simulated, which confirmed that multiple waveguide modes can be used for sensing, and that different waveguide modes exist in different analyte RI ranges. The curves of both waveguide mode resonance angles and the sensitivity as a function of the analyte RI demonstrated that a wide sensing range can be achieved by combining waveguide modes of different orders. The proposed sensor could be applied to numerous fields, such as biological and chemical detection.A refractive index (RI) sensor based on an asymmetric metal-cladding dielectric waveguide structure, in which an analyte is used as the guiding layer, is proposed in this report. The angular scanning attenuated total reflection spectra of the sensor and optical field distributions under waveguide mode resonance conditions were simulated, which confirmed that multiple waveguide modes can be used for sensing, and that different waveguide modes exist in different analyte RI ranges. The curves of both waveguide mode resonance angles and the sensitivity as a function of the analyte RI demonstrated that a wide sensing range can be achieved by combining waveguide modes of different orders. The proposed sensor could be applied to numerous fields, such as biological and chemical detection.

[1]  I. Abdulhalim,et al.  Figure-of-merit enhancement of surface plasmon resonance sensors in the spectral interrogation. , 2012, Optics letters.

[2]  Kazuyoshi Kurihara,et al.  An absorption-based surface plasmon resonance sensor applied to sodium ion sensing based on an ion-selective optode membrane. , 2002, Analytical chemistry.

[3]  Luigi Zeni,et al.  Refractive Index Sensing with D-Shaped Plastic Optical Fibers for Chemical and Biochemical Applications , 2016, Sensors.

[4]  Hua Yang,et al.  Theoretical study of multiexposure zeroth-order waveguide mode interference lithography , 2018, Optical and Quantum Electronics.

[5]  Kai Li,et al.  The influence of refractive index change on a micro-cantilever bio/chemical sensor system based on optical lever read-out method , 2008 .

[6]  Yunping Qi,et al.  Inscription of sub-wavelength gratings with different periods based on asymmetric metal-cladding dielectric waveguide structure , 2017 .

[7]  B. Mizaikoff,et al.  Sol-gel based mid-infrared evanescent wave sensors for detection of organophosphate pesticides in aqueous solution , 2003 .

[8]  Hamid Latifi,et al.  Measuring bacterial growth by refractive index tapered fiber optic biosensor. , 2010, Journal of photochemistry and photobiology. B, Biology.

[9]  Large area sub-wavelength azo-polymer gratings by waveguide modes interference lithography , 2013 .

[10]  Jasenka Memisevic,et al.  Characterization of a novel ultra low refractive index material for biosensor application. , 2009, Sensors and actuators. B, Chemical.

[11]  Daniel Day,et al.  A microfluidic refractive index sensor based on an integrated three-dimensional photonic crystal , 2008 .

[12]  Miguel V. Andrés,et al.  A Refractive Index Sensor Based on the Resonant Coupling to Cladding Modes in a Fiber Loop , 2013, Sensors.

[13]  R. Beigang,et al.  Prism coupled terahertz waveguide sensor , 2005 .

[14]  Ibrahim Abdulhalim,et al.  Self-referenced biosensor based on thin dielectric grating combined with thin metal film. , 2015, Optics express.

[15]  Sung June Kim,et al.  Design optimization of nano-grating surface plasmon resonance sensors. , 2006, Optics express.

[16]  S. Yam,et al.  Refractive index sensor based on an abrupt taper Michelson interferometer in a single-mode fiber. , 2008, Optics letters.

[17]  Yunping Qi,et al.  Theoretical investigation of hierarchical sub-wavelength photonic structures fabricated using high-order waveguide-mode interference lithograph* , 2017 .

[18]  D. Zhao,et al.  Plasmonic Silver Supercrystals with Ultrasmall Nanogaps for Ultrasensitive SERS‐Based Molecule Detection , 2015 .

[19]  Guolu Yin,et al.  Temperature-insensitive refractive index sensor based on in-fiber Michelson interferometer , 2014 .

[20]  J. Kondoh,et al.  Tuning and sensitivity enhancement of surface plasmon resonance sensor , 2007 .

[21]  Ibrahim Abdulhalim,et al.  Angular and Intensity Modes Self-Referenced Refractive Index Sensor Based on Thin Dielectric Grating Combined With Thin Metal Film , 2017, IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics.

[22]  I P Kaminow,et al.  Metal-clad optical waveguides: analytical and experimental study. , 1974, Applied optics.

[23]  Guofan Jin,et al.  Ultracompact refractive index sensor based on microcavity in the sandwiched photonic crystal waveguide structure , 2008 .

[24]  W. Challener,et al.  A multilayer grating-based evanescent wave sensing technique , 2000 .