Design and optimization of nano-column array based surface plasmon resonance sensor

• Published in: Optical and quantum electronics 2017, Vol.49 (1), p.1-7, Article 31
• Main Authors: Yang, Mei, Long, Shun, Zhu, Weiheng, Luo, Yunhan, Mao, Peiling, Tang, Jieyuan, Fang, Junbin, Yu, Jianhui, Zhang, Jun, Lu, Huihui, Chen, Zhe
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Arrays; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Computer Communication Networks; Design optimization; Electrical Engineering; Fiber optics; Figure of merit; Finite element method; Gold; Lasers; Numerical Simulation of Optoelectronic Devices 2016; Optical Devices; Optics; Photonics; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Refractivity; Sensitivity; Sensors; Surface plasmon resonance
• ISSN: 0306-8919; 1572-817X
• DOI: 10.1007/s11082-016-0859-5

In this paper, a surface plasmon resonance fiber sensor based on gold nano-column array instead of gold film is designed and optimized. The finite element method is used to optimize the diameter of the nano-gold column under the consideration of figure of merit, which relates to the sensitivity, resonance wavelength and resonance intensity. The optimized sensor has 70 nm gold nano-column coated on a side polished single mode fiber. The results show that the average sensitivity reaches 5318 nm/RIU when the environmental refractive index changing from 1.33 to 1.39 RIU, which is much higher than those in the conventional surface plasmon resonance structure. The optimizes design will serve a vital foundation to the fabrication of high performance fiber optic surface plasmon resonance sensors based on nano metallic structure.