Khulna University of Enginnering & Technology

Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Course No: EE 4000

Supervised by:
Dr. Mohammad Shaifur Rahman
Professor
Department of Electrical and Electronic Enginnering
KUET

Submitted by:
Pritom Kumar Das
Roll: 1803038
Year: 4𝑡ℎ
Term:1𝑠𝑡

Date of Submission: 05 – 09 – 2023

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Content:
1. Introduction …………………………………………………………………(03-04)
2. Motivation …………………………………………………………………..(04)
3. Literature Review ...……………………………………………………..(05-06)
4. Objectives ……………….…………………………………………………..(06)
5. Progress ….……………………………………………………………………(07-08)
6. Future Goals …………………………………………………………………(08)
7. References ……………………………………………………………………(09)

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1.Introduction:
In recent years, more academics have been researching and writing about fiber
optic sensors based on SPR. Photonic crystal fibers (PCF) are being employed more
and more in the fiber sensing industry, especially because of their distinctive
structural benefits, extensive range of applications such as security, biochemical,
environmental monitoring, food safety, and medical diagnostics [1],[2].
The collective oscillation of free electrons at the interface between a metal and a
dielectric is known as SPR, an optical phenomenon. Resonance happens when the
wavelength of the surface electrons and the incoming photons match. For a specific
analyte, the highest loss is found at the resonant wavelength. Any minuscule
adjustments to the RI cause the peak to shift, and the displacement of the loss peak
and associated wavelength allows the detection of an unidentified analyte
[1],[3],[4].
The current SPR sensors, also known as prism-based SPR sensors, were developed
based on the Kretschmann and Reathers' utilizing attenuated total reflection (ATR)
process [3]. They do, however, need a lot of mechanical and optical supporting
parts. Therefore, these sensors are heavy, expensive, and unsuitable for real-time
monitoring [4]. To overcome these limitations, miniaturized optical fiber-based
sensors have been developed. They have attributes including a versatile and
straightforward sensor design, remote sensing, ongoing analysis, and in-situ
monitoring. They also experience less confinement loss than in the past.
Conventional optical fibers are also mechanically stable, have very little
confinement loss in the optical range, and can prevent electromagnetic
interference. But they give less latitude in adjusting the sensor's design parameters
[5]. Due to their extremely flexible structural design, tunable light-guiding
mechanism, and strong birefringent features, SPR sensors based on PCFs are
currently more widely accepted than those based on traditional fiber [6].
The plasmonic metal coating can be applied either inside the air holes or outside
the fiber surface. At one end, incident light is injected, and at the other, the optical
response is seen. Additionally, we may adjust the design of PCF to provide an
intense connection between the SPP mode and the core mode, which enhances
sensing performance [6], [7].
SPR is excited using a variety of well-known plasmonic materials, including titanium
nitride, graphene, silver, copper, and gold. However, gold (Au) and silver (Ag) are
the most commonly used as plasmonic material. Gold (Au) has a larger wavelength
shift and is stable and biocompatible. While gold provides a stronger resonance
peak, silver does not. In humid environments, it oxidizes and loses precision in the

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detecting process [7]. Gold is therefore employed in a larger section of the work
[8]. SPR technology uses two different sorts of sensing mechanisms. When using
internal sensing, the analyte fills certain air holes, whereas when using external
sensing, the analyte is positioned outside the sensor's surface. Unfortunately,
because the analyte must be changed during measurement, this mechanism is not
practical for dispersed and real-time sensing. Additionally, it is challenging to empty
the chosen air holes and refill them. Additionally, internal sensing SPR sensors have
a high propagation loss and are challenging to manufacture [2],[7],[9],[10].
In our literature, we suggest a brand-new dual-side polished gold coated PCF SPR
sensor that is based on external sensing. It can be operated in the optical to near
IR region (0.42-1.0) µm. The evanescent field penetrates deeply at near-IR
wavelengths, improving detection, and low-cost laser sources are readily available
on the market. We have developed a core structure with a circular shape to
facilitate coupling and enhance overall sensing performance. Our goal is to create
an easily fabricatable sensor with a wide range (1.1–1.5) sensing capability. The
plasmonic surface of the fiber is in direct contact with the analyte and has a gold
coating on its exterior. We tune geometric parameters such the air hole radius,
pitch distance, gold layer thickness, PML thickness, and analyte layer thickness in
order to achieve the desired performance.

2.Motivation:
Nowadays, Photonic Crystal Fiber (PCF) based Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR)
sensors have been increasingly used in the field of fiber sensing due to its wide
range of applications ranging from medical diagnostics,biochemical,environmental
monitoring, and food safety to security. A dual-side polished PCF-SPR sensor is
proposed due to its some remarkable characteristics. Dual-side polishing of PCF-
SPR sensor enables better sensing performance and a wider sensing range as
compared to other sensors. The proposed sensor is built for external sensing, which
makes it better suited for distributed and real-time sensing applications. It does
away with the requirement to switch analytes during measurement and does away
with the hassle of having to empty and refill particular air holes. Moreover, the
dual-side polished PCF-SPR sensor offers high depth of penetration in the optical to
near IR region, resuling in improved detection.

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3.Literature Review:
In [1], Authors have proposed a double-side polished photonic crystal fiber (DP-
PCF) for surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensing, with a focus on achieving high
sensitivity and stability in low refractive index (RI) region (1.33 – 1.39) and high RI
region (1.39 – 1.43). This sensor offers high sensitivity of 32,434 nm/RIU in RI range
of (1.39 – 1.43) with the resolution of 3.08 × 10−6 RIU.
In [2], a D-shaped photonic crystal fiber based surface plasmon resonance (SPR)
biosensor has been proposed for refractive index detection in the visible to near-
infrared (IR) region. A thin TiO2 layer is used as an adhesive layer to attach
plasmonic gold layer to the silica surface. The wavelength and amplitude sensitivity
of the sensor are 46,000 nm/RIU and 1086 RIU−1 with resolution of 2.2 × 10−6 and
9.2 × 10−6 RIU respectively.
In [3], a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) with two open ring channels based on a
phonic crystal fiber (PCF) has been proposed. The sensor detects low refractive
indexes (1.23 – 1.29) in the mid-infrared region (2550 - 2900)nm. The sensor has
an average spectral sensitivity of 5500 nm/RIU and a maximum resolution of 7.69
× 10−6 RIU.
In [4], Authors have proposed a highly sensitive side-polished birefringent PCF-
based SPR sensor coated with indium tin oxide (ITO) in the near IR region. The
sensor has a maximum amplitude sensitivity of 74 RIU −1 , a maximum wavelength
sensitivity of 17000 nm/RIU, and resolutions of 1.35 × 10−5 RIU and 5.8 × 10−6 RIU,
respectively.
In [5], Authors have proposed a graphene-based photonic crystal fiber (PCF) sensor
that utilizes surface plasmon resonance (SPR). The nature of the sensor is
birefringent. The proposed sensor shows high amplitude sensitivity of 860
RIU −1 and has a resolution as high as 4 × 10−5 RIU .
In [6], a theoretical investigation of a novel holey fiber (PCF) multi-channel
biosensor based on SPR has been presented that operates in two modes: multi-
analyte sensing and self-referencing mode. Using a Finite Element Method (FEM)
and Perfectly Matching Layers (PML), the loss spectra, dispersion, and detection
𝑥 𝑦
capabilities of the biosensor for the two fundamental modes (HE11 and HE11 ) have
been clarified.
In [7], Authors have proposed a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor based on
photonic crytal fiber (PCF) with selectively filled analyte channels, using silver as

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plasmonic material and a thin graphene layer to prevent oxidation. The semsor has
maximum amplitude sensitivity of 418 RIU−1 with a resolution of 2.4 × 10−5 RIU
and maximum wavelength sensitivity of 3000 nm/RIU with sensor resolution of
3.33 × 10−5 RIU in the sensing range of 1.46 – 1.49.
In [8], fabrication and simulation of a D-shaped optical fiber sensor using surface
plasmon resonance (SPR) technology has been described. They have used finite
element method (FEM) in simulation to analyze the performance of the sensor.
Experimental methods are employed to detect relative intensity changes in the
sensor.
In [9], a highly sensitive plasmonic sensor based on a dual-side polished PCF has
been proposed and investigated numerically using finite element method (FEM).
They have studied the effects of structural parameters on the sensor’s performance
and analyzed their tuning effects on loss spectra. For this, two configurations are
found when analyte RI changes from 1.395 – 1.415. For configuration 1, average
wavelength sensitivity is 10,650 nm/RIU with RI resolution of 9.39 × 10−6 and for
configuration 2, average wavelength sensitivity is 8400 nm/RIU with RI resolution
of 1.19 × 10−5 .
In [10], a double core highly sensitive plasmonic refractive index sensor for low
refractive index (1.29 – 1.39) detection has been proposed and numerically
analyzed. They have used silver as plasmonic material and a thin TiO2 layer to
prevent oxidation. The sensor show maximum wavelength and amplitude
sensitivity of 116,000 nm/RIU and 2452 RIU −1 , respectively with corresponding
resolutions of 8.62 × 10−7 and 5.55 × 10−6 RIU.

4.Objectives:
The objectives of this proposed work are given below:
1.To design a dual-side polished SPR based PCF biosensor for detecting bio-
molecules.
2. To optimize design parameters such as air hole radius, pitch distance, plasmonic
layer thickness, PML thickness and analyte layer thickness to achieve improved
sensing performance.
3. To achieve a wide sensing range (1.1 – 1.5) in the optical to near IR region.
4. To obtain high amplitude sensitivity and wavelength sensitivity with resolution.
5. To demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed sensor for bio-
chemical and bio-organic sample detection, medical diagnostics and testing.

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5.Progress:
I have designed my proposed model structure in COMSOL Multiphysics 6.1
software where calculations are done using finite element method (FEM). Then the
proposed model has been simulated and found the core mode and SPP mode of
this structure. After that I have taken some data and plotted a graph of phase
matching between core and SPP mode. In this model, gold (Au) has been used as
plasmonic material and its material dispersion can be calculated using Drude-
Lorentz model. Fused silica material has been used in cladding and its material
dispersion can be obtained using Sellmier equation, which is valid for the
wavelength region 0.37 to 2.2 µm.

(a)

(b) (c)

Fig-1: (a) cross section of the proposed sensor, (b) core mode, (c) SPP mode

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Fig-2: Phase matching of core and SPP mode for 𝑛𝑎 = 1.38

6.Future Goals:
 In future, I will try to achieve the sensing range that I have proposed in this
model.
 Again, I will increase the wavelength and amplitude sensitivity beyond
previously proposed model to make the sensor effective for different sensing
applications such as bio-chemical and bio-organic sample detection, medical
diagnostics and testing, detection of a wide range of biomolecules,
environmental monitoring, food safety and pharmaceutical research.
 To improve sensor performance, I will optimize the design parameters such
as air hole radius, pitch distance, plasmonic layer thickness, PML thickness
and analyte layer thickness.

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7.References:
[1] An, G., Jia, P., Liang, T., Hong, Y., Wang, H., Ghaffar, A. and Xiong, J., 2020. Double-sided polished
ultra-stable and ultra-sensitive optical fiber sensor. Plasmonics, 15, pp.1471-1479.
[2] Rifat, A.A., Ahmed, R., Mahdiraji, G.A. and Adikan, F.M., 2017. Highly sensitive D-shaped photonic
crystal fiber-based plasmonic biosensor in visible to near-IR. IEEE Sensors Journal, 17(9), pp.2776-2783.
[3] Liu, C., Yang, L., Lu, X., Liu, Q., Wang, F., Lv, J., Sun, T., Mu, H. and Chu, P.K., 2017. Mid-infrared
surface plasmon resonance sensor based on photonic crystal fibers. Optics express, 25(13), pp.14227-
14237.
[4] Dash, J.N. and Jha, R., 2016. Highly sensitive side-polished birefringent PCF-based SPR sensor in near
IR. Plasmonics, 11, pp.1505-1509.
[5] Dash, J.N. and Jha, R., 2014. Graphene-based birefringent photonic crystal fiber sensor using surface
plasmon resonance. IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, 26(11), pp.1092-1095.
[6] Otupiri, R., Akowuah, E.K. and Haxha, S., 2015. Multi-channel SPR biosensor based on PCF for multi-
analyte sensing applications. Optics express, 23(12), pp.15716-15727.
[7] Rifat, A.A., Mahdiraji, G.A., Chow, D.M., Shee, Y.G., Ahmed, R. and Adikan, F.R.M., 2015. Photonic
crystal fiber-based surface plasmon resonance sensor with selective analyte channels and graphene-silver
deposited core. Sensors, 15(5), pp.11499-11510.
[8] Zakaria, R., Kam, W., Ong, Y.S., Yusoff, S.F.A.Z., Ahmad, H. and Mohammed, W.S., 2017.
Fabrication and simulation studies on D-shaped optical fiber sensor via surface plasmon resonance. Journal
of Modern Optics, 64(14), pp.1443-1449.
[9] Chen, N., Chang, M., Zhang, X., Zhou, J., Lu, X. and Zhuang, S., 2019. Highly sensitive plasmonic
sensor based on a dual-side polished photonic crystal fiber for component content sensing applications.
Nanomaterials, 9(11), p.1587.
[10] Haque, E., Mahmuda, S., Hossain, M.A., Hai, N.H., Namihira, Y. and Ahmed, F., 2019. Highly
sensitive dual-core PCF based plasmonic refractive index sensor for low refractive index detection. IEEE
photonics journal, 11(5), pp.1-9.