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Sensing Structure Based on Surface Plasmon Resonance in Chemically Etched Single Mode Optical Fibres

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Abstract

Many optical systems based on surface plasmon resonance (SPR) have been developed for working as refractometers, chemical sensors or even for measuring the thickness of metal and dielectric thin films. Sensors based on SPR present very high sensitivity to refractive index (RI) variations when compared to the traditional RI sensors. However, these kinds of systems are usually large, expensive and therefore cannot be used for remote sensing. Optical fibre sensors based on SPR are usually implemented using multimode optical fibres cope with the requirements for remote sensing. In this section a new type of SPR sensor based in a single mode fibre (SMF) is proposed. A section of the SMF was chemically etched by emersion in a 48 % hydrofluoric acid solution, resulting in a tapering effect, with the cladding removing while the core is kept intact. Simulation results are in good agreement with the experimental spectral resonance dip attained around 1550 nm. Sensitivities of 3800 and 5100 nm/RIU were achieved for the reflection and for the transmission modes, respectively, for RI in the 1.33 to 1.37 range. 

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Acknowledgments

This research was performed in the framework of project PTDC/FIS/119027/2010 (Plasmonics Based Fibre Optic Sensing with Enhanced Performance). FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-037271—Ref. FCT PEst-C/CTM/LA0011/2013 and PEST-OE/EEI/LA0008/2013 are also acknowledged. L. Coelho would like to acknowledge FCT for providing the PhD Scholarship SFRH/BD/78149/2011.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Applied Photonics, INESC TEC, Rua do Campo Alegre 687, 4150-179, Porto, Portugal

    L. Coelho, J. M. M. M. de Almeida, J. L. Santos & D. Viegas

  2. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 4150-179, Porto, Portugal

    L. Coelho & J. L. Santos

  3. Department of Physics, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5001-801, Vila Real, Portugal

    J. M. M. M. de Almeida

  4. Department of Physics and CICECO, University of Aveiro, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal

    R. A. S. Ferreira

  5. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, IST, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001, Lisbon, Portugal

    P. S. André

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  1. L. Coelho
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  2. J. M. M. M. de Almeida
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  3. J. L. Santos
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  4. R. A. S. Ferreira
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  5. P. S. André
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  6. D. Viegas
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Correspondence to L. Coelho.

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Coelho, L., de Almeida, J.M.M.M., Santos, J.L. et al. Sensing Structure Based on Surface Plasmon Resonance in Chemically Etched Single Mode Optical Fibres. Plasmonics 10, 319–327 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11468-014-9811-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11468-014-9811-3

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