Open AccessNumerical investigations of a near-infrared plasmonic refractive index sensor with extremely high figure of merit and low loss based on the hybrid plasmonic waveguide-nanocavity system
Author(s) -
Lei Chen,
Yumin Liu,
Zhongyuan Yu,
Dong Wu,
Rui Ma,
Yang Zhang,
Han Ye
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.24.023260
Subject(s) - figure of merit , plasmon , optics , materials science , refractive index , nanophotonics , optoelectronics , full width at half maximum , waveguide , surface plasmon , infrared , fabrication , photonics , wavelength , physics , medicine , alternative medicine , pathology
With vertically slotted hybrid plasmonic waveguides (VSHPWs)-nanocavity system fabricated on the silicon-on-insulator platform, a near-infrared surface plasmon resonances (SPRs)-based refractive index (RI) sensor with extremely high figure of merit FOM = 224.3 and transmission efficiency T = 97.6% is proposed and investigated. Based on the finite element method, effective mode index behaviors together with spectral properties are calculated to analyze and optimize the sensing performance. Within near-infrared region, the wavelength sensitivity (S) and optical resolution (FWHM) can be achieved as S = 1817.5nm/RIU and FWHM = 7.4nm. A mechanism of synergy between propagating SPRs and localized SPRs is also presented for further improving the sensitivity (as high as 2647.5nm/RIU). In addition, the VSHPWs-based RI sensor can be fully realized by CMOS-compatible fabrication technology. In general, the high FOM, S and T achieved by our designed structure may have extensive applications in nanophotonic circuits, environmental monitoring and even pharmaceutical research.