Enhancement of dynamic sensitivity of multiple surface-plasmonic-polaritonic sensor using silver nanoparticles

TL;DR

This paper theoretically investigates how embedding silver nanoparticles in a chiral sculptured thin film enhances the dynamic sensitivity of multiple surface plasmon-polariton sensors for fluid detection, with optimal sensitivity at low nanoparticle volume fractions.

Contribution

It introduces a theoretical assessment of silver nanoparticle impregnation in chiral STF to improve SPP sensor sensitivity, using homogenization formalism.

Findings

Sensitivity increases with silver nanoparticles presence

Optimal nanoparticle volume fraction is about 1%

Enhanced sensitivity achieved through nanoparticle integration

Abstract

Multiple surface plasmon-polariton (SPP) waves excited at the interface of a homogeneous isotropic metal and a chiral sculptured thin film (STF) impregnated with silver nanoparticles were theoretically assessed for the multiple-SPP-waves-based sensing of a fluid uniformly infiltrating the chiral STF. The Bruggemann homogenization formalism was used in two different modalities to determine the three principal relative permittivity scalars of the silver-nanoparticle-impregnated chiral STF infiltrated uniformly by the fluid. The dynamic sensitivity increased when silver nanoparticles were present, provided their volume fraction did not exceed about 1%.