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Ultrahigh Sensitivity Surface Plasmon Resonance–Based Fiber-Optic Sensors Using Metal-Graphene Layers with Ti3C2Tx MXene Overlayers

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Abstract

Precise detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) using high-sensitivity fiber-optic probes is highly desirable for rapid screening in the fields of medicine and food processing. A novel spectral surface plasmon resonance (SPR)–based fiber-optic sensor incorporating metal/graphene/Ti3C2Tx MXene layers for the detection of VOCs such as acetone and ethanol is proposed in this study. For the detection of acetone, optimum sensitivities of 5150, 4500, and 4200 nm/refractive index unit (RIU) are obtained using simulations, for sensors with Au, Ag, and Al, respectively, as metal layer. The highest sensitivity achieved at reasonably good detection accuracy is 19,750 nm/RIU, using a Au/graphene/Ti3C2Tx sensor, for VOCs with refractive index 1.434.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are thankful to Dr. K. V. Dominic, Professor of English (retired) and Editor-in-Chief, Writers Editors Critics (WEC), Prof. B. Hariharan, Institute of English, University of Kerala, and Thomas Nedumpara, North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust, Carlisle, UK, for the support given in English language editing.  Sudheer VR acknowledges the Co-Operative Academy of Professional Education for providing fellowship under the Faculty Development Program 

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Optoelectronics, University of Kerala, Karyavattom, Thiruvananthapuram, 695581, India

    V. R. Sudheer & S. Sankararaman

  2. Department of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, University of Kerala, Karyavattom, Thiruvananthapuram, 695581, India

    S. R. Sarath Kumar

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  1. V. R. Sudheer
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Sudheer, V.R., Kumar, S.R.S. & Sankararaman, S. Ultrahigh Sensitivity Surface Plasmon Resonance–Based Fiber-Optic Sensors Using Metal-Graphene Layers with Ti3C2Tx MXene Overlayers. Plasmonics 15, 457–466 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11468-019-01035-3

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