Dielectric supported ring-shaped metal disks on a metal film for ultrasensitive refractive index sensing

We experimentally report a magnetic plasmonic metamaterial, which is constructed with a metal ring-shaped disk array supported by a dielectric layer on a metal film for high sensitive refractive index sensing. An ultrasensitive refractive index sensitivity of about 1842nm per refractive index unit is achieved through the reflection spectrum measurement. We attribute the high sensitivity to greatly enhanced electric field intensity and its large spatial overlapping with the surrounding medium to sense. The present plasmonic structure provides an effective way for high sensitive chip-based biochemical sensors and integrated devices. (C) 2011 Optical Society of America