Integration of large-area metallic nanohole arrays with multimode optical fibers for surface plasmon resonance sensing

Here, we report an implementation of enhanced surface plasmon resonance sensing on optical fibers through integration of large-area metallic nanohole arrays on the endfaces of multimode optical fibers by a template transfer method. The Au nanohole array integrated optical fiber sensors show a high refractive index sensitivity 559 nm per refractive index unit, narrow resonant peak width less than 10 nm in aqueous solution, and consistent optical responses with peak position variation less than 0.5 nm for various core diameters of optical fibers at same dielectric conditions. These specifications demonstrates that the nanohole array based optical fibers can serve as a high-performance, portable and lensless plasmonic platform with superior robustness and accessibility for surface plasmon resonance sensing. (C) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC.