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Performance of Bloch-like Surface Wave Refractometers Based on Laterally Polished Photonic Crystal Fibers with Single-Layer Coatings: From Nanolayer to Nanostrip
* 1 , 1 , 1 , 1 , 2
1  Department of Electronic and Telecommunications Engineering, Instituto Tecnológico Metropolitano, A. A ,050013 Medellin, Colombia
2  Departamento de Física, Red de Laboratorios de Óptica y Fotónica, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Sede Medellín, Cra 65 #59A-110, Medellín 050034, Colombia
Academic Editor: Stefano Mariani

https://doi.org/10.3390/ECSA-12-26492 (registering DOI)
Abstract:

Bloch-like surface waves (BLSWs) are electromagnetic waves generated at the interface between a dielectric medium and a photonic crystal. BLSWs has significant potential for sensing applications, since their electromagnetic fields are tightly confined near the interface, reaching comparable sensitivities to those of surface plasmon polariton (SPP)-based devices, but with higher figures of merit (FOM). This work explores a sensor based on BLSW at the interface formed by a TiO2 thin film deposited on the flat surface of a laterally polished photonic crystal fiber (PCF). The performance of the sensor is studied when the TiO2 film is partially removed, transforming the nanolayer into a nanostrip. The results of this study contribute to the optimization of the sensing performance of the proposed structure.

Keywords: sensors; optical fiber; Bloch surface waves; Bloch-like surface waves; photonic crystal fibers
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