Performance comparison and analysis of D-type single and dual-core PCF-SPR sensors

Abstract Surface plasmon resonance sensors, based on photonic crystal fibers, have demonstrated immense potential in various application fields, owing to their structural design flexibility, operability, and superior sensing capabilities. Despite the potential, the design of photonic crystal fibers with various structures has been a challenging task, due to manufacturing constraints. Thus, this paper aims to explore the design rules of photonic crystal fibers based on surface plasmon resonance, by proposing and designing four photonic crystal fiber sensors with distinct structures. The study investigates the influence of single-core, double-core, and large and small air holes on the sensor’s performance, through theoretical analysis, numerical simulation, data acquisition, and analysis. Through our research, we have discovered that by altering the size of pores surrounding the fiber core, as well as the fiber core’s single-mode and dual-mode configurations, we were able to increase the sensitivity of the sensor from its lowest value of 266 nm RIU −1 to as high as 2066 nm RIU −1 , an improvement of nearly eightfold. The findings suggest that the sensor with double-core air hole structure exhibits relatively better performance. This analysis is expected to aid in the design of high-performance photonic crystal fiber-based surface plasmon resonance sensors.