Revolutionizing Air Pollution Detection with PCF-SPR Refractive Index Sensor

This study proposes a novel Refractive Index Sensor utilizing the Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) sensing mechanism of Photonic Crystal Fiber (PCF) technology as a means to detect and monitor air pollution. PCF sensors are showing promise in various sensing applications due to their small size, flexibility, and durability. Using the Finite Element Method (FEM), the performance of the proposed sensor has been analyzed and reported. In order to harness its favorable optical properties, Silver (Ag) was employed in the sensor configuration. Furthermore, to prevent Oxidation, a protective layer of Titanium Oxide was applied over the Silver Layer. The device exhibits a reading capacity ranging from 0.99 to 1.04 RIU, with a value of 1000 nm/RIU at 55 nm, utilizing the Wavelength Intelligence Operation. Notably, it demonstrates a high Amplitude specificity of 33.01 RIU-1, along with a crucial Accuracy of
$2.5\times 10-3$
RIU.