Localized Plasmon-Based Optical Fiber Sensing Platform for Operation in Infrared

We report on the experimental fabrication and functioning of an optical fiber sensing probe operating on the principle of a localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) at near infrared (NIR) wavelengths, around the 2-μm window. As indium-tin oxide exhibits an absorption peak at NIR wavelengths, we have synthesized and characterized ITO nanoparticles with a doping concentration of 9:1 of In:Sn and attached these onto the unclad core of the fiber. Corresponding to the absorption peak of the bare nanoparticles, the fiber probe displays an LSPR peak at 1950 nm, which falls in the signature band of many bacterial contaminants. The probe is further used for the sensing of analytes of refractive indices varying from 1.335 to 1.375. The results reveal that the average peak absorbance of the probe changes by 3.46 absorbance units for a unit change in refractive index.