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Virginia Tech

A chemical sensor based on surface plasmon resonance on surface modified optical fibers

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

A sensor is described which utilizes the phenomenon of surface plasmon resonance to detect changes in refractive index of chemical or biochemical samples applied to a surface modified optical fiber. The sensor is constructed by polishing a short section of the lateral surface of an optical fiber to its evanescent field surrounding the fiber core. One or more thin films are applied to the polished section of the fiber to produce the sensing element. One of the films is the metal silver, which acts as the support for the surface plasmon. Under the proper conditions, TM polarized energy propagating in the fiber can be coupled to a surface plasmon electromagnetic mode on the metal film. This coupling depends on the wavelength, the nature of the fiber, the refractive index and thickness of the thin films applied to the fiber, and the refractive index of a chemical sample in contact with the modified surface. The fiber to plasmon coupling is seen as a large attenuation of the light reaching the distal terminus of the fiber.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Ph. D.
Level thesis:degree_level
doctoral
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Chemistry
Department dc:contributor.department
Chemistry
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Tech
Year dc:date.issued
1993

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Bender, William John Havercamp
Chair dc:contributor.committeechair
  • Dessy, Raymond E.
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Long, Gary L.
  • Merola, Joseph S.
  • Mason, John G.
  • Murphy, Kent A.

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright
Language dc:language.iso
en

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
etd-10242005-124049
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/40097

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
related terms
citation

Bender, William John Havercamp. A chemical sensor based on surface plasmon resonance on surface modified optical fibers. doctoral thesis, Virginia Tech, 1993. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/40097