Highly compact refractive index sensor based on stripe waveguides for lab-on-a-chip sensing applications.

In this paper we report the design and experimental realisation of a novel refractive index sensor based on coupling between three nanoscale stripe waveguides. The sensor is highly compact and designed to operate at a single wavelength. We demonstrate that the sensor exhibits linear response with a resolution of 6 × 10(-4) RIU (refractive index unit) for a change in relative output intensity of 1%. Authors expect that the outcome of this paper will prove beneficial in highly compact, label-free and highly sensitive refractive index analysis.

Mapping bound plasmon propagation on a nanoscale stripe waveguide using quantum dots: influence of spacer layer thickness.

In this paper we image the highly confined long range plasmons of a nanoscale metal stripe waveguide using quantum emitters. Plasmons were excited using a highly focused 633 nm laser beam and a specially designed grating structure to provide stronger incoupling to the desired mode. A homogeneous thin layer of quantum dots was used to image the near field intensity of the propagating plasmons on the waveguide. We observed that the photoluminescence is quenched when the QD to metal surface distance is less than 10 nm. The optimised spacer layer thickness for the stripe waveguides was found to be around 20 nm. Authors believe that the findings of this paper prove beneficial for the development of plasmonic devices utilising stripe waveguides.