Effect of a graded optical layer on surface plasmon resonance sensor

The sensitivity, detection accuracy and quality parameter of a surface plasmon resonance sensor containing a graded optical layer are studied. The reflectivity of exponential graded profile and Gaussian graded profile optical layers are derived using the transfer matrix method. The obtained results of the considered graded profiles are compared with each other and it is found that the exponential graded profile gives better results than the Gaussian graded profile. Also, by comparing these results with a uniform surface plasmon resonance sensor, it is observed that the overall performance of the sensor is improved by introducing graded optical layers.