Numerical simulation of surface plasmon resonance based on Au-metalized nanowires in the liquid-core photonic crystal fibers

Surface plasmon resonance sensors based on Au-metalized nanowires in the liquid-core photonic crystal fibers are theoretically analyzed by using finite element method. It is found that the negative refractive index sensitivity exists in the proposed design. The average negative refractive index sensitivity of −4125 nm/RIU (Refractive Index Unit) is achieved in the sensing range of 1.45–1.49, and the sensor resolution is −4.5 × 10−4 RIU. The sensor with high linearity and accuracy is demonstrated. The new structure is compact in size and easy to fabricate, making it promising for miniaturized complex communication devices. The effects of tuning and optimizing the structural parameters on the plasmonic excitations are also studied. This study provides a basis for investigating the PCF refractive index sensor based on the SPR of the metal nanowires.