Plasmonic optical sensor for determination of refractive index of human skin tissues

A surface plasmon resonance (SPR) based optical sensor for the determination of refractive index of human skin tissue samples is proposed. Previous experimental results describing variation of refractive index of skin tissue samples with wavelength are considered for theoretical calculations. The angular interrogation method along with glass substrate and Au-Al bimetal layer is considered. The sensor's performance is closely analyzed in terms of well-defined performance indicators in order to achieve reliable and accurate sensing performance. The influence of operating wavelength on the performance of sensor scheme is investigated. Performance comparison for two different substrates (2S2G and SF10) is carried out. The proposed sensor has the potential to provide high sensitivity, precision, and resolution, thereby opening an easy and reliable window for dermatological applications.