Sensitivity enhancement of a bimetallic surface plasmon resonance biosensor

Subject Areas : Journal of Optoelectronical Nanostructures

Hassan Zahmatkeshan ¹ , Mohammad Javad Karimi ^{2 *} , Mojtaba Sadeghi ³ , Zahra Adelpour ⁴

1 - Department of Electrical Engineering, Shi.C., Islamic Azad University, Shiraz, Iran
2 - Department of Physics, Shiraz University of Technology, Shiraz, Iran
3 - Department of Electrical Engineering, Shi.C., Islamic Azad University, Shiraz, Iran
4 - Department of Electrical Engineering, Shi.C., Islamic Azad University, Shiraz, Iran

Received: 2025-04-14 Accepted : 2025-08-14 Published : 2025-08-25

Keywords: Biosensor, Sensitivity, Surface plasmon resonance,

Abstract :

In this study, a plasmonic biosensor with a kreschmann configuration is evaluated by changing the sensing medium's refractive index from 1.330 to 1.335, which includes BK7, gold/silver, silicon, nickel, hexagonal boron nitride, black phosphorus/transition-metal dichalcogenides and sensing medium layers. The sensitivity, figure of merit, quality factor and detection accuracy are the biosensor performance characteristics and are checked at the 633 nm wavelength. The effects of gold and silver layers on the transition-metal dichalcogenides and black phosphorus layers are investigated separately and their performance parameters have been calculated numerically. Since the highest sensitivity is related to the Ag metal with the BP layer, the minimum reflectance and sensitivity as a function of the thickness and number of layers for this structure are examined. The sensitivity of the proposed biosensor (504 deg.RIU^-1) is approximately 1.5 times higher than the highest sensitivity reported in comparable studies.

References:

[1] Nasrolahi M, Farmani A, Horri A, Hatami H (2024) FDTD Analysis of a High-sensitivity refractive index sensing based on Fano resonances in a plasmonic planar split-ring resonators. Journal of Optoelectronical Nanostructures. 9(3). https://doi.org/10.30495/JOPN.2024.33499.1321

[2] Abdolahzadeh Ziabari A, Royanian S, Yousefi R, Ghoreishi S (2020) Performance improvement of ultrathin CIGS solar cells using Al plasmonic nanoparticles: The effect of the position of nanoparticles. Journal of Optoelectronical Nanostructures. 5(4), 17-32.

[3] Yin Z, Jing X, Li S (2024) Cascade amplification-based triple probe biosensor for highprecision DNA hybridization detection of lung cancer gene. APL Photonics 9:096111. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0228760

[4] Karki B, Alsubaie AS, Sarkar P, Sharma M, Ali NB (2024) Detection of Skin, Cervical, and Breast Cancer Using Au–Ag Alloy and WS2 Based Surface Plasmon Resonance Sensor. Plasmonics. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11468-024-02521-z

[5] Suvarnaphaet P, Pechprasarn S (2017) Graphene-based materials for biosensors: a review. Sensors 17. https://doi.org/10.3390/ s17102161

[6] Hossain B, Paul AK, Islam A, Rahman M, Sarkar AK, Abdulrazak LF (2022) A highly sensitive surface plasmon resonance biosensor using SnSe allotrope and heterostructure of BlueP/MoS2 for cancerous cell detection. Optik 252:168506. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijleo.2021.168506

[7] Rahman MS, Anower MS, Hasan MR et al (2017) Design and numerical analysis of highly sensitive Au-MoS2-graphene based hybrid surface plasmon resonance biosensor. Opt. Commun 396:36–43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.optcom.2017.03.035

[8] Dey B, Islam S, Park J (2021) Numerical design of high-performance WS2/metal/WS2/graphene heterostructure based surface plasmon resonance refractive index sensor. Results Phys 23:104021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rinp.2021.104021

[9] Balbinot S, Srivastav AM, Vidic J, Abdulhalim I, Manzano M (2021) Plasmonic biosensors for food control. Trends Food Sci. Technol 111:128–140. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2021.02.057

[10] Yan J, Wang L, Tang L, Lin L, Liu Y, Li J (2015) Enzyme-guided plasmonic biosensor based on dual-functional nano- hybrid for sensitive detection of thrombin. Biosens. Bioelectron 70:404-410 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bios.2015.03.024

[11] Hossain B, Paul AK, Islam A, Hossain F, Rahman M (2022) Design and analysis of highly sensitive prism based surface plasmon resonance optical salinity sensor. Results Opt 7:100217. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rio.2022.100217

[12] Kretschmann E, Raether H (1968) Radiative decay of non-radiative surface plasmons excited by light. Z. Nat. A 23:2135–2136. https://doi.org/10.1515/zna-1968-1247

[13] Otto A (1968) Excitation of nonradiative surface plasma waves in silver by the method of frustrated total reflection. Z. Phys 216:398–410. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01391532

[14] Yin Z, Jing X (2024) Visible-NIR surface plasmon resonance sensing technology for high precision refractive index detection. Opt. Lett 49:1477-1480. https://doi.org/10.1364/OL.520025

[15] Sayyad Tondro A, Sadeghi M, Kamaly A, Adelpour Z, Emamghorashi SA (2023) Design and Modeling of a D–Shaped PCF Refractive Index Sensor Based on SPR Effect. Journal of Optoelectronical Nanostructures. 8(3), 67-78. https://doi.org/10.30495/JOPN.2023.31381.1278

[16] Heidary Orojloo M, Jabbari M, Solookinejad G, Sohrabi F (2022) Design and modeling of photonic crystal Absorber by using Gold and graphene films. Journal of Optoelectronical Nanostructures. 7(2), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.30495/JOPN.2022.28915.1235

[17] Karki B, Trabelsi Y, Sarkar P, Pal A, Uniyal A (2025) Tuning sensitivity of surface plasmon resonance gas sensor based on multilayer black phosphorous. Mod. Phys. Lett. B 39:2450364. https://doi.org/10.1142/S0217984924503640

[18] Nur JN, Hasib MHH, Asrafy F, Shushama KN, Unum R, Rana MM (2019) Improvement of the performance parameters of the surface plasmon resonance biosensor using Al2O3 and WS2. Opt. Quant. Electron 51:1–11. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11082-019-1886-9

[19] Liu N, Wang S, Cheng Q, Pang B, Lv J (2021) High sensitivity in Ni-Based SPR sensor of blue phosphorene/transition metal dichalcogenides hybrid nanostructure. Plasmonics 16:1567–1576. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11468-021-01421-w

[20] Vibisha GA, Nayak JK, Maheswari P, Priyadharsini N, Nisha A, Jaroszewicz Z, Rajesh KB, Jha R (2020) Sensitivity enhancement of surface plasmon resonance sensor using hybrid configuration of 2D materials over bimetallic layer of Cu–Ni. Opt. Commun. 463:125337. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.optcom.2020.125337

[21] Karki B, Pal A, Singh Y, Sharma S (2022) Sensitivity enhancement of surface plasmon resonance sensor using 2D material barium titanate and black phosphorus over the bimetallic layer of Au, Ag, and Cu. Opt. Commun 508:127616. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.optcom.2021.127616

[22] Kumar R, Pal S, Verma A, Prajapati YK, Saini JP (2020) Effect of silicon on sensitivity of SPR biosensor using hybrid nanostructure of black phosphorus and MXene. Superlatt. Microstruct 145:106591. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spmi.2020.106591

[23] Kumar A, Kumar A, Kushwaha AS, Dubey SK, Srivastava SK (2022) A comparative study of different types of sandwiched structures of SPR biosensor for sensitive detection of ssDNA. Photonics Nanostruct. Fundam. Appl 48:100984. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.photonics.2021.100984

[24] Wu L, Guo J, Wang Q, Lu S, Dai X, Xiang Y ,Fan D (2017) Sensitivity enhancement by using few-layer blackphosphorus-graphene/TMDCs heterostructure in surface plasmonresonance biochemical sensor. Sens. Actuators B 249:542–548. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.snb.2017.04.110

[25] Qiu M, Wang D, Liang W, Cao Y (2018) Novel concept of the smart NIR-light–controlled drug release of black phosphorus nanostructure for cancer therapy. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci 115:501–506. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1714421115

[26] Manzeli S, Ovchinnikov D, Pasquier D, Yazyev OV, Kis A (2017) 2D transition metal dichalcogenides. Nat. Rev. Mater 2:17033. https://doi.org/10.1038/natrevmats.2017.33

[27] Kalpana N, Alodhayb AN, Pandiaraj S, Singh S (2025) Sensitivity Enhancement Using Surface Plasmon Resonance Sensor for Colorectal Detection by Employing Heterostructure. Plasmonics. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11468-024-02735-1

[28] Zahmatkeshan H, Karimi MJ, Sadeghi M, Adelpour Z (2025) Investigation and Optimization of the Sensitivity in a Franckeite-Based Biosensor with Bimetallic Layers. Plasmonics. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11468-025-02822-x

[29] Singh S, Sharma AK, Lohia P, Dwivedi DK (2021) Theoretical analysis of sensitivity enhancement of surface plasmon resonance biosensor with zinc oxide and blue phosphorus/ MoS2 heterostructure. Optik 244:167618. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijleo.2021.167618

[30] Panda, Pukhrambam PD (2022) Modeling of High-Performance SPR Refractive Index Sensor Employing Novel 2D Materials for Detection of Malaria Pathogens. IEEE Trans Nanobioscience. 21. https://doi.org/10.1109/TNB.2021.3115906

[31] Kumar A, Kumar A, Srivastava SK (2022) A study on surface plasmon resonance biosensor for the detection of CEA biomarker using 2D materials graphene, Mxene and MoS2. Optik 258:168885 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijleo.2022.168885

[32] Daher MG, Ahmed NM, Patel SK et al. (2023) Novel surface plasmon resonance detector for the detection of various alcohols with ultra-high sensitivity. Opt Quant Electron 55:1102. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11082-023-05418-z

[33] Li C, Li Z,, Guo S, Li X, Cheng Q, Meng S (2021) Sensitivity enhancement by employing BiFeO3 and graphene hybrid structure in surface plasmon resonance biosensors. Opt. Mater 121:111618. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.optmat.2021.111618

[34] Basak C, Hosain MK, Sazzad AA (2020) Design and simulation of a high sensitive surface plasmon resonance biosensor for detection of biomolecules. Sens. Imaging 21:1–19. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11220-019-0267-6

[35] Feng Y, Liu Y, Teng J (2018) Design of an ultrasensitive SPR biosensor based on a graphene-MoS 2 hybrid structure with a MgF2 prism. Appl. Opt 57:3639. https://doi.org/10.1364/AO.57.003639

[36] Kumar S, Yadav A, Malomed BA (2023) High performance surface plasmon resonance based sensor using black phosphorus and magnesium oxide adhesion layer. Front. Mater 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmats.2023.1131412

[37] Rikta KA, Anower MS, Rahman MS, Rahman MM (2021) SPR biosensor using SnSe-phosphorene heterostructure. Sens. Bio-Sens. Res 33:100442. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbsr.2021.100442

[38] Karki B, Sharma S, Singh Y, Pal A (2021) Sensitivity enhancement of surface plasmon resonance biosensor with 2-D franckeite nanosheets. Plasmonics 17:71-78. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11468-021-01495-6

[39] Dai X, Liang Y, Zhao Y, Gan S, Jia Y, Xiang Y (2019) Sensitivity enhancement of a surface plasmon resonance with tin selenide (SnSe) allotropes. Sensors 19:173. https://doi.org/10.3390/s19010173

[40] Singh S, Sharma AK, Lohia P, Dwivedi DK, Singh PK (2022) Design and modelling of high-performance surface plasmon resonance refractive index sensor using BaTiO3, MXene and nickel hybrid nanostructure. Plasmonics. 17(5), 2049-62. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11468-022-01692-x