Plasmonic and magnetoplasmonic interferometry for sensing

Abstract

[Introduction and background] Nowadays, we are surrounded by sensors in our daily lives, in industrial processes, medical diagnosis systems, environmental monitoring, etc. The development of sensors with higher sensitivity and smaller dimensions to be integrated in miniaturized systems is then of highest importance for our society. Within all different kinds of sensors, optical sensors are advantageous because they are highly versatile, non-invasive and they can be used in aggressive conditions. In particular, sensors based on surface plasmons, known as surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensors, have become increasingly popular in biosensing in recent decades due to their high sensitivity and ease of use. Different SPR configurations, such as modulation techniques, have been proposed and demonstrated in order to increase their sensitivity, and attempts to obtain miniaturized SPR sensors have been carried out, the development of plasmonic interferometry sensors being a promising path.