Ultra-sensitive D-Type PCF-SPR Biosensor with Dual-layer Au/TiO2 Coating for Early Cancer Cell Detection

Yuan Sun; Jingwei Lv; Famei Wang; Wei Liu; Jianxin Wang; Zao Yi; Miao Liu; Qiang Liu; Paul K. Chu; Chao Liu

doi:10.1007/s11468-025-03185-z

Ultra-sensitive D-Type PCF-SPR Biosensor with Dual-layer Au/TiO₂ Coating for Early Cancer Cell Detection

Yuan Sun
, Jingwei Lv
, Famei Wang
, Wei Liu
, Jianxin Wang
, Zao Yi
, Miao Liu
, Qiang Liu
, Paul K. Chu
, Chao Liu^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Journal Publications and Reviews › RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal › peer-review

3 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

A highly sensitive D-type photonic crystal fiber (PCF) sensor based on surface plasmon resonance (SPR) is proposed for the detection of cancer cells through refractive index (RI) monitoring. The sensor features a semicircular groove on the polished surface, coated with dual layers of gold (Au) and titanium dioxide (TiO₂) to enhance plasmonic coupling. Finite element method (FEM) analysis shows that the sensor has a refractive index range, maximum wavelength sensitivity, and resolution of 1.355-1.395, 54,000 nm/RIU, and 1.85 x 10^-6 RIU, respectively, boding well for the early screening of cancer cells with a sensitivity in the range of 2500-24,285 nm/RIU. The compact sensor comprising a standard single-mode fiber with an outer diameter of 125 mu m can be produced easily and has large application prospects in fields such as biomedical diagnosis, disease screening, and environmental detection.

© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2025

Original language	English
Number of pages	12
Journal	Plasmonics
Online published	23 Jul 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s11468-025-03185-z
Publication status	Online published - 23 Jul 2025

Funding

The work was jointly supported by the Heilongjiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China [JQ2023F001], National Natural Science Foundation of China [12304480], Natural Science Foundation of Heilongjiang Province [LH2021F007], China Postdoctoral Science Foundation funded project [2020M670881], as well as City University of Hong Kong Donation Research Grants [DON-RMG 9229021 and 9220061].

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Research Keywords

Photonic crystal fiber
Surface plasmon resonance
Refractive index sensor
Wavelength sensitivity

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10.1007/s11468-025-03185-z

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Cite this

@article{ae994cd68ccf4687b977ecfb665e3084,

title = "Ultra-sensitive D-Type PCF-SPR Biosensor with Dual-layer Au/TiO2 Coating for Early Cancer Cell Detection",

abstract = "A highly sensitive D-type photonic crystal fiber (PCF) sensor based on surface plasmon resonance (SPR) is proposed for the detection of cancer cells through refractive index (RI) monitoring. The sensor features a semicircular groove on the polished surface, coated with dual layers of gold (Au) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) to enhance plasmonic coupling. Finite element method (FEM) analysis shows that the sensor has a refractive index range, maximum wavelength sensitivity, and resolution of 1.355-1.395, 54,000 nm/RIU, and 1.85 x 10-6 RIU, respectively, boding well for the early screening of cancer cells with a sensitivity in the range of 2500-24,285 nm/RIU. The compact sensor comprising a standard single-mode fiber with an outer diameter of 125 mu m can be produced easily and has large application prospects in fields such as biomedical diagnosis, disease screening, and environmental detection. {\textcopyright} The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2025 ",

keywords = "Photonic crystal fiber, Surface plasmon resonance, Refractive index sensor, Wavelength sensitivity",

author = "Yuan Sun and Jingwei Lv and Famei Wang and Wei Liu and Jianxin Wang and Zao Yi and Miao Liu and Qiang Liu and Chu, \{Paul K.\} and Chao Liu",

year = "2025",

month = jul,

day = "23",

doi = "10.1007/s11468-025-03185-z",

language = "English",

journal = "Plasmonics",

issn = "1557-1955",

publisher = "Springer",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Ultra-sensitive D-Type PCF-SPR Biosensor with Dual-layer Au/TiO2 Coating for Early Cancer Cell Detection

AU - Sun, Yuan

AU - Lv, Jingwei

AU - Wang, Famei

AU - Liu, Wei

AU - Wang, Jianxin

AU - Yi, Zao

AU - Liu, Miao

AU - Liu, Qiang

AU - Chu, Paul K.

AU - Liu, Chao

PY - 2025/7/23

Y1 - 2025/7/23

N2 - A highly sensitive D-type photonic crystal fiber (PCF) sensor based on surface plasmon resonance (SPR) is proposed for the detection of cancer cells through refractive index (RI) monitoring. The sensor features a semicircular groove on the polished surface, coated with dual layers of gold (Au) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) to enhance plasmonic coupling. Finite element method (FEM) analysis shows that the sensor has a refractive index range, maximum wavelength sensitivity, and resolution of 1.355-1.395, 54,000 nm/RIU, and 1.85 x 10-6 RIU, respectively, boding well for the early screening of cancer cells with a sensitivity in the range of 2500-24,285 nm/RIU. The compact sensor comprising a standard single-mode fiber with an outer diameter of 125 mu m can be produced easily and has large application prospects in fields such as biomedical diagnosis, disease screening, and environmental detection. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2025

AB - A highly sensitive D-type photonic crystal fiber (PCF) sensor based on surface plasmon resonance (SPR) is proposed for the detection of cancer cells through refractive index (RI) monitoring. The sensor features a semicircular groove on the polished surface, coated with dual layers of gold (Au) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) to enhance plasmonic coupling. Finite element method (FEM) analysis shows that the sensor has a refractive index range, maximum wavelength sensitivity, and resolution of 1.355-1.395, 54,000 nm/RIU, and 1.85 x 10-6 RIU, respectively, boding well for the early screening of cancer cells with a sensitivity in the range of 2500-24,285 nm/RIU. The compact sensor comprising a standard single-mode fiber with an outer diameter of 125 mu m can be produced easily and has large application prospects in fields such as biomedical diagnosis, disease screening, and environmental detection. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2025

KW - Photonic crystal fiber

KW - Surface plasmon resonance

KW - Refractive index sensor

KW - Wavelength sensitivity

UR - https://www.webofscience.com/wos/woscc/full-record/WOS:001559498500001

U2 - 10.1007/s11468-025-03185-z

DO - 10.1007/s11468-025-03185-z

M3 - RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal

SN - 1557-1955

JO - Plasmonics

JF - Plasmonics

ER -

Ultra-sensitive D-Type PCF-SPR Biosensor with Dual-layer Au/TiO₂ Coating for Early Cancer Cell Detection

Abstract

Funding

UN SDGs

Research Keywords

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DON_RMG: Fabrication, Characterization, and Properties of Functional Materials - RMGS

DON: Surface Modification and Fabrication of Advanced Materials

Cite this

Ultra-sensitive D-Type PCF-SPR Biosensor with Dual-layer Au/TiO2 Coating for Early Cancer Cell Detection

Abstract

Funding

UN SDGs

Research Keywords

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Other Access Options

Permanent Link

Other Files and Links

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Projects

DON_RMG: Fabrication, Characterization, and Properties of Functional Materials - RMGS

DON: Surface Modification and Fabrication of Advanced Materials

Cite this

Ultra-sensitive D-Type PCF-SPR Biosensor with Dual-layer Au/TiO₂ Coating for Early Cancer Cell Detection