Plasmonic Ring Resonator-Based Sensors: Design, Performance, and Applications

Abstract Plasmonic ring resonators have emerged as a powerful platform for high sensitivity, small footprint, and versatility across various applications when compared to traditional optical sensors. In this review, the key design principles, performance characteristics through geometrical tuning, material selection, and challenges across multiple sensing applications of plasmonic ring resonator are discussed. Research to improve their design capabilities to get real-time results with minimal sample preparation underscores the significant impact of plasmonic ring resonator on future sensing technologies. By exploiting the resonant behavior and the strong field confinement of surface plasmon polaritons, they can achieve high sensitivity and compact footprints, attracting them for various sensing applications, particularly for biological and chemical sensing applications. Moreover, with ongoing advancements in fabrication techniques, nanophotonics, and material science, the potential applications of sensing technology have surpassed beyond expectations. However, the challenges like fabrication complexity, effective coupling methods, material losses environmental impact on sensor performance, and precision alignment while integrating plasmonic components with ring resonators are addressed and the possible solutions are discussed for the future investigation.