High sensitivity temperature and refractive index photonic crystal fiber sensor with dual-dimension detection for cancerous cells

Abstract Cancer has become a grave threat to human health, and the early detection of cancer cells is crucial for saving lives. Consequently, we proposed a double-polished photonic crystal fiber (PCF)-based on surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor, which can distinguish the cancerous cells from the normal cells. It can detect the temperature(T) and refractive index (RI) by the finite element method (FEM). The external sensing structure simplifies the fabrication process, making it more feasible for large-scale production. A four-layer Au film is deposited on the polished flat surface to induce the surface plasmon resonance effect. A mixture of ethanol and chloroform (raito1:1) is selected as the temperature-sensitive liquid (TSL). The optimization results demonstrate that the sensor is capable of detecting the temperatures and refractive index within a range of −30 °C–60 °C and 1.37–1.41. The average temperature wavelength sensitivity reaches 19.1 nm °C −1 , while the maximum wavelength sensitivity achieves 28 nm °C −1 , and the corresponding figure of merit (FOM) and limit of detection (LOD) are 123.72 °C −1 , 214.59 nm, respectively. For RI detection, the average wavelength sensitivity reaches 36750 nm RIU −1 , while the maximum wavelength sensitivity achieves 59000 nm RIU −1 , and the corresponding FOM and LOD are 150.81 RIU −1 , 235.35 nm, respectively. Notably, the high sensitivity and wide detection range make the proposed sensor suitable for various applications, including agricultural monitoring, environmental sensing, biomedical detection, and other related fields. Furthermore, the sensor demonstrates high sensitivity in detecting blood cells, adrenal cells, and breast cells, showcasing its potential in practical biomedical applications.