Fiber Optic Plasmonic Sensors: Past, Present and Future

Abstract

We review various fiber optic sensors utilizing both the propagating and localized surface plasmon resonance techniques. The utilization of optical fibers in plasmon based sensing has provided several advantages in sensing of various physical, chemical and biochemical parameters. The article starts with a brief introduction of the propagating surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), presents the review of some of the past studies on SPR and LSPR based state-of-the-art fiber optic sensors and finally ends with the future scope of the plasmonics based fiber optic sensors. In addition, we discuss some latest results on the plasmon enhanced whispering gallery mode sensors, which require tapered optical fibers for excitation. The present review may provide the researchers a rigorous and organized literature for the understanding of the basics, utility and trends of fiber optic plasmonic sensor in a chronological order.