Optimized Plasmonic On-Chip Refractive Index Sensor for Biosensing Applications

Abstract

This thesis focuses on designing plasmonic nanosensors for high-sensitivity detection of molecular interactions at the nanoscale, using SPPs and light-matter interaction. Two sensor designs, utilizing silver and ZrN materials, demonstrate significant sensitivity improvements via FEM analysis and Drude-Lorentz Model. Applications include medical diagnostics (e.g., cancer cell classification, detection of anemia and diabetes). The use of ZrN enhances sensor performance due to its exceptional optical and electrical properties, making it compatible with CMOS technology. OBE requirements are discussed regarding health, socio-cultural factors, and environmental sustainability.