A simulation analysis for dimensioning of an amorphous silicon planar waveguide structure suitable to be used as a surface plasmon resonance biosensor

In this work we present a simulation study about the characteristics of a semiconductor structure suitable to be used as a guided wave optical biosensor, based on Surface Plasmonic Resonance effects (SPR). The proposed structure is a planar metal-dielectric waveguide where the sensor operation is based on the coupling between the fundamental propagation TM mode and the surface plasmon excited at the outer boundary of the metal, which interfaces the sample medium. Gold and aluminum are the metals considered for the plasmonic coating, amorphous silicon and others PECVD materials are considered for the waveguide structure. The results are based on modal analysis of the waveguide and plasmonic modes. The results obtained point out the possibility of generating SPPs in the near infrared range by including a functionalized cover of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) over the metal layer.