Phase interrogation SPR sensing based on white light polarized interference for wide dynamic detection range

Abstract

A phase surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensing technology based on white light polarized interference in common-path geometry is reported. A halogen lamp is used as the excitation source of the SPR sensor. The fixed optical path difference (OPD) between p- and s-polarized light is introduced by a birefringence crystal to produce sinusoidal spectral interference fringes. The SPR phase is accurately extracted from the interference fringes using a novel iterative parameter-scanning cross-correlation algorithm. The dynamic detection range is expanded by tracking the best SPR wavelength, which is identified using a window Fourier algorithm. The experimental results show that the sensitivity of this SPR system was 1.3 × 10−7 RIU, and the dynamic detection range was 0.029 RIU. This sensor, not only simple to implement and cost efficient, requires no modulators.