An In-situ Real-Time Optical Fiber Sensor Based on Surface Plasmon Resonance for Monitoring the Growth of TiO2 Thin Films

Sensors

Yu-Chia Tsao¹  Woo-Hu Tsai²  Wen-Ching Shih² 

[1] Graduate Program in Electro-Optical Engineering, Tatung University, 40 Chongshan N. Rd., 3rd Sec. Taipei 104, Taiwan;

关键词: surface plasmon resonance;    optical fiber sensor;   

DOI  :  10.3390/s130709513

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

An optical fiber sensor based on surface plasmon resonance (SPR) is proposed for monitoring the thickness of deposited nano-thin films. A side-polished multimode SPR optical fiber sensor with an 850 nm-LD is used as the transducing element for real-time monitoring of the deposited TiO₂ thin films. The SPR optical fiber sensor was installed in the TiO₂ sputtering system in order to measure the thickness of the deposited sample during TiO₂ deposition. The SPR response declined in real-time in relation to the growth of the thickness of the TiO₂ thin film. Our results show the same trend of the SPR response in real-time and in spectra taken before and after deposition. The SPR transmitted intensity changes by approximately 18.76% corresponding to 50 nm of deposited TiO₂ thin film. We have shown that optical fiber sensors utilizing SPR have the potential for real-time monitoring of the SPR technology of nanometer film thickness. The compact size of the SPR fiber sensor enables it to be positioned inside the deposition chamber, and it could thus measure the film thickness directly in real-time. This technology also has potential application for monitoring the deposition of other materials. Moreover, in-situ real-time SPR optical fiber sensor technology is in inexpensive, disposable technique that has anti-interference properties, and the potential to enable on-line monitoring and monitoring of organic coatings.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2013 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.