Improvement of the Performance of Biosensors Based on Bloch Surface Waves in a Hybrid One-Dimensional Photonic Crystal

Abstract:

In this article, we propose a biosensor based on a hybrid photonic crystal, the studied system is a superlattice consisting of a periodic alternation of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and silicon dioxide (SiO₂) layers. Our study demonstrates that breaking the periodicity of the superlattice enables the excitation of Bloch surface waves within the photonic bandgap. This feature, along with its experimental convenience, justifies our choice of this structure for designing a biosensor in the Kretschmann configuration. Furthermore, we also analyzed the effect of various parameters, such as the number of layer repetitions, the frequency of the light waves used, and the thickness of the defect layer, on the biosensor's performance, the optimal structure, MgF₂/(PMMA/SiO₂)₃/D, demonstrates excellent sensing performance, achieving an angular sensitivity of 74°/RIU and a high figure of merit (FOM) of 1495/RIU.

• Periodical: Materials Science Forum (Volume 1173)
• Pages: 97-110
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/p-0QmrdU
• Online since: December 2025
• Authors: Ahmed El Kouka*, Ossama El Abouti, E. Houssaine El Boudouti
• Keywords: Biosensor, Bloch Surface Waves, Figure of Merit, Photonic Crystal, Sensitivity

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