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Triple-parameter sensing in seawater using a dual-cavity tantalum-based plasmonic sensor.
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Researchers designed a tiny metal based sensor, tested through computer simulations, that could measure seawater salinity, temperature, and nanoplastic levels at the same time by detecting changes in light. The design showed high sensitivity for both nanoplastic detection and the other measurements, with minimal interference between the different readings.
This work introduces a tantalum (Ta)-based metal-insulator-metal (MIM) plasmonic sensor employing an air-core bus waveguide coupled to two split resonators for multi-parameter seawater analysis. The sensing structure integrates a split octagonal cavity for dual-parameter measurement of salinity and temperature, and a split hexagonal cavity dedicated to detecting nanoplastic concentration through refractive index monitoring. Coupling between the air waveguide and each cavity is achieved using angle-optimized slit apertures, enabling enhanced mode excitation and minimized spectral overlap. Finite-element simulations reveal that the split octagonal resonator supports two well-separated resonant modes with maximum sensitivity of 5655 nm/RIU, while the split hexagonal cavity achieves a maximum sensitivity of 6948 nm/RIU. The resonance shifts between the two sensing channels remain spectrally isolated (Δλ min > 1400 nm), confirming low inter-cavity crosstalk. The use of Ta provides high corrosion resistance and structural stability in saline environments, ensuring reliable long-term operation. The proposed sensor achieves a compact footprint, high spectral selectivity, and simultaneous multi-parameter detection, demonstrating strong potential for real-time, in situ marine environmental monitoring and integrated photonic sensing platforms.
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