Silicon based Bi-Core Photonic Crystal Fiber Glucose

Sensor
Hemalatha Ramamoorthy1 Revathi Senthil2
1,2 School of Electronics Engineering, Vellore Institute of Technology,Vellore-632014, India.
1rhemalatha@vit.ac.in
2srevathi@vit.ac.in

Abstract—Glucose is essential for energy potential in
human being. This glucose should be in specific range, if
exceeds or decreases in an individual will create health issues.
This work proposes Bi-core PCF glucose sensor to sense
glucose level which is numerically investigated through Finite
Element Method. D-glucose concentration from 60% and 64%
is sensed which are filled inside two cores. Minimum
confinement loss and with sensitivity of 20,000nm/RIU is
attained.
Keywords— Refractive index, D-glucose, Photonic Crystal
fiber, confinement loss, sensitivity
I. INTRODUCTION
Glucose Sensors [1] became crucial due to
multiplication of diabetic patients [2]. For better treatment,
people measure glucose concentration in specific interval of
time. Many methods for measuring glucose [3] are there in
existence .Some measurement techniques like
interferometers, Sagnac interferometers [4], non invasive
glucose measurement [5], absorption [6]. Photonic crystal
Fiber [7] structure is designed using air hole arrangement.
Based on centre of PCF it is stated as solid which uses total
internal reflection and hollow core fiber uses photonic
bandgap effect. Compared to standard optical fibers, the
main advantage of PCF is light confinement. Through its
sensing application researchers start to work on it. The main
attraction towards PCF is its varying locations, size in
cladding or core holes.PCF has capacity to propagate light
in air. Also these air holes can be arranged in different
shapes like circular, rectangular, square, triangular,
hexagonal, octagonal, and decagonal. On the PCF parameter
basis, sensor is divided into Physical sensors [8],
Biochemical sensors and biomedical sensors. Among all
fields, medical field requirements are always given
preference to detect diseases. When blood glucose is below
40 mg/dl, it is called as “Hypoglycemia” similarly
“Hyperglycemia” ranges from 270 mg/dl to 360 mg/dl.
Hence glucose detection is essential to determine the range
of normality in human being. Based on this detection value
identification of glucose concentration is analyzed. Through
physical property like refractive index, glucose
concentration may be affected .Using this concept we take
glucose concentration of 60% to 64% whose refractive
indexes are of 1.4390
and 1.4493 [9]. In this paper, we propose dual core PCF-
glucose sensor. Four different sized air holes are used in this
design. Three different sized air holes are structured at
cladding region and other for core region. Diluted glucose is
used for sensing. 60% and 64% of glucose solution is sensed
here, which are filled inside two core regions. To detect
more solution, two core regions are used with increased
area.
II. DESIGN STRUCTURE OF PROPOSED WORK
The cross sectional view of proposed work is
shown in fig.1. Structure consists of 63 cladding air holes
and 2 core air hole. An elliptical air hole is placed between
core air hole. The air hole around core region radius is
different when compared to rest of cladding air hole.
Structural parameters of radius d1=1.2µm, d2=2.3µm,
d3=0.7µm, d4=2.3µm, Λ=3µm and PML=1.5 µm .These are
designed in COMSOL Multiphysics software.
PML
Silica Glass
d1 d2
d3 d4
Λ-Pitch
Fig. 1. Dual core PCF glucose sensor
Silica glass is used as background material. Glucose
concentration of 60% and 64% with refractive index 1.4390
and 1.4493 are filled in core air holes. By including
Perfectly Matched Layer, the scattering of light is reduced
and confinement of light inside core region isoptimum.
III. NUMERICALCALCULATION
Under this work, numerical investigation is done to calculate
birefringence [10], confinement loss [11] and sensitivity
[12]. Always there is a need to reduce confinement loss to
achieve better propagation of light in Fig 2 shows light
confinement at glucose solution filled in coreregion.
eff
Bf = nyeff - nx (1)
Using above equation, birefringence is calculated. Where n y
and nx is effective refractive of x & y polarization.
Difference between effective refractive index of two
polarizations is calculated to check polarization
maintenance.
Fig 2 shows the light confinement in the proposed sensor. oriented. Using the obtained value the sensitivity can be
Fig 3 shows plot of two diluted solution’s polarization analyzed.
maintenance.

Fig. 2. Light Confinement at core region

Fig.5 Confinement loss plot for both solution in x polarization

Fig.3 Birefringence plot for 60% and 64% of glucose filled in core

The Increased percentage of glucose solution value

Fig.6 Confinement loss plot for 60% of glucose solution in x & y
provides better birefringence. Imaginary value of effective polarization
refractive index is important for the calculation of
confinement loss.

CL = 8.686 x (2π/ λ) Im(neff) x106 (dB/m) (2)

Using above equation the confinement loss is calculated for

60% and 64% glucose concentration filled in core and the
same is plotted in Fig.5 and Fig.7 for X and Y polarization.
Fig 6 is the plot of both X and Y polarization. From the
figure and calculation value it is identified that y
polarization has minimum confinement loss. As the value is
comparatively less, it can be used for biomedical
applications. This got reduced because of perfectly matched
layer structured above the background material. Fig 8 shows
the plot of both polarization confinement losses at 64% of
diluted glucose solution. Through this, it is inferred that y
polarization has minimum confinement loss when compared
to x polarization. Along with these calculations,
determination of sensitivity is also important. Based on Fig.7 Confinement loss plot for both solution in y polarization
sensitivity capacity, the sensor will turn into application
Sensitivity is calculated through shift in wavelength to the
shift in refractive index.

Δλ
S(nm/RIU) = (3)
Δn
Where Δλ is shift in wavelength and Δn is shift in refractive
index. From the existing work, the structure of the glucose
sensor is changed to attain increased sensitivity. By
comparing the previous work, current work proposes more
concentration of glucose solution. This is inferred from table
1. Both sensitivity and glucose concentration is achieved
through this work.

TABLEI. VALUERANGE
Work Glucose solution Sensitivity
Existing 60% 19135.70 nm/RIU [13]
Fig.9. Light confinement at first core
Proposed 60% and 64% 20,000 nm/RIU

Fig.10. Light confinement at second core

Fig.8 Confinement loss plot for x and y polarization at 64% of glucose

Solution.
There is in need to sense maximum glucose solution and
minimum glucose solution based on the requirement. At this
case, when there is necessity to sense more amount of
glucose at that instance two core regions are filled with
glucose solution. For minimum solution, it is enough to fill
any of one core regions. In future, it can be developed by
filling two different concentration of glucose at two core
regions. Filling of liquid in core region follows different
methods. As a major, there are two methods, one is internal
filling and other is external filling method. In first method
the liquid is filled directly into the core region. But in other
method, there are made some channel to connect the core
region and outer surface. Such that the core is filled from
external channel. External filling method is easy by there is
completion during fabrication of sensor. But internal filling
method fabrication is easier than the other method. Fig 9
shows the light confinement at the first core. The liquid is
filled in first core. Similarly Fig 10 represents the light
confinement in second core.
IV. CONCLUSION
In this work, we have designed dual core PCF to
sense glucose at visible region. The obtained sensitivity is
20,000nm/RIU. High sensitivity glucose sensor with
compact design is achieved to and can be used for
biomedical application. As air holes are of circular in
structure, it is easy for fabrication process. With reduced
thickness of perfectly matched layer, better confinement of
light inside core region attained with minimum confinement
loss. Based on the requirement, we can fill the glucose
solution in one core region or both the core region.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
I wish to thank Dr.S.Revathi, who guided and supported me
tocompletethisresearchworkunderphotoniccrystalfiberto
bring out useful application. Also I thank Vellore Institute of
Technology for providing a chance to enhance research
work in Optical CommunicationTechnology.
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