Plasmonic Nanostructures on Curved Surfaces for Fiber-Based Sensors

Plasmonic devices on a curved surface can open exciting new possibilities for guiding, focusing, deflecting, and controlling the propagation of plasmonic waves. Propagation on curved surfaces can be designed to mimic optical fiber-based plasmonic devices, for example, advanced optical probes for biological sensing applications. However, there is limited progress in this field due to technological limitations especially the fabrication of sub-wavelength structures on curved substrates is quite challenging. In this paper, we discuss the perspectives and challenges that lie in the design and simulation of plasmonic devices with a special focus on curvature induced effects and implications. We present numerical studies of gold films on a curved surface that resemble a fiber-based sensor. The results from this study can be helpful in the analysis and design of plasmonic devices involving optical fiber and other flexible substrates.