Performance Analysis of SPR Sensor Based on Tin Di-selenide, Silicon and Lead Titanate for Malaria Detection

Abstract

This paper introduces the design of a high-performance Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) sensor using a SnSe₂/Si/PbTiO₃ heterostructure for detecting malaria, targeting the different stages of the plasmodium parasite lifecycle. The Tin di-selenide (SnSe₂) with high refractive index (RI) and excellent absorption property in visible and infrared regions allows efficient interaction with the evanescent field, thereby increasing sensitivity for small RI changes near the surface. The strategic integration of lead titanate (PbTiO₃), known for its high RI and tunable bandgap, with SnSe₂ and Silicon (Si) layers, the proposed sensor design (FK51A-prism/Ag/SnSe₂/Si/PbTiO₃/Sensing-Medium) significantly improves sensitivity to 390.41°/RIU for the ring stage of malaria. The Kretschmann configuration, in conjunction with the Transfer Matrix Method (TMM) and angular interrogation, has been utilized to optimize the performance of the proposed SPR sensor. The proposed design achieves an optimal Quality Factor (QF) of 130.92 RIU⁻¹, enabling the detection of small changes in RI. With a Detection Accuracy (DA) of 0.33 deg⁻¹ for the ring stage, the proposed SPR sensor demonstrates its potential for early and accurate malaria diagnosis. Also, the enhanced DA and QF in later stages (trophozoite and schizont stages) offers broad detection range of the proposed SPR design. The design offers a promising application across different biomedical applications.