Remote sensing structures based on surface plasmon resonances and carbon nanotubes

A sensor structure based on surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is designed and developed. The device is an ultrasensitive wireless sensor operating in microwave frequencies utilizing the gas sensitivity of CNT mixtures. The sensor consists of a corrugated aluminum plate whose surface is periodically covered with a thin layer of the CNT materials. The incident TM-polarized waves on this surface excite the surface plasmon (SP) mode, thus resulting in a drop of power of the reflected wave. The simulations of the SPR-CNT-based wireless sensor show a frequency shift of 400 MHz in operation range around 22.5 GHz.