Innovative Refractive Index Sensor Utilizing Terahertz Spectrum for Early Cancer Detection: a Photonic Crystal Fiber Approach

Cell Biochem Biophys. 2024 Aug 10. doi: 10.1007/s12013-024-01479-3. Online ahead of print.

Abstract

In this article, we have presented a new cancer sensor with a square core Photonic Crystal Fiber (PCF) to detect the cancerous tissues of the cervix, breast, and skin. This process is thus streamlined and separated by PCF due to its excellent detection characteristics. All required configurations using the finite element method are developed, and various performances of the model are studied using MATLAB. The results depict a mathematical analysis regarding the effectiveness of the sensor within the frequency range of 1.0-2.8 THz. Its relative sensitivity becomes around 99.85% at 2.2 THz with 8.49 × 10-14 dB/m for CL. This PCF has a spot size 3.06 × 10-4 μm that further contributes an effective area of 9.078 × 10-8 m2. Moreover, it has a very small EML of 0.00182 cm-1. This device uses the unique photonic properties of cancer cells to provide quick, reliable, and really very accurate methods for cancer cell identification, such as in breast, cervical, and skin cancers. Due to small size and flexibility, only minimally invasive operations are possible. Real-time monitoring can also be provided, hence improving immediate evaluation and therapy efficacy. This article introduces a novel integration of PCF technology with THz radiation to create a highly sensitive sensor for early cancer detection. By utilizing THz waves' non-invasive and high-resolution properties, this sensor overcomes the sensitivity limitations of traditional methods. It also addresses scattering issues from conventional air hole shapes through optimized geometric configurations, setting a new standard in biomedical sensing and potentially revolutionizing early cancer diagnostics.

Keywords: Air filling fraction (AFF); Confinement loss (CL); Effective area (EA); Effective material loss (EML); Numerical aperture (NA); Photonic crystal fiber (PCF).