Fiber optics - A new route to surface wave sensors with ultra-wide refractive index sensing range and ultra-high figure of merit

Bloch surface waves (BSWs) exploit the bandgap of a photonic crystal to obtain guiding of a surface wave, resulting in a surface-sensitive evanescent field that offers new opportunities for controlling the light propagation and has many applications in areas of the physical and biological sciences. Most of the applications based on BSW excitation exploit the prism-based Kretschmann-Raether configuration, which is often bulky and difficult for integration due to the use of prism. The integration of fiber optics with micro/nano-technology has given the opportunity to develop novel sensing schemes for real applications. In this paper, we present our more recent results on the design and realization of fiber optic configurations to excite BSWs. We aim to provide an overview of the results achieved with each configuration, as a proof of the versatility and great potential of this technology.