In situ monitoring of the formation of nanoscale polyelectrolyte coatings on optical fibers using Surface Plasmon Resonances.

Deposition of a conformal nanoscale polymer coating was characterized using a fiber SPR sensor. The sensor platform consisted of an unmodified gold-coated single mode fiber where SPR was excited through the coupling of the core mode into the cladding modes using a Tilted Fiber Bragg Grating. The results from this study show how the sensor can monitor in real time the formation of polyelectrolyte coatings during a process consisting of several stages of immersion. The experimental data was further calibrated by simulations and Atomic Force Microscope imaging allowing us to determine the thickness and refractive index of the adsorbed polyelectrolyte.