This research presents novel designs for hollow-core photonic crystal fibers (HC-PCFs) featuring an octagonal core structure. These fibers are specifically engineered to detect potentially hazardous food additives including saccharin, sorbitol, and butyl acetate. We experimented with different arrangements of air holes within the fiber, including octagonal cores and square and circular air holes. They found that incorporating an octagonal core at the innermost layer significantly improved the fiber’s sensitivity to the target food additives. Large square air holes added to the exterior layer also assisted in lowering confinement loss. We methodically modified the forms of the air holes in the interior and exterior layers of the cladding area to maximize the fiber’s performance. We utilized the Finite Element Method (FEM) within the COMSOL software (version 5.6) to design the sensor. By analyzing the fiber’s response to specific substances and evaluating crucial optical properties including numerical aperture, relative sensitivity, effective material loss, and confinement loss, we determined the fiber’s suitability for accurately detecting diverse food additives. The improved fiber design achieved impressive sensitivity rates of 98.65% for saccharin, 91.35% for sorbitol, and 92.66% butyl acetate at a frequency of 2 THz. The capacity of the fiber to contain the light signal was also exceptional, with minimal confinement losses of 7.70 × 10−13 dB/m, 2.49 × 10−12 dB/m, and 1.95 × 10−12 dB/m for the three substances. Additionally, the significant effective area are 4.31 × 10−08 m2 for saccharin, 4.87 × 10−08 m2 for sorbitol, and 4.83 × 10−08 m2 for butyl acetate, and the little effective material loss (EML) are 5.35 × 10−03 cm−1 for saccharin, 1.35 × 10−02 cm−1 for sorbitol, and 1.21 × 10−02 cm−1 for butyl acetate. Due to its excellent light-guiding capabilities, this recommended sensor can be employed for applications requiring polarization-preserved terahertz waves and the detection of harmful food additives. Additionally, its straightforward fabrication process, high sensitivity, and minimal confinement loss make this recommended design a promising candidate for real-world applications, contributing a sustainable economy and better food habits in poor countries.

Cutting-Edge PCF Sensors: Terahertz Detection of Hazardous Food Additives

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发表日期：

2025年7月30日

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Md. Asaduzzaman,
Md. Galib Hasan,
A. H. M. Iftekharul Ferdous,
Khalid Sifulla Noor

摘要

This research presents novel designs for hollow-core photonic crystal fibers (HC-PCFs) featuring an octagonal core structure. These fibers are specifically engineered to detect potentially hazardous food additives including saccharin, sorbitol, and butyl acetate. We experimented with different arrangements of air holes within the fiber, including octagonal cores and square and circular air holes. They found that incorporating an octagonal core at the innermost layer significantly improved the fiber’s sensitivity to the target food additives. Large square air holes added to the exterior layer also assisted in lowering confinement loss. We methodically modified the forms of the air holes in the interior and exterior layers of the cladding area to maximize the fiber’s performance. We utilized the Finite Element Method (FEM) within the COMSOL software (version 5.6) to design the sensor. By analyzing the fiber’s response to specific substances and evaluating crucial optical properties including numerical aperture, relative sensitivity, effective material loss, and confinement loss, we determined the fiber’s suitability for accurately detecting diverse food additives. The improved fiber design achieved impressive sensitivity rates of 98.65% for saccharin, 91.35% for sorbitol, and 92.66% butyl acetate at a frequency of 2 THz. The capacity of the fiber to contain the light signal was also exceptional, with minimal confinement losses of 7.70 × 10⁻¹³ dB/m, 2.49 × 10⁻¹² dB/m, and 1.95 × 10⁻¹² dB/m for the three substances. Additionally, the significant effective area are 4.31 × 10⁻⁰⁸ m² for saccharin, 4.87 × 10⁻⁰⁸ m² for sorbitol, and 4.83 × 10⁻⁰⁸ m² for butyl acetate, and the little effective material loss (EML) are 5.35 × 10⁻⁰³ cm⁻¹ for saccharin, 1.35 × 10⁻⁰² cm⁻¹ for sorbitol, and 1.21 × 10⁻⁰² cm⁻¹ for butyl acetate. Due to its excellent light-guiding capabilities, this recommended sensor can be employed for applications requiring polarization-preserved terahertz waves and the detection of harmful food additives. Additionally, its straightforward fabrication process, high sensitivity, and minimal confinement loss make this recommended design a promising candidate for real-world applications, contributing a sustainable economy and better food habits in poor countries.