الفهرس 
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Abstract
In this thesis, the performance of the complex dielectric-function models (Drude, Lorentz-Drude and Brendel-Bormann) was evaluated, and their ability to accurately represent the plasmonic material properties - and in turn, the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor’s performance - was thoroughly explored and validated using an experimentally-measured complex dielectric-function. The work was continued by investigating different design parameters of a single-layer SPR-based fiber optic sensor to obtain the best sensor characteristics. The studied parameters were the plasmonic material: type, thickness (d), length (L), and the optic fiber : diameter (D), and numerical aperture (NA). The sensor’s sensitivity (S), full width at half-maximum (FWHM), signal to noise ratio (SNR), and power attenuation were used to assess the sensor’s performance. The inspected plasmonic materials were silver (Ag), gold (Au), copper (Cu), and aluminum (Al) have been exercised in the study.Based on the results, Brendel-Bormann’s model preceded the other two models in determining the SPR sensor’s main parameters: sensitivity, FWHM and SNR. Drude’s model gave the second best result for FWHM and SNR, and the least accurate sensitivity values. L-D’s model performed better than Drude’s model in case of sensitivity, but was the least accurate in determining FWHM and SNR. In other words, using Drude’s model to describe the complex dielectric-function of an SPR sensor severely degrades the accuracy of the sensor’s sensitivity, FWHM and SNR calculations. Using L-D’s model instead of Drude’s improves the accuracy of the sensitivity calculation but degrades the FWHM and SNR calculations accuracy. The best choice is B-B’s model, which has the best accuracy for all the sensor’s parameters calculations leading to a more realistic representation of the SPR sensor and reducing the gap between theoretical sensor’s models and the experimental results. The investigation of sensor’s design parameters showed that, the Ag sensor has the best sensitivity and the highest attenuation but the worst FWHM “the wider spectral width” among the examined SPR sensors, and a moderate SNR. The Au sensor has the second best sensitivity and attenuation, a better – lower – FWHM, and the best SNR. The Cu sensor has a good SNR, moderate sensitivity and FWHM, and low attenuation. Finally, the Al sensor has the best FWHM “the narrower spectral width”, the lowest sensitivity and SNR, and low attenuation.