Sensitivity Improvement of Surface Plasmon Resonance Biosensors with GeS-Metal Layers
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
The authors presented an article about “Germanium monosulfide-modified sensors overlap the metal layer to improve the sensitivity”. I think the paper is well organized and can be accepted after major revision according to the following items.
Abstract is poor, please show in the abstract novelty and practical significance. Also show the success of the study. Abstract should be expanded sentences related to the results.
Introduction is poor. The reviewer wants to see new paragraphs directly related with the main subject.
Show the main aim of the work clearly in the last paragraph of the introduction.
Results and discussion and conclusion parts are inadequate according to citation and analyze in detail. Improve the results and discussion and conclusion parts.
The explanations of Figure 4 are not enough. Also, the main text of a figure should be placed before the figure.
There are typographical and eventual language problems in paper.
It should be clearly stated the success rate of the study in abstract and last paragraph of the introduction.
The paper has a reference problem. First, your reference list contains no papers from Electronics journal. If your work is convenient for this journal’s context then there are many references from this journal. Secondly, cited sources should be primary ones. Namely, indexed area shows the power of a paper and directly your paper’s reliability. Please make regulations in this direction.
Comments for author File: 
Comments.pdf
Author Response
Response to Reviewer 1 Comments
Thank you so much for review my paper. For the modified details and answer for the reviewers are as follow.
1) Abstract is poor, please show in the abstract novelty and practical significance. Also show the success of the study. Abstract should be expanded sentences related to the results.
Response 1: I changed the abstract part. “Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensors with germanium sulfide (GeS) as a sensitive medium and Al/Ag/Au as the metal layers are reported, aimed to improve the sensitivities of the biosensors. The sensitivities in conventional SPR biosensors consisted of only metal Al, Ag, and Au layers are 111 °/ RIU, 117 °/ RIU, 139 °/ RIU, severally. And these sensitivities of the SPR biosensors based on the GeS-Al, GeS-Ag and GeS-Au layers have an obviously improvement, are gotten as 320 °/RIU, 295 °/RIU and 260 °/RIU, respectively. We also discussed the changing of the sensing medium GeS thickness using layer number to describe brought about the diversification on the figure of merit (FOM) and optical absorption (OA) performance of the biosensors. These biosensors have obviously improvement of sensitivity and have strong SPR excitation to analytes, we believe that these kind biosensors could find potential applications in biological detection, chemical examination, and medical diagnosis.”
2) Introduction is poor. The reviewer wants to see new paragraphs directly related with the main subject.
Response 2: Thanks for the suggestion. I changed the introduction part.
3) Show the main aim of the work clearly in the last paragraph of the introduction.
Response 3: I changed the abstract part. Changed it to “Two dimensional material GeS used as sensing medium in biosensors are reported in this paper. A comparison of three metals Al/Ag/Au as metal layers are also investigate in these GeS sensors. The sensitivities of the biosensors derived from the GeS-Al, GeS-Ag and GeS-Au layers are 320 °/RIU, 295 °/RIU and 260 °/RIU, respectively. And the sensitivities of conventional SPR sensors which don't have GeS sensing medium only based on Al, Ag, and Au films are 111 °/RIU, 117 °/RIU and 139 °/RIU, separately. The sensitivities have an obviously enhancement in these GeS based biosensors. We also discussed the changing of the sensing medium GeS thickness using layer number to describe brought about the diversification on the figure of merit (FOM) and optical absorption (OA) performance of the biosensors. These types of biosensors have doughty SPR excitation, high detection accuracy and high sensitivity to analytes, they will play a central role in photoelectron applications.”
4) Results and discussion and conclusion parts are inadequate according to citation and analyze in detail. Improve the results and discussion and conclusion parts.
Response 4: I added more discussion part and conclusion part.
Conclusion part “In this study, kinds of GeS based sensors to enhance the sensitivity are reports. Three kinds of metal Al/Ag/Au were used as metal layers for comparison in these GeS sensor. Compared with the conventional biosensor only have metal layers, the sensitivities of proposed GeS based biosensors have a large improvement. The highest sensitivities for the our sensors based on GeS-Al, GeS-Ag and GeS-Au films are 320 °/RIU, 295 °/RIU and 260 °/RIU, respectively, and conventional SPR sensors only based on Al/Ag/Au films are 111 °/RIU, 117 °/RIU, 139 °/RIU. The two dimensional material GeS layer not only for prevent the oxidizable metals from oxidized, enhance the surface plasmons of metal, but also for enhance the absorption of biomolecules. From these simulation results, the present sensors display high sensitivities and to strong SPR excitations analytes, and with these outstanding characters, these GeS based structure sensors will have a remarkable effect in the field of electrical optical sensing technology.”
5) The explanations of Figure 4 are not enough. Also, the main text of a figure should be placed before the figure.
Response 5: I adjusted the sequence of the figure 4 and main text in manuscript.
6) There are typographical and eventual language problems in paper.
Response 6: I checked the manuscript carefully and modified the imperfect place.
7) It should be clearly stated the success rate of the study in abstract and last paragraph of the introduction.
Response 7: I added more particulars in abstract and introduction.
8) The paper has a reference problem. First, your reference list contains no papers from Electronics journal. If your work is convenient for this journal’s context then there are many references from this journal. Secondly, cited sources should be primary ones. Namely, indexed area shows the power of a paper and directly your paper’s reliability. Please make regulations in this direction.
Response 8: I added more references.
6 P. Sajad, and M. N. Fardin, "Simultaneous analysis of some volatile compounds in food samples by array gas sensors based on polypyrrole nano-composites," Sensor Review 37(2), (2017).
7 A. S.-M. Mohammad, and P. Sajad, "Nanostructured Conducting Polymer/Copper Oxide as a Modifier for Fabrication of L‐DOPA and Uric Acid Electrochemical Sensor," Electroanalysis 28(9), 2075-80 (2016).
8 G.-D. Anooshe, T. A. Mohammad and G.-D. Ashkan. "Quick, Single-Frequency Dielectric Characterization of Blood Samples of Pediatric Cancer Patients by a Cylindrical Capacitor: Pilot Study," Electronics 9(95), 1-16 (2020).
21 K.A. Rikta, M.S. Anower, M. Saifur Rahman, and M. Mahabubur Rahman, "SPR biosensor using SnSe-phosphorene heterostructure, " Sensing and Bio-Sensing Research 33, 100442 (2021).
22 T. N. Devi and N.-F. Chiu, "A Review of Graphene-Based Surface Plasmon Resonance and Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Biosensors: Current Status and Future Prospects," Nanomaterials 11, 216(2021).
Reviewer 2 Report
In my view, the topic of this article which by combining GeS with Al /Ag/Au to improve sensitivity of sensors is timely and interesting. But this article also has some problems.
(a) It is not clear why the thickness of Al/Ag/Au layer is selected as the 50 nm.
(b) At the bottom of the figure 3,don’t simply analyze difference of sensitivities and resonance angle change about two different device structure. Although I can look for this analysis in the following content which describes table1.
(c) I think should add the number of to the legend of figure 4.
I recommend that this article should be modified. After modification, it should be accepted.
Author Response
Response to Reviewer 2 Comments
Thank you very much to review my paper to let me improve my work more perfect. For the modified details and answer for the reviewers are as follow.
(a) It is not clear why the thickness of Al/Ag/Au layer is selected as the 50 nm.
Response 1: We have cite the paper “X. Dai, Y. Liang, Y. Zhao, S. Gan, Y. Jia, and Y. Xiang, "Sensitivity Enhancement of a Surface Plasmon Resonance with Tin Selenide (SnSe) Allotropes," Sensors 19 (1) (2019).” to give the reason why use 50 nm for Al/Ag/Au layer derectly.
(b) At the bottom of the figure 3, don’t simply analyze difference of sensitivities and resonance angle change about two different device structure. Although I can look for this analysis in the following content which describes table1.
Response 2: Thank you very much for the advice.
(c) I think should add the number of to the legend of figure 4.
Response 3: I modified the paper as suggestion.
Reviewer 3 Report
Thank you very much for choosing me as a reviewer of the manuscript entitled “
Germanium monosulfide-modified sensors overlap the metal layer to improve the sensitivity”
The present paper has been carefully studied several times and some criticisms have been made that should be corrected.
1- Title
- I recommended to change title and use more clear title.
2- Abstract
- Delete the following sentences from the abstract and add your own results:
Germanium monosulfide (GeS) is a layered group IV two-dimensional material of the monosulfur compounds. Compared with other materials, GeS has high electron mobility and air stability.
- You should define RIU
- Add some more results in the abstract.
- Keywords??!!!
3- Introduction
In the introduction section, in relate with sensors, biosensors, figure of merits, sensitivity and so, there are so related references, so you should use the related following references:
- Simultaneous analysis of some volatile compounds in food samples by array gas sensors based on polypyrrole nano-composites. Sensor Review. 2017 Mar 20.
- Chemiresistive gas sensors based on conducting polymers. InHandbook of Research on Nanoelectronic Sensor Modeling and Applications 2017 (pp. 150-180). IGI Global.
- Nanostructured Conducting Polymer/Copper Oxide as a Modifier for Fabrication of L‐DOPA and Uric Acid Electrochemical Sensor. Electroanalysis. 2016 Sep;28(9):2075-80.
4- Material and methods
- You should provide M&M section with detail.
- You should report all details of materials (purity and ….)
- You should provide statistical analysis section.
5- Result and discussion
- You revise the following paragraph:
The results show that the sensitivities of our designed SPR sensors decreases with increasing number of GeS layers due to the increase in the loss within GeS layers. Though the sensitivities of the GeS structures are less than that of the non- GeS structure, notably, the sensitivity is still high in the single-layer structure in Figure 4(d). When the wave-length is 633 nm and ns = 1:33, the peak sensitivity of the SPR sensors with different GeS layers occurs at various from incident angle from 34.65° to 34.85°. The SPR response of Al layer and Ag layer is more sensitive than that of Au layer, but the chemical stability is lower. Introduced GeS layer to the biosensors prevented oxidation of oxidizable Al/Ag/Au metals and enhanced the absorption of sensing medium, and this GeS layer also improved the stability and biocompatibility of the biosensor structure, which played a significant component in the SPR sensors.
- Report table scientifically.
- Conclusion
- Conclusion is short and poor, revise it.
7- Finally, it should be mentioned that there are so many scientific and grammatical errors in the text, it is suggested to revise the manuscript text carefully.
8- Although the article is of good scientific quality, it does not have a good scientific structure. Materials, methods, results and discussion should be in the format of scientific articles.
Author Response
Response to Reviewer 3 Comments
1- Title
I recommended to change title and use more clear title.
Response 1: I changed the title to show the content more clear. Now the title is “Sensitivity improvement of surface plasmon resonance biosensors with GeS-metal layers”.
2- Abstract
Delete the following sentences from the abstract and add your own results:
Germanium monosulfide (GeS) is a layered group IV two-dimensional material of the monosulfur compounds. Compared with other materials, GeS has high electron mobility and air stability.
You should define RIU
Add some more results in the abstract.
Keywords??!!!
Response 2: I followed the suggestion to revise the paper.
When the wavelength (angle) changes with the refractive index, the slope is the sensitivity of the sensor; unit is in nm / RIU or ° / RIU.
I change the abstract to “Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensors with germanium sulfide (GeS) as a sensitive medium and Al/Ag/Au as the metal layers are reported, aimed to improve the sensitivities of the biosensors. The sensitivities in conventional SPR biosensors consisted of only metal Al, Ag, and Au layers are 111 °/ RIU, 117 °/ RIU, 139 °/ RIU, severally. And these sensitivities of the SPR biosensors based on the GeS-Al, GeS-Ag and GeS-Au layers have an obviously improvement, are gotten as 320 °/RIU, 295 °/RIU and 260 °/RIU, respectively. We also discussed the changing of the sensing medium GeS thickness using layer number to describe brought about the diversification on the figure of merit (FOM) and optical absorption (OA) performance of the biosensors. These biosensors have obviously improvement of sensitivity and have strong SPR excitation to analytes, we believe that these kind biosensors could find potential applications in biological detection, chemical examination, and medical diagnosis.” And add the keywords as “Keywords: germanium sulfide; SPR; sensor; high sensitivity”.
3- Introduction
In the introduction section, in relate with sensors, biosensors, figure of merits, sensitivity and so, there are so related references, so you should use the related following references:
Simultaneous analysis of some volatile compounds in food samples by array gas sensors based on polypyrrole nano-composites. Sensor Review. 2017 Mar 20.
Chemiresistive gas sensors based on conducting polymers. InHandbook of Research on Nanoelectronic Sensor Modeling and Applications 2017 (pp. 150-180). IGI Global.
Nanostructured Conducting Polymer/Copper Oxide as a Modifier for Fabrication of L‐DOPA and Uric Acid Electrochemical Sensor. Electroanalysis. 2016 Sep;28(9):2075-80.
Response 3: I quoted the above-mentioned references.
6 P. Sajad, and M. N. Fardin, "Simultaneous analysis of some volatile compounds in food samples by array gas sensors based on polypyrrole nano-composites," Sensor Review 37(2), (2017).
7 A. S.-M. Mohammad, and P. Sajad, "Nanostructured Conducting Polymer/Copper Oxide as a Modifier for Fabrication of L‐DOPA and Uric Acid Electrochemical Sensor," Electroanalysis 28(9), 2075-80 (2016).
8 G.-D. Anooshe, T. A. Mohammad and G.-D. Ashkan. "Quick, Single-Frequency Dielectric Characterization of Blood Samples of Pediatric Cancer Patients by a Cylindrical Capacitor: Pilot Study," Electronics 9(95), 1-16 (2020).
4- Material and methods
You should provide M&M section with detail.
You should report all details of materials (purity and ….)
You should provide statistical analysis section.
Response 4: This is a simulation calculation paper, so the material is ideal GeS. In the next future research on this GeS biosensor will go to the laboratory operate, then will add retail of materials character and characterization.
5- Result and discussion
You revise the following paragraph:
The results show that the sensitivities of our designed SPR sensors decreases with increasing number of GeS layers due to the increase in the loss within GeS layers. Though the sensitivities of the GeS structures are less than that of the non- GeS structure, notably, the sensitivity is still high in the single-layer structure in Figure 4(d). When the wave-length is 633 nm and ns = 1:33, the peak sensitivity of the SPR sensors with different GeS layers occurs at various from incident angle from 34.65° to 34.85°. The SPR response of Al layer and Ag layer is more sensitive than that of Au layer, but the chemical stability is lower. Introduced GeS layer to the biosensors prevented oxidation of oxidizable Al/Ag/Au metals and enhanced the absorption of sensing medium, and this GeS layer also improved the stability and biocompatibility of the biosensor structure, which played a significant component in the SPR sensors.
Report table scientifically.
Conclusion
Conclusion is short and poor, revise it.
Response 6: I changed them.
7- Finally, it should be mentioned that there are so many scientific and grammatical errors in the text, it is suggested to revise the manuscript text carefully.
Response 7: Thank you for the suggestion, I checked the manuscript carefully and modified the imperfect places.
8- Although the article is of good scientific quality, it does not have a good scientific structure. Materials, methods, results and discussion should be in the format of scientific articles.
Response 8: I modified the manuscript in several parts to make it more logical and clear mind.
Round 2
Reviewer 1 Report
The authors improved the paper according to reviewers comments. The paper can be accepted in the current form.
Reviewer 3 Report
It is acceptable.
