Related Experiment Videos
Highly sensitive differential phase-sensitive surface plasmon resonance biosensor based on the Mach-Zehnder
1Center for Advanced Research in Photonics, Department of Electronic Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Optics Letters
|November 10, 2004
Summary
This study presents a novel, highly sensitive surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensor. The new design uses differential phase measurements for improved accuracy in detecting biomolecular interactions.
Area of Science:
- Optoelectronics
- Biosensing Technology
- Interferometry
Background:
- Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) biosensors are crucial for label-free biomolecular detection.
- Existing SPR biosensors face limitations in sensitivity and noise reduction.
- Mach-Zehnder interferometers offer potential for enhanced phase-based sensing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a high-sensitivity SPR biosensor with improved noise rejection.
- To leverage simultaneous p and s polarization interrogation for accurate phase measurement.
- To demonstrate the biosensor's capability in detecting biomolecular binding events.
Main Methods:
- A Mach-Zehnder interferometer design incorporating a Wollaston prism.
- Simultaneous interrogation of p and s polarized light for differential phase measurement.
- Utilizing the s-polarized light as a reference to cancel common-path noise.
Main Results:
- Achieved a sensitivity limit of 5.5 x 10(-8) refractive-index units per 0.01 degrees phase change.
- Demonstrated significant improvement over previous gold-based SPR sensor results.
- Successfully monitored the binding reaction between bovine serum albumin (BSA) and BSA antibodies.
Conclusions:
- The novel SPR biosensor design offers superior sensitivity and noise immunity.
- This advancement positions SPR biosensors as a viable alternative to fluorescence-based techniques.
- The demonstrated capability supports applications in sensitive biomolecular interaction analysis.