Layered polymer - inorganic composite waveguides for biosensor applications

Hiltunen, Jussi, Wang, Meng, Liedert, Christina, Aikio, Sanna, Masuda, Noriyuki, Pearce, Stuart, Charlton, Martin and Karioja, Pentti (2012) Layered polymer - inorganic composite waveguides for biosensor applications. Photonics Europe: SPIE 8427: Progress in Biomedical Optics and Imaging, , Brussels, Belgium. 16 - 19 Apr 2012. 6 pp . (doi:10.1117/12.922267).

Abstract

In this work, we investigate the usability of layered polymer - inorganic composite waveguides for label-free sensing of surface bound bioreactions in an aqueous environment. The waveguide structure consists of a nanoimprint fabricated polymeric inverted rib waveguide with a sputtered Ta₂O₅ thin film on top. The interaction of the optical field with the surface is increased as a consequence of the mode profile localization near the surface, when high-index coating is deposited on a low-index waveguide. Young interferometer configuration with reference and sensors waveguide arms was utilized in sensor chips. Light from a laser source was end-fire coupled into the chips and interference pattern produced by the outcoupled light was investigated. External µ-fluidic pump was used to produce the analyte flow. Ambient refractive index change was characterized by applying DI-water with varying glucose concentration on waveguides. With the waveguide length of 1 cm a detection limit in the order of 10^-7 - 10^-6 refractive index unit (RIU) was achieved. Specific binding reactions on the surface were investigated with C - reactive protein (CRP) antibodies and antigens.

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