Muyltiple Wavelength Enhanced Surface Plasmon Resonance Spectroscopic Device

University of Arizona
posted on 10/19/2009

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Background:  Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) is a phenomenon used in many analytical applications in metallurgy, microscopy, and chemical and biochemical sensing and is one of the most sensitive techniques to study surface and interface effects. This inherent property makes SPR well suited for nondestructive studies of surfaces, interfaces, and very thin layers. SPR is also used in other than surface investigations and it has been demonstrated as an optical technique for use in immunoassays. The University's coupled plasmon-waveguide resonance (CPWR) spectroscopy is a novel SPR approach involving the coupling of plasmon resonances in a thin metal film and the waveguide modes in a dielectric overcoating in the ultraviolet and infrared electromagnetic spectral ranges. 

Applications:
* Perform CPWR spectroscopy in the ultraviolet and infrared spectral ranges to enable the testing of materials sensitive to specific UV and IF wavelengths.
*  Test a wide range of materials, especially lipid membranes that have either integral membrane proteins incorporated into them or peripheral membrane proteins bound to their surface.

Advantage:
*CPWR spectroscopy combines an optical device with an electrical device and is thus capable of simultaneously monitoring electrical characteristics and optical parameters of thin films and interfaces.

Technology: The University's CPWR spectroscopic device is based on the concept of coupling plasmon resonances in a thin metal film with the waveguide modes in a dielectric overcoating. The metallic layer, typically either gold or silver, is used with a prism to provide a surface plasmon wave by conventional SPR (or waves by long-range SPR) and is further covered with a solid dielectric layer characterized by predetermined optical parameters. The dielectric material functions as an optical amplifier that produces an increased sensitivity and enhanced spectroscopic capabilities in SPR, including the ability to produce resonance with either s- or p-polarized light. In addition, the added dielectric coating protects the metal layer and can be used as a matrix for adsorbing and immobilizing the sensing materials in sensor applications.

Lead Investigators: Gordon Tollin, PhD and Zdzislaw Salamon, PhD

Refer UA Case #UA99-094
Related Inventions: UA94-007 and UA02-022

Status: US Patents 6,330,387 issued 12/11/2001 and 6,421,128 issued 7/16/2002.