Hartman interferometer: versatile integrated optic sensor for label-free, real-time quantification of nucleic acids, proteins, and pathogens.
The Hartman interferometer, a proprietary integrated optic sensor, provides a basis for a broad range of biomedical diagnostics, including antibody-based and gene probe-based assays. As with other evanescent-wave optical sensors, the interferometer measures the refractive index change resulting from biomolecular binding on a waveguide surface. The exciting promise of evanescent-wave sensors lies, in general, in their potential to be used as label-free, real-time transducers that can operate in a true mix-and-read fashion and provide fast, quantitative results. One of the major issues facing their development, however, is creating a simple, low-cost configuration for multianalyte testing. The Hartman interferometer addresses this challenge by relying on linearly polarized light and a planar waveguide format, thereby avoiding the problems associated with circular polarization and channel waveguides. We report preliminary experiments that demonstrate the applicability of this sensor configuration to detection of a wide range of protein, nucleic acid, and pathogen analytes.
Schneider
B H
BH
Photonic Sensors Systems, Atlanta, GA 30318, USA. schneider@pssmail.com
Edwards
J G
JG
Hartman
N F
NF
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015374:Biosensing Techniques; D002460:Cell Line; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000032:analysis; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007368:Interferometry / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization / Q000379:methods; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes; D011506:Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D012313:RNA / Q000032:analysis*; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes; D011506:Proteins; D012313:RNA; D004247:DNA