A high-sensitivity fiber-optic evanescent wave sensor with a three-layer structure composed of Canada balsam doped with GeO2.
In this paper, we present a high-sensitivity polymer fiber-optic evanescent wave (FOEW) sensor with a three-layer structure that includes bottom, inter-, and surface layers in the sensing region. The bottom layer and inter-layer are POFs composed of standard cladding and the core of the plastic optical fiber, and the surface layer is made of dilute Canada balsam in xylene doped with GeO2. We examine the morphology of the doped GeO2, the refractive index and composition of the surface layer and the surface luminous properties of the sensing region. We investigate the effects of the content and morphology of the GeO2 particles on the sensitivity of the FOEW sensors by using glucose solutions. In addition, we examine the response of sensors incubated with staphylococcal protein A plus mouse IgG isotype to goat anti-mouse IgG solutions. Results indicate very good sensitivity of the three-layer FOEW sensor, which showed a 3.91-fold improvement in the detection of the target antibody relative to a conventional sensor with a core-cladding structure, and the novel sensor showed a lower limit of detection of 0.2ng/l and a response time around 320s. The application of this high-sensitivity FOEW sensor can be extended to biodefense, disease diagnosis, biomedical and biochemical analysis.
Chongqing Key Laboratory of Fiber Optic Sensor and Photodetector, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Modern Photoelectric Detection Technology and Instrument, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing 400054, China. Electronic address: zhongnianbing@163.com.
Nianbing
N
Zhong
Chongqing Key Laboratory of Fiber Optic Sensor and Photodetector, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Modern Photoelectric Detection Technology and Instrument, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing 400054, China. Electronic address: zmf@cqut.edu.cn.
Mingfu
M
Zhao
Chongqing Key Laboratory of Fiber Optic Sensor and Photodetector, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Modern Photoelectric Detection Technology and Instrument, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing 400054, China.
Lianchao
L
Zhong
Key Laboratory of Low-grade Energy Utilization Technologies and Systems (Chongqing University), Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400030, China. Electronic address: lqzx@cqu.edu.cn.
Qiang
Q
Liao
Key Laboratory of Low-grade Energy Utilization Technologies and Systems (Chongqing University), Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400030, China.
Xun
X
Zhu
Chongqing Key Laboratory of Fiber Optic Sensor and Photodetector, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Modern Photoelectric Detection Technology and Instrument, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing 400054, China.
Binbin
B
Luo
Key Laboratory of Low-grade Energy Utilization Technologies and Systems (Chongqing University), Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400030, China.
Yishan
Y
Li
D000818:Animals; D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D004867:Equipment Design; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D005857:Germanium / Q000737:chemistry*; D005947:Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D006041:Goats; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D051379:Mice; D055100:Optical Fibers; D012031:Refractometry; D040141:Staphylococcaceae / Q000737:chemistry; D013205:Staphylococcal Protein A / Q000032:analysis; D014992:Xylenes / Q000737:chemistry
D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D013205:Staphylococcal Protein A; D014992:Xylenes; D005857:Germanium; C040516:germanium oxide; D005947:Glucose
Canada balsam; Evanescent wave fiber-optic sensor; GeO(2) particle; Mouse IgG; Sensitivity; Three-layer structure