title: Evanescent field Sensors Based on Tantalum Pentoxide Waveguides - A Review.
abstract: Evanescent field sensors based on waveguide surfaces play an important rolewhere high sensitivity is required. Particularly tantalum pentoxide (Ta₂O₅) is a suitablematerial for thin-film waveguides due to its high refractive index and low attenuation.Many label-free biosensor systems such as grating couplers and interferometric sensors aswell as fluorescence-based systems benefit from this waveguide material leading toextremely high sensitivity. Some biosensor systems based on Ta₂O₅ waveguides alreadytook the step into commercialization. This report reviews the various detection systems interms of limit of detection, the applications, and the suitable surface chemistry.
authors.affiliation: Fraunhofer Institute for Physical Measurement Techniques, Heidenhofstr. 8, 79110 Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Katrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schmitt
authors.affiliation: Institute for Bioprocessing and Analytical Measurement Techniques, Rosenhof, 37308 Heilbad Heiligenstadt, Germany.
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Oehse
authors.affiliation: Fraunhofer Institute for Physical Measurement Techniques, Heidenhofstr. 8, 79110 Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Gerd
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sulz
authors.affiliation: Institute for Bioprocessing and Analytical Measurement Techniques, Rosenhof, 37308 Heilbad Heiligenstadt, Germany. christian.hoffmann@iba-heiligenstadt.de.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
keywords: Ta2O5.; biosensors; evanescent field; label-free detection