Fiber optic apparatus for detecting molecular species by surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy
US4781458A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 30, 1987 |
| Grant date | Nov 1, 1988 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 30, 2007 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N2021/656
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Optrode apparatus for detecting constituents of a fluid medium includes an optical fiber (13, 13a to 13e) having a metal coating (22, 22a to 22e) on at least a portion of a light transmissive core (17, 17a to 17d). The metal is one, such as silver, gold or copper, which enhances emission of Raman signal frequencies by molecules adsorbed on the surface of the coating when monochromatic probe light of a different frequency is scattered by such molecules and the metal coating is sufficiently thin to transmit light between the absorbed molecules and the core of the fiber. Probe light is directed into one end of the fiber and a detector (16, 16d, 16e) analyzes light emitted from the fiber for Raman frequencies that identify one or more particular molecular species. In one form, the optrode (13e) may function as a working electrode of an electrochemical cell (53) while also serving to detect the products of oxidation or reduction reactions which occur at the electrode surface.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.