Fiber optic sensor and methods and apparatus relating thereto
US5359681A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 11, 1993 |
| Grant date | Oct 25, 1994 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 11, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N2021/433
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
There is disclosed fiber optic sensor which detects a sample in contact with the sensor by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) measurements, as well as methods and apparatus relating thereto. The fiber optic SPR sensor of this invention employs a limited range of incident angles and uses incident light having multiple wavelengths. In preferred embodiments, both an in-line transmission-based fiber optic SPR sensor and a terminated reflection-based fiber optic SPR sensor are disclosed. The fiber optic SPR sensor includes a surface plasmon supporting metal layer in contact with an exposed portion of the optical fiber core, and may optionally contain one or more additional layers deposited on the surface plasmon supporting metal layer. In further embodiments, methods are disclosed for detecting a sample by contacting the sample with the fiber optic SPR sensor of this invention, as well as sensing apparatus which contain the fiber optic SPR sensor in combination with a source of electromagnetic radiation of multiple wavelengths and a detection device.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.