A fiber optic chemical sensor is presented which utilizes surface plasmon resonance excitation. The sensor is advantageous since it eliminates the traditional bulk optic prism in favor of a relatively simple and inexpensive design. This configuration allows for remote sensing and multiplexing. The sensing element of the multi-mode fiber optic has been fabricated by removing a section of the fiber cladding and symmetrically depositing a thin layer of highly reflecting metal directly onto the fiber core. A white light source is used to introduce a range of optical wavelengths into the optical fiber. A fiber optic spectrograph is used at the output of the fiber optic sensor to measure the transmitted spectral intensity distribution (light intensity versus wavelength). There are two sensor configurations presented. The system should find general utility as a dip-probe for quantification of proteins in solution.

Date Published: 21 May 1993
PDF: 14 pages
Proc. SPIE 1886, Fiber Optic Sensors in Medical Diagnostics, (21 May 1993); doi: 10.1117/12.144841

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 1886:
Fiber Optic Sensors in Medical Diagnostics
Fred P. Milanovich, Editor(s)