High resolution grating-assisted surface plasmon resonance fiber optic aptasensor

• A gold-coated fiber optic grating sensor with multiple resonances coupled to surface plasmons.
• The detection of microMolar concentrations of proteins in solution.
• Biochemical sensing using standard single mode fibers at near infrared wavelengths.

A surface plasmon resonance biochemical sensor based on a tilted fiber Bragg grating imprinted in a single mode fiber core is demonstrated. A 30–50 nm thick gold coating on the cladding of the fiber provides the support for surface plasmon waves whose interaction with attached biomolecules is monitored at near infrared wavelengths near 1550 nm. The transmission spectrum of the sensor provides a fine comb of narrowband resonances that overlap with the broader absorption of the surface plasmon and thus provide a unique tool to measure small shifts of the plasmon with high accuracy. The attachment on the gold surfaces of aptamers with specific affinities for proteins provides the required target-analyte system and is shown to be functional in the framework of our sensing device. The implementation of the sensor either as a stand-alone device or as part of a multi-sensor platform is also described.

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