Near-infrared surface plasmon resonance sensing on a silicon platform
Introduction
With the impressive progress in the development of optical transduction biodetection methods over the last decade, surface plasmon resonance (SPR) has become a widely used laboratory tool to study biological recognition and binding events [1], [2]. SPR sensor systems are usually implemented in the Kretschmann–Raether prism geometry [3], as shown in Fig. 1, with the use of visible light and a glass prism. However, the conventional dielectric glass-based SPR technology imposes severe limitations on miniaturization of sensing schemes. Consequently, SPR sensors are mainly designed as bulky laboratory systems with the use of ultra-precision stages and high-resolution equipment [4], [5].
We have recently examined SPR dispersion characteristics in near-infrared range (1100–2300 nm) of different prism materials, including dielectrics (BK7 and SF11 glasses) and semiconductors (silicon), and showed a possibility for the reproduction of SPR effect on a purely silicon platform [6]. We reason that the use of such a silicon platform gives a promise for the miniaturization of the SPR technique and the creation of inexpensive and portable micro SPR sensors for the field applications. This expectation is based on the advanced development of the methods for silicon microfabrication that can significantly facilitate the miniaturization and integration of the sensor transducer, emitter, detector, and processing electronics on a single Si-based chip [7]. In addition, Si-based technology makes possible the formation of microfluidic systems and multi-channel arrays. However, the implementation of the miniaturized SPR schemes requires a detailed knowledge of parameters of the SPR production for the silicon platform as a prerequisite, because silicon dispersion characteristics significantly differ from those of the glasses [6].
In this paper, we present a detailed study of conditions of SPR production and sensing characteristics of the silicon platform. Schemes with both angular and spectral interrogation are considered in conditions of bio- and chemical sensing.
Section snippets
Theoretical framework
SPR consists in a resonance transfer of pumping light energy to a surface plasmon mode, coupled to collective oscillations of electrons in a metal [3]. As existing at a metal/dielectric interface, the plasmons can be represented by the dispersion relation for two homogeneous semi-infinite media:where kSP0=kSP0′+iΓi is a wave vector of surface plasmons (Γi is the intrinsic loss term), εm and εs, are dielectric constants of the metal and dielectric sample media, ω
Experimental
The SPR coupling system consisted of a silicon prism, a gold film, and a flow cell, as shown in Fig. 1. The flow cell was empty or filled with deionized water, depending on whether the sensing sample medium was air or liquid. The gold film was deposited on the prism or, in some cases, on a 0.5 mm thick silicon wafer, which was then placed in intimate contact with the silicon prism. Two silicon prisms (p-type, ρ>20 Ω cm, Almaz Optics, West Berlin, NJ) with a base angle of α=16.6° and 22.4°,
Results and discussion
Fig. 2 presents typical angular reflectivity curves from the theory (broken line) and experimental data (solid line) for the gaseous (a) and aqueous (b) sample media. The presented curves correspond to different wavelengths of the pumping light. As presented by the experimental curves, the angles were related to the prism/gold interface, while a slight light refraction at the entrance to the prism was taken into account as a correction coefficient. Essentially, the main trend of the theory was
Conclusion
Conditions and properties of SPR production in the Kretschmann–Raether geometry with the use of a silicon prism-based platform are studied. SPR characteristics for this platform can be significantly different compared to conventional glass-based schemes due to a difference of material dispersion properties. We also tested various sensing schemes in models of bio- and chemical sensing and discussed possibilities for the miniaturization and integration of SPR biosensors, using Si-based
Acknowledgements
The authors thank professor Ludvik Martinu of the Department of Engineering Physics, Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal for assistance with experimental facilities. We also acknowledge the financial contribution from the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada.
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