ANYL 266 |
| New miniature, multifunctional, and sensitive sensor platforms are required for applications ranging from the characterization of photon-driven proton pumping in biomimetic photosynthetic devices, to the sensing of drug/membrane protein interactions and chemical warfare agents. Our vision for such sensor systems is to combine optical and electrochemical modes of signal transduction to probe the interface between the sensor architecture and the surrounding environment, on the critical length scale of just a few nanometers. Our group has recently shown, using electroactive planar waveguides, the power of combining spectroelectrochemical characterization of redox events, for surface-adsorbed redox active molecules, and for redox molecules interfaced with planar supported lipid bilayers. Our most recent efforts are focusing on the development of fiber-optic chip (FOC) spectrometers. The FOC combines the sensitivity of an integrated optical waveguide (IOW) with the ease of use of fiber-optic based CCD spectrometers. We use a side-polished optical fiber, in a V-groove glass mount, to create a planar platform, which allows access to the evanescent field escaping from the fiber core. The exposed evanescent field, which is used to probe molecules or molecular assemblies supported by the platform, has an interaction area of 0.05 cm2. In its final form, the fiber-optic chip couples to a broad-band light source, to allow for full visible and even UV wavelengths to be used in thin film characterization, and a commercially available CCD-based spectrophotometer. This presentation will focus on our initial efforts to optimize the optical means of detection using the FOC including bulk absorbance, thin film absorbance, and back coupled fluorescence. |
|
Analytical Approaches, Spectroscopy
8:30 AM-12:00 PM, Wednesday, 13 September 2006 Moscone Center -- Room 124, Oral
Sci-Mix
Division of Analytical Chemistry |