Vertical Illumination SPR Sensor with Beam Profile Ellipsometry
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional SPR sensors are limited in their ability to provide high sensitive measurement precision, especially for biomaterials like proteins, as they only measure light intensity and angle changes, lacking the sensitivity to capture phase information essential for precise analysis.
Innovation Solution
A multi-channel surface plasmon resonance sensor using beam profile ellipsometry with a vertical illumination type focused-beam ellipsometer, which simultaneously detects ellipsometric phase changes and SPR by polarizing light, focusing it with high numerical aperture objective lenses, and using a refractive index matching material on a glass substrate with a metal thin film to enhance measurement sensitivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional SPR sensors measure only light intensity and angle changes, then the device structure remains simple, but measurement precision is insufficient for biomaterial analysis
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines SPR sensing with beam profile ellipsometry into a single integrated system. The SPR sensor structure is merged with the ellipsometer, allowing simultaneous measurement of both intensity and phase information through a unified optical path and detection system, thereby improving measurement precision without proportionally increasing device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The ellipsometer component serves multiple functions: it measures the polarization state of reflected light to obtain phase information, characterizes the optical properties of the metal thin film and biomaterials, and provides additional measurement dimensions beyond conventional SPR. This multi-functionality enables high-precision biomaterial analysis while utilizing existing optical components
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional SPR sensors are used for biomaterial measurement, then the application scope is limited, but the device structure remains simple
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated SPR-ellipsometry system provides universal measurement capabilities that work for both conventional SPR applications and biomaterial analysis. The ellipsometer's ability to measure polarization state changes makes the system adaptable to various biomaterials including proteins, DNA, and cell membranes, expanding application scope while maintaining a relatively compact structure
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes changes in multiple optical parameters (intensity, phase, polarization state) to detect biomaterial interactions. By monitoring these parameter changes through the ellipsometer, the system achieves high adaptability to different biomaterial types and measurement conditions without requiring fundamentally different device configurations
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables real-time, high sensitive measurement of bio-material conjugation properties by simultaneously measuring amplitude and phase changes, achieving higher sensitivity than conventional SPR sensors, particularly under optimal SPR conditions.
Implementation Method 1
Electrons on a surface of a metal are collectively vibrated by normal directional vibration with respect to the surface of the metal, and this motion is called 'surface plasmon wave'. The vibration of quantized electrons is the surface plasmon.
Implementation Method 2
a polarizer 120 for polarizing light emitted from the light source 110
Implementation Method 3
an ellipsometer is a measuring device which obtains optical properties of a sample by measuring a change in a polarizing state after light having a specific polarizing state is incident to a surface of the sample and reflected from it
Implementation Method 4
a part of the polarized light is focused to a metal thin film 42 by using an objective lens part
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a multi-channel surface plasmon resonance sensor using beam profile ellipsometry; and, more particularly, to a high sensitive measuring technology, which is coupled with a vertical illumination type focused-beam ellipsometer using a multi-incident angle measurement method, and a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensing part deposited with a metal thin film. The multi-channel surface plasmon resonance sensor includes a vertical illumination type focused-beam ellipsometer, in which light is polarized; a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensing part which is provided at the objective lens part of the focused-beam ellipsometer so as to generate SPR according to an angle change of the polarized light; and a flow unit which supplies a buffer solution containing a bio material binding to or dissociation from the metal thin film generating surface plasmon, wherein the SPR and the ellipsometric phase change by change in an angle and a wavelength are simultaneously detected.