Title: Surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy sensor and methods for using same

Abstract

A surface plasmon resonance ("SPR") probe with a detachable sensor head and system and methods for using the same in various applications is described. The SPR probe couples fiber optic cables directly to an SPR substrate that has a generally planar input surface and a generally curved reflecting surface, such as a substrate formed as a hemisphere. Forming the SPR probe in this manner allows the probe to be miniaturized and operate without the need for high precision, expensive and bulky collimating or focusing optics. Additionally, the curved reflecting surface of the substrate can be coated with one or multiple patches of sensing medium to allow the probe to detect for multiple analytes of interest or to provide multiple readings for comparison and higher precision. Specific applications for the probe are disclosed, including extremely high sensitive relative humidity and dewpoint detection for, e.g., moisture-sensitive environment such as volatile chemical reactions. The SPR probe disclosed operates with a large dynamic range and provides extremely high quality spectra despite being robust enough for field deployment and readily manufacturable.

Inventors:

Anderson, Brian Benjamin ^[1]; Nave, Stanley Eugene ^[2]

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+ Show Inventor Affiliations

1. N. Augusta, SC
2. Evans, GA

Issue Date:

Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2002

Research Org.:

Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States)

OSTI Identifier:

874810

Patent Number(s):

6466323

Assignee:

Westinghouse Savannah River Company, L.L.C. (Aiken, SC)

Patent Classifications (CPCs):

G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01N - INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

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G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01N - INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

G01N21/553 - {and using surface plasmons

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DOE Contract Number:  

AC09-96SR18500

Resource Type:

Patent

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

surface; plasmon; resonance; spectroscopy; sensor; methods; spr; probe; detachable; head; applications; described; couples; fiber; optic; cables; directly; substrate; planar; input; curved; reflecting; formed; hemisphere; forming; manner; allows; miniaturized; operate; precision; expensive; bulky; collimating; focusing; optics; additionally; coated; multiple; patches; sensing; medium; allow; detect; analytes; provide; readings; comparison; specific; disclosed; including; extremely; sensitive; humidity; dewpoint; detection; moisture-sensitive; environment; volatile; chemical; reactions; operates; dynamic; range; provides; quality; spectra; despite; robust; field; deployment; readily; manufacturable; fiber optic; reflecting surface; chemical reaction; sensor head; resonance spectroscopy; /356/