A sensor including a surface plasmon resonance detector with a reservoir for containing a liquid sample. The sensor further includes a sensing metallic film positioned within the reservoir so that at least a majority of a surface of the sensing metallic film is to be in contact with the liquid sample being housed within the reservoir. The sensory also includes a semiconductor device having a contact in electrical communication with the sensing metal containing film that is positioned within the reservoir. The semiconductor device measures the net charges of molecules within the liquid sample within a Debye length from the sensing metallic film.

A sensor including a surface plasmon resonance detector with a reservoir for containing a liquid sample. The sensor further includes a sensing metallic film positioned within the reservoir so that at least a majority of a surface of the sensing metallic film is to be in contact with the liquid sample being housed within the reservoir. The sensory also includes a semiconductor device having a contact in electrical communication with the sensing metal containing film that is positioned within the reservoir. The semiconductor device measures the net charges of molecules within the liquid sample within a Debye length from the sensing metallic film.

An imaging apparatus for imaging a sample (7) comprises an array of electronically addressable pixels (6) wherein each pixel is arranged to support a surface plasmon resonance therein to generate an evanescent electromagnetic field. This field extends transversely from the pixel so as to be salient from the array at a first side of the array for illuminating the sample at said first side. A light source (15) is arranged to illuminate the array with excitation light therewith to generate said surface plasmon resonance. An optical detector (12A, 12B, 12C) is arranged at a second side of the array which is opposite to said first side of the array for detecting optical radiation returned from the array in response to illumination of the array by said excitation light. A processing unit (4) is arranged to associate the detected optical radiation with the address of the pixel or pixels within the array at which the surface plasmon resonance was generated.

A method to measure the refractive index of a sample, includes: providing a plasmonic sensor including a sensing surface in contact with the sample; providing an optical resonator, the plasmonic sensor being integrated therein as a reflecting surface; providing a first input field of electromagnetic radiation as a primary carrier; providing a second input field of electromagnetic radiation as a secondary carrier having a second frequency different from the first and defined as: second frequency=first frequency+Δv and having a TE and/or a TM polarized component; impinging simultaneously with the first and second input field the plasmonic sensor; tuning the frequency of the first field and/or the value of Δv; detecting a resonator output power corresponding to the first and second intra-cavity fields resonating; determining a difference between the first and the second resonating frequencies; and calculating the refractive index of the sample from the difference.

In a flow channel in a measurement region, there are placed a first working electrode, a second working electrode, a third working electrode, a counter electrode, and a reference electrode. The first working electrode, the second working electrode, and the third working electrode are made of a metal such as gold and are formed on a first wall surface of the flow channel. The counter electrode is formed on a second wall surface of the flow channel that faces the first wall surface. The reference electrode is placed on the second wall surface, not in contact with the first working electrode, the second working electrode, and the third working electrode. Surface plasmon resonance measurement is performed at the first working electrode, the second working electrode, and the third working electrode.

A spectroscopic analysis device (1) according to the present disclosure includes a controller (40) that acquires refractive index information on a sample (S) based on information on a first spectroscopic spectrum in a first wavelength band in which only a resonance spectrum of surface plasmon occurs within a spectroscopic spectrum, determines, based on the acquired refractive index information, an incidence angle of irradiation light (L1) irradiated by an irradiator (10) with respect to a membrane (M) such that the peak wavelength of the resonance spectrum and the peak wavelength of an absorption spectrum of the sample (S) match in a second spectroscopic spectrum in a second wavelength band in which the resonance spectrum and the absorption spectrum occur within the spectroscopic spectrum, and analyzes the state of the sample (S) from information on the second spectroscopic spectrum obtained based on the determined incidence angle.

The present application provides stable, carbene-functionalized composite materials, and methods and uses thereof. These carbene-functionalized composite materials comprise a material having a metal surface, and a carbene monolayer that is uniform, contaminant-free (metal oxide, etc), and more stable than thiol-functionalized monolayers. Uses of such carbene-functionalized composite materials include semi-conducting materials, microelectronic devices, drug delivery or sensing applications.

The invention relates to a method for the detection of target components that comprise label particles, for example magnetic particles (1). The method includes (a) collecting the target components at a binding surface (12, 112, 512) of a carrier (11, 111, 211, 311, 411, 511); (b) directing an input light beam (L1, L1a, L1b) into the carrier such that it is totally internally reflected in an investigation region (13, 313a, 313b) at the binding surface (12, 112, 512); and (c) determining the amount of light of an output light beam (L2, L2a, L2b) that comprises at least some of the totally internally reflected light. Evanescent light generated during the total internal reflection is affected (absorbed, scattered) by target components and/or label particles (1) at the binding surface (12) and will therefore be missing in the output light beam (L2). This can be used to determine the amount of target components at the binding surface (12) from the amount of light in the output light beam (L2, L2a, L2b). A magnetic field generator (41) is optionally used to generate a magnetic field (B) at the binding surface (12) by which magnetic label particles (1) can be manipulated, for example attracted or repelled.

Optical sensors, systems and methods of use thereof are provided. Aspects of the subject systems include a sensor having a sensing surface and a configuration that directs a first optical signal to interact with the sensing surface at a first incident angle, and directs a second optical signal to interact with the sensing surface at a second incident angle. The subject sensors, systems and methods find use, e.g., in the diagnosis of dry eye disease.

An imaging apparatus (1) for imaging a sample (7) comprising an array of electronically addressable pixels (6) wherein each pixel is arranged to support a surface plasmon resonance thereinto generate an evanescent electromagnetic field (8) which extends transversely from the pixel so as to be salient from plane of the array for illuminating the sample (7). An optical detector (12) is arranged for detecting optical radiation (9, 10, 11) scattered from the evanescent electromagnetic field (8) by the sample (7). A processing unit (4) arranged to associate the detected optical radiation (9, 10, 11) with the address of the pixel or pixels within the array at which the surface plasmon resonance was generated.