Development of Photonic Multi-Sensing Systems Based on Molecular Gates Biorecognition and Plasmonic Sensors: The PHOTONGATE Project

This paper presents the concept of a novel adaptable sensing solution currently being developed under the EU Commission-founded PHOTONGATE project. This concept will allow for the quantification of multiple analytes of the same or different nature (chemicals, metals, bacteria, etc.) in a single test with levels of sensitivity and selectivity at/or over those offered by current solutions. PHOTONGATE relies on two core technologies: a biochemical technology (molecular gates), which will confer the specificity and, therefore, the capability to be adaptable to the analyte of interest, and which, combined with porous substrates, will increase the sensitivity, and a photonic technology based on localized surface plasmonic resonance (LSPR) structures that serve as transducers for light interaction. Both technologies are in the micron range, facilitating the integration of multiple sensors within a small area (mm2). The concept will be developed for its application in health diagnosis and food safety sectors. It is thought of as an easy-to-use modular concept, which will consist of the sensing module, mainly of a microfluidics cartridge that will house the photonic sensor, and a platform for fluidic handling, optical interrogation, and signal processing. The platform will include a new optical concept, which is fully European Union Made, avoiding optical fibers and expensive optical components.

In vivo evaluation of a chip based near infrared sensor for continuous glucose monitoring

In this paper we describe the concept and in vivo results of a minimally invasive, chip-based near infrared (NIR) sensor, combined with microdialysis, for continuous glucose monitoring. The sensor principle is based on difference absorption spectroscopy in selected wavelength bands of the near infrared spectrum (1300 nm, 1450 nm, and 1550 nm) in the 1st overtone band. In vitro measurements revealed a linear relationship between glucose concentration and the integrated difference spectroscopy signal with a coefficient of determination of 99% in the concentration range of 0-400mg/dl. The absolute error in this case is about 5mg/dl, corresponding to a relative error of about 5% for glucose concentrations larger than 50mg/dl and about 12% in the hypoglycemic range (<50mg/dl). In vivo measurements on 10 patients showed that the NIR-CGM sensor data reflects the blood reference values adequately, if a proper calibration and a signal drift correction is applied. The mean MARE (mean absolute relative error) value taken over all patient data is 13.8%. The best achieved MARE value is at 4.8%, whereas the worst lies at 25.8%, leading to a standard deviation of 5.5%.

Laser-machined fibers as Fabry-Perot pressure sensors

Cavities have been laser ablated in the ends of single-mode optical fibers and sealed by aluminized polycarbonate diaphragms to produce Fabry-Perot pressure sensors. Both conventional fibers and novel, multicore fibers were used, demonstrating the possibility of producing compact arrays of sensors and multiple sensors on an individual fiber 125 microm in diameter. This high spatial resolution can be combined with high temporal resolution by simultaneously interrogating the sensors by using separate laser sources at three wavelengths. Shock tube tests showed a sensor response time of 3 micros to a step increase in pressure.

Miniaturization of a biomedical gas sensor

In a previous study, we concluded that a conductivity based PCO2 sensor is an attractive solution for early detection of ischemia and presented two design geometries. For organ surface measurements, the planar design was suitable but it was difficult to insert the sensor into the tissue. A cylindrical design solution was favored for insertion due to the large membrane contact area and easy placement in a medical catheter. Since the previous cylindrical prototype was large and could damage the tissue, a more miniaturized sensor was needed. In the current paper, we present a miniaturized sensor with an outer diameter of 1 mm. The applied technology for manufacturing the sensor was a combination of mechanical turning, excimer laser drilling and conventional molding technique. The materials applied were PEEK (polyetherether ketone), PI (polyimide) with gold layers and polysiloxane. The membrane had to be gas permeable while acting as a barrier for ion transport, and was made of polysiloxane and had a thickness of 100-150 microm. The miniaturized sensor was tested for calibration, response time, drifting and pressure sensitivity. The results show that the miniaturized PCO2 sensor is capable of rapid and stable measurements both in vitro and ex vivo. The result from this study will be applied for the industrial manufacturing of such a biomedical sensor as a clinical product.