A Fluidic Biosensor Based on a Phase-Sensitive Low-Coherence Spectral-Domain Interferometer

A phase-sensitive fluidic biosensor based on a spectral-domain low-coherence interferometer is presented in this paper. With a fiber optic probe employing the common-path interferometric configuration, subnanometric changes in thickness of the molecular layers can be detected through phase analysis of the acquired interference signal from the sensor surface. Advantages of this biosensor include its picometer-scale thickness sensitivity, 13.9-ms time response, and tolerance to the fluctuation in concentration of the target solution. The capabilities of this biosensor in monitoring specific molecular binding and recognizing specific molecular was successfully demonstrated by using the reactions between the molecules of protein A and IgG. The calculated minimum detectable concentration of IgG is 0.11 mu g/mL.