Projeto e realização de um biochip óptico para aplicações biológicas baseado no princípio de ressonância de plásmons de superfície.

Abstract

This work presents an optical biochip for biologic applications (PPBIO), based on the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) principle. PPBIO uses a polymeric prism as the optical substrate, fabricated using injection molding methods. PPBIO is a low-cost ( « £/$l,00), disposable device and also i t can be used w i t h monochromatic and polychromatic light sources. PPBIO is the first SPR optical biochip made in Brasil. The polymeric prism has a simple trapezoidal geometry, without internal elements, as holographic diffraction gratings or integrated electro-optical elements. Also, PPBIO excludes the need for use of indexmatching oil or gel and any mechanical arrangement to the variation of the incidence angle. Optical prisms of different widths (10 m m and 20 mm) have been fabricated and covered w i t h a 50 nm t h i n gold film. Preliminary experimental tests have been done. The obtained results are promising and they have indicated the occurrence of the SPR phenomenon and the resonance minimum displacement w i t h introduction of different analytes (distilled water, ethanol and sodium hydroxide).