Effect of incident angle of light on sensitivity and detection limit for layers of antibody with surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy

The effect of the incident angle of light on sensitivity and the detection limit for surface-plasmon resonance spectroscopy were examined. The sensitivities and the detection limit were experimentally measured using an antibody as a modeled analyte in the incident angles of a light region of 66-76 degrees. The results showed that the sensitivity of a smaller incident angle was higher than that of a larger one. For instance, the sensitivity of a 66 degrees incident angle was three times higher than that of a 76 degrees incident angle. The detection limit with a 66 degrees incident angle was one-tenth of that with a 76 degrees incident angle. These sensitivities and detection limits were compared with those of a commercially produced surface-plasmon resonance instrument. This comparison demonstrated that a wavelength resolution of the order of less than 10(-2) nm was necessary to obtain satisfactory sensitivities and detection limits. In addition, the refractive index and thickness of the antibody layer formed on a sensor surface was proposed by experimental results and theoretical calculation. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.