A novel generation of luminescence-based biosensors: Single-mode planar waveguide sensors

First results with a new generation of bioaffinity sensors based on luminescence excitation using single-mode planar waveguides, will be presented. Planar waveguides show superior physical characteristics, concerning sensitivity and required sample volumes, and can principally be fabricated in low-costs mass production processes. Additionally, they allow for different detection geometries, e. g., different configurations of fluorescence detection and simultaneous determination of the transmitted excitation light. The transducer characteristics, possible detection geometries and our present experimental configuration will be explained. Results with different bioaffinity systems applied on the novel transducer generation will be presented, demonstrating the capability of detecting attomole amounts of analytes within a few minutes.