Method and Apparatus for Detecting and Quantifying a Chemical Substance Employing an Optical Transmission Property of Metallic Islands on a Transparent Substrate

摘要

A sensor for use in detecting and analyzing predetermined chemical substances is presented. The sensor comprises: a first structure configured for binding to a certain substance and comprising a substantially transparent substrate with respect to electromagnetic radiation of a predetermined wavelength range and a plurality of metallic islands deposited onto the transparent substrate and having a first spectral transmission profile with respect to the electromagnetic radiation of the predetermined wavelength range; the metallic islands comprising metallic films having a thickness selected such that binding of said certain substance to the first structure provides a change in a localized surface plasmon extinction in the metallic films being in a predetermined correlation with a change in a spectral transmission profile of the electromagnetic radiation of the predetermined wavelength range transmitted through the first structure and the substance as compared to said first spectral transmission profile, thereby enabling detection of said substance.