Surface plasmon enhanced fluorescence sensor and fluorescence detecting method

摘要

To provide a surface plasmon enhanced fluorescence sensor capable of detecting fluorescence with extremely high sensitivity. A fluorescence sensor is constituted by: a light source (7), for emitting excitation light (8) of a predetermined wavelength; a dielectric block (13), formed of a material that transmits the excitation light (8); a metal film (20), formed on a surface (13a) of the dielectric block (13); a non flexible film (31) of a hydrophobic material, formed on the metal film (20) at a film thickness within a range of 10 to 100nm; a sample holding portion (5), for holding a sample (1) such that the sample (1) contacts the non flexible film (31); an incident optical system (7), for causing the excitation light (8) to enter the interface between the dielectric block (13) and the metal film (20) through the dielectric block (13) such that conditions for total internal reflection are satisfied; and fluorescence detecting means (9), for detecting fluorescence emitted by a substance within the sample, which is excited by evanescent waves (11) that leak from the interface when the excitation light (8) enters the interface.