Multianalyte detection using fiber optic particle plasmon resonance sensor based on plasmonic light scattering interrogation

A highly sensitive fiber optic particle plasmon resonance sensor (FO-PPR) is demonstrated for label-free biochemical detection. The sensing strategy relies on interrogating the plasmonic scattering of light from gold nanoparticles on the optical fiber in response to the surrounding refractive index changes or molecular binding events. The refractive index resolution is estimated to be 3.8 × 10^-5 RIU. The limit of detection for anti-DNP antibody spiked in buffer is 1.2 × 10^-9 g/ml (5.3 pM) by using the DNP-functionalized FO-PPR sensor. The image processing of simultaneously recorded plasmonic scattering photographs at different compartments of the sensor is also demonstrated. Results suggest that the compact sensor can perform multiple independent measurements simultaneously by means of monitoring the plasmonic scattering intensity via photodiodes or a CCD. The potential of using a combination of different kinds of noble metal nanoparticles with different types of functionalized probes in multiple cascaded detection windows on a single fiber to become an inexpensive and ultrasensitive linear-array sensing platform for higher-throughput biochemical detection is provided.