Mingfu Zhao

Temperature-independent polymer optical fiber evanescent wave sensor.

Although the numerous advantages of polymer optical fibers have been exploited in the fields of sensors and telecommunications, such fibers still experience a critical problem: the temperature dependency. Therefore, we explored the temperature-independent operation of a polymer fiber-optic evanescent wave sensor immersed in distilled water. We investigated variations in the surface morphology, deformation trajectory, refractive index, and weight of the fiber-sensing region with varying water temperature. We also examined the spectral transmission and transmitted light intensity of fibers subjected to a heating-cooling treatment. We observed that the light-transmission modes and sensitivity of the sensor were affected by changes in the surface morphology, diameter, and refractive index of the sensing region caused by changes in temperature. The transmitted light intensity of the sensor was maintained at a constant level after five cycles of the heating-cooling treatment, after which the fibers exhibited a smooth surface, low refractive index, and large fiber diameter. Consequently, we utilized the heating-cooling-treated fiber to realize a temperature-independent, U-shaped polymer fiber-optic evanescent wave sensor. The temperature independence was evaluated using glucose solutions in the range of 10 to 70 °C. The fabricated sensor showed significant temperature independence and high degree of consistency in measuring solutions.

Biosensor based on excessively tilted fiber grating in thin-cladding optical fiber for sensitive and selective detection of low glucose concentration.

We report a highly sensitive, high Q-factor, label free and selective glucose sensor by using excessively tilted fiber grating (Ex-TFG) inscribed in the thin-cladding optical fiber (TCOF). Glucose oxidase (GOD) was covalently immobilized on optical fiber surface and the effectiveness of GOD immobilization was investigated by the fluorescence microscopy and highly accurate spectral interrogation method. In contrast to the long period grating (LPG) and optical fiber (OF) surface Plasmon resonance (SPR) based glucose sensors, the Ex-TFG configuration has merits of nearly independent cross sensitivity of the environmental temperature, simple fabrication method (no noble metal deposition or cladding etching) and high detection accuracy (or Q-factor). Our experimental results have shown that Ex-TFG in TCOF based sensor has a reliable and fast detection for the glucose concentration as low as 0.1~2.5mg/ml and a high sensitivity of ~1.514 nm·(mg/ml)⁻¹, which the detection accuracy is ~0.2857 nm⁻¹ at pH 5.2, and the limit of detection (LOD) is 0.013~0.02 mg/ml at the pH range of 5.2~7.4 by using an optical spectrum analyzer with a resolution of 0.02 nm.

A high-sensitivity fiber-optic evanescent wave sensor with a three-layer structure composed of Canada balsam doped with GeO2

In this paper, we present a high-sensitivity polymer fiber-optic evanescent wave (FOEW) sensor with a three-layer structure that includes bottom, inter-, and surface layers in the sensing region. The bottom layer and inter-layer are POFs composed of standard cladding and the core of the plastic optical fiber, and the surface layer is made of dilute Canada balsam in xylene doped with GeO2. We examine the morphology of the doped GeO2, the refractive index and composition of the surface layer and the surface luminous properties of the sensing region. We investigate the effects of the content and morphology of the GeO2 particles on the sensitivity of the FOEW sensors by using glucose solutions. In addition, we examine the response of sensors incubated with staphylococcal protein A plus mouse IgG isotype to goat anti-mouse IgG solutions. Results indicate very good sensitivity of the three-layer FOEW sensor, which showed a 3.91-fold improvement in the detection of the target antibody relative to a conventional sensor with a core-cladding structure, and the novel sensor showed a lower limit of detection of 0.2ng/l and a response time around 320s. The application of this high-sensitivity FOEW sensor can be extended to biodefense, disease diagnosis, biomedical and biochemical analysis.

Fiber Bragg grating with polyimide-silica hybrid membrane for accurately monitoring cell growth and temperature in a photobioreactor.

A microstructured fiber Bragg grating (MSFBG) was created to accurately and simultaneously monitor the cell growth of photosynthetic bacteria (PSB) Rhodopseudomonas palustris CQK 01 and the temperature in a photobioreactor. The proposed sensor was made from an FBG unit that was separated into three regions, an unperturbed region, and two etched regions with smooth surfaces. The unperturbed grating region was employed to monitor the temperature. To eliminate the effects of the liquid concentration and temperature on the biomass, a polyimide-silica hybrid membrane was created and coated on an etched grating region to separate the liquids from the PSB; that is, this thinned region was developed to analyze the liquid concentration and temperature. Another etched grating region with a smaller diameter was used to determine the response to the temperature, biomass, and liquid concentration. In addition, two models were also presented to demonstrate accurate simultaneous measurement of the biomass and temperature. We discovered that the MSFBG sensor can rapidly and accurately determine the difference in the Bragg wavelength shifts caused by changes in the temperature, biomass, and liquid-phase concentration. The measured biomass is highly correlated with the real cell growth, with a correlation of 0.9438; the hydrogen production rate and temperature difference from metabolic heat production reached 1.97 mmol/L/h and 2.8 °C, respectively, in the PSB culture.

Label-free immunoassay for porcine circovirus type 2 based on excessively tilted fiber grating modified with staphylococcal protein A

Using excessively tilted fiber grating (Ex-TFG) inscribed in standard single mode fiber, we developed a novel label-free immunoassay for specific detection of porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2), which is a minim animal virus. Staphylococcal protein A (SPA) was used to modify the silanized fiber surface thus forming a SPA layer, which would greatly enhance the proportion of anti-PCV2 monoclonal antibody (MAb) bioactivity, thus improving the effectiveness of specific adsorption and binding events between anti-PCV2 MAbs and PCV2 antigens. Immunoassay experiments were carried out by monitoring the resonance wavelength shift of the proposed sensor under different PCV2 titer levels. Anti-PCV2 MAbs were thoroughly dissociated from the SPA layer by treatment with urea, and recombined to the SPA layer on the sensor surface for repeated immunoassay of PCV2. The specificity of the immunosensor was inspected by detecting porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) first, and PCV2 subsequently. The results showed a limit of detection (LOD) for the PCV2 immunosensor of ~9.371TCID50/mL, for a saturation value of ~4.801×10(3)TCID50/mL, with good repeatability and excellent specificity.

A novel immunosensor based on excessively tilted fiber grating coated with gold nanospheres improves the detection limit of Newcastle disease virus

A novel immunosensor for detecting Newcastle disease virus (NDV) was developed using excessively tilted fiber grating (Ex-TFG) coated with gold nanospheres (AuNs). AuNs were coated on the Ex-TFG surface via Au-S bonds using 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane (MPTMS), and the activated staphylococcal protein A (SPA) was linked to AuNs by covalent bonds via cysteamine. AuNs greatly enhanced the impact of the analyte on the fiber cladding mode through the local surface Plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect, thus improving the detection limit and sensitivity of the immunosensor. Meanwhile, SPA enhanced the bioactivity of anti-NDV monoclonal antibodies (MAbs), thus promoting the effectiveness of specific binding events on the fiber surface. Immunoassays were performed by monitoring the resonance wavelength shift of the proposed sensor under NDV samples containing different particle amounts. Specificity was assessed, and clinical tests for NDV were performed by contrast experiments. Experimental results showed that the detection limit for NDV was about 5~10 times improved compared to that of reference Ex-TFG without AuN treatment. Moreover, the novel biosensor was reusable and could potentially be applied in clinic.

Human heart failure biomarker immunosensor based on excessively tilted fiber gratings

A label-free immunosensor platform based on excessively tilted fiber gratings (Ex-TFGs) was developed for highly specific and fast detection of human N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), which is considered a powerful biomarker for prognosis and risk stratification of heart failure (HF). High-purity anti-NT-proBNP monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) prepared in our laboratory were immobilized on fiber surface through the staphylococcal protein A (SPA) method for subsequent specific binding of the targeted NT-proBNP. Utilizing fiber optic grating demodulation system (FOGDS), immunoassays were carried out in vitro by monitoring the resonance wavelength shift of Ex-TFG biosensor with immobilized anti-NT-proBNP MAbs. Lowest detectable concentration of ~0.5ng/mL for NT-proBNP was obtained, and average sensitivity for NT-proBNP at a concentration range of 0~1.0 ng/mL was approximately 45.967 pm/(ng/mL). Several human serum samples were assessed by the proposed Ex-TFG biomarker sensor, with high specificity for NT-proBNP, indicating potential application in early diagnosing patients with acute HF symptoms.

Effect of heat treatments on the performance of polymer optical fiber sensor

Although the numerous advantages of polymer optical fiber (POF) sensors have been applied in different fields, the measurement consistency and sensitivity of POF evanescent wave (EW) sensors are still affected by its thermal stability and water absorption. Therefore, we perform a study to demonstrate the mechanism of the effect of heat treatments on physical and optical properties of POF EW sensors. We investigate the surface morphology, composition, refractive index, geometry, and weight of the fiber-sensing region subjected to water and vacuum heat treatments. We examine the spectral transmission and transmitted light intensity of POF sensors. We present a theoretical investigation of the effect of heat treatments on the sensitivity of POF EW sensors. The performance of the prepared sensor is evaluated using glucose and Chlorella pyrenoidosa analytes. We discovered that the spectral transmission and transmitted light intensity of the fibers shows little effect of vacuum heat treatments. In particular, the sensors, which subject to vacuum heat treatment at 110 °C for 3 h, exhibit temperature-independent measuring consistency and high sensitivity in glucose solutions in the temperature range 15-60 °C and also show high sensitivity in Chlorella pyrenoidosa solutions.

U-shaped, double-tapered, fiber-optic sensor for effective biofilm growth monitoring

To monitor biofilm growth on polydimethylsiloxane in a photobioreactor effectively, the biofilm cells and liquids were separated and measured using a sensor with two U-shaped, double-tapered, fiber-optic probes (Sen. and Ref. probes). The probes’ Au-coated hemispherical tips enabled double-pass evanescent field absorption. The Sen. probe sensed the cells and liquids inside the biofilm. The polyimide–silica hybrid-film-coated Ref. probe separated the liquids from the biofilm cells and analyzed the liquid concentration. The biofilm structure and active biomass were also examined to confirm the effectiveness of the measurement using a simulation model. The sensor was found to effectively respond to the biofilm growth in the adsorption through exponential phases at thicknesses of 0–536 μm.

Fiber-optic differential absorption sensor for accurately monitoring biomass in a photobioreactor

A fiber-optic differential absorption sensor was developed to accurately monitor biomass growth in a photobioreactor. The prepared sensor consists of two probes: the sensor and the reference. The sensor probe was employed to monitor the biomass and changes in the liquid-phase concentration in a culture. To separate the liquids from photosynthetic bacteria CQK 01 and measure the liquid-phase concentration, a proposed polyimide-silica hybrid membrane was coated on the sensing region of the reference probe. A linear relationship was observed between the sensor output signal and the biomass from the lag phase to the decline phase.