This book concentrates on the design and development of integrated optic waveguide sensors using silicon based materials. The implementation of such system as a tool for detecting adulteration in petroleum based products as well as its use for detection of glucose level in diabetes are highlighted. The first chapters are dedicated to the development of the theoretical model while the final chapters are focused on the different applications of such sensors. It gives the readers the full background in the field of sensors, reasons for using silicon oxynitride as a potential waveguide material as well as its fabrication processes and possible uses.

Applied Photochemistry encompasses the major applications of the chemical effects resulting from light absorption by atoms and molecules in chemistry, physics, medicine and engineering, and contains contributions from specialists in these key areas. Particular emphasis is placed both on how photochemistry contributes to these disciplines and on what the current developments are. The book starts with a general description of the interaction between light and matter, which provides the general background to photochemistry for non-specialists. The following chapters develop the general synthetic and mechanistic aspects of photochemistry as applied to both organic and inorganic materials, together with types of materials which are useful as light absorbers, emitters, sensitisers, etc. for a wide variety of applications. A detailed discussion is presented on the photochemical processes occurring in the Earth’s atmosphere, including discussion of important current aspects such as ozone depletion. Two important distinct, but interconnected, applications of photochemistry are in photocatalytic treatment of wastes and in solar energy conversion. Semiconductor photochemistry plays an important role in these and is discussed with reference to both of these areas. Free radicals and reactive oxygen species are of major importance in many chemical, biological and medical applications of photochemistry, and are discussed in depth. The following chapters discuss the relevance of using light in medicine, both with various types of phototherapy and in medical diagnostics. The development of optical sensors and probes is closely related to diagnostics, but is also relevant to many other applications, and is discussed separately. Important aspects of applied photochemistry in electronics and imaging, through processes such as photolithography, are discussed and it is shown how this is allowing the increasing miniaturisation of semiconductor devices for a wide variety of electronics applications and the development of nanometer scale devices. The final two chapters provide the basic ideas necessary to set up a photochemical laboratory and to characterise excited states. This book is aimed at those in science, engineering and medicine who are interested in applying photochemistry in a broad spectrum of areas. Each chapter has the basic theories and methods for its particular applications and directs the reader to the current, important literature in the field, making Applied Photochemistry suitable for both the novice and the experienced photochemist.

The book reviews the properties of surface plasmons that depict electromagnetic surface waves or surface plasma polaritons. Their propagation on smooth and corrugated surfaces (with rough or grating profiles) is considered. In the latter case, the corrugations can cause strong coupling of the surface plasmons with photons leading to resonances with a strong enhancement of the electromagnetic field in the surface. Coupling and field enhancement are the most prominent phenomena on corrugated surfaces and lead to numerous important applications. Attention has been focused on the explanation of the physics. To keep the text readable, sophisticated calculations have been avoided, and instead various applications dealing with enhanced light emission, nonlinear optics, SERS, and other cases of interest are discussed.

For the first time, distinguished scientists from key institutions worldwide provide a comprehensive approach to optical sensing techniques employing the phenomenon of guided wave propagation for chemical and biosensors. This includes both state-of the-art fundamentals and innovative applications of these techniques. The authors present a deep analysis of their particular subjects in a way to address the needs of novice researchers such as graduate students and post-doctoral scholars as well as of established researchers seeking new avenues. Researchers and practitioners who need a solid foundation or reference will find this work invaluable. This first of two volumes contains eight chapters covering planar waveguides for sensing, as well as sensing techniques based on plasmonic waveguides.

This monograph provides an introductory discussion of evanescent waves and plasmons, describes their properties and uses, and shows how they are fundamental when operating with nanoscale optics. Far field optics is not suitable for the design, description, and operation of devices at this nanometre scale. Instead one must work with models based on near-field optics and surface evanescent waves. The new discipline of plasmonics has grown to encompass the generation and application of plasmons both as a travelling excitation in a nanostructure and as a stationary enhancement of the electrical field near metal nanosurfaces. The book begins with a brief review of the basic concepts of electromagnetism, then introduces evanescent waves through reflection and refraction, and shows how they appear in diffraction problems, before discussing the role that they play in optical waveguides and sensors. The application of evanescent waves in super-resolution devices is briefly presented, before plasmons are introduced. The surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) are then treated, highlighting their potential applications also in ultra-compact circuitry. The book concludes with a discussion of the quantization of evanescent waves and quantum information processing. The book is intended for students and researchers who wish to enter the field or to have some insight into the matter. It is not a textbook but simply an introduction to more complete and in-depth discussions. The field of plasmonics has exploded in the last ten years, and most of the material treated in this book is scattered in original or review papers. A short comprehensive treatment is missing; this book is intended to provide just that.

This is a comprehensive treatment of the field of SPR sensors, in three parts. Part I introduces principles of surface plasmon resonance bio-sensors, electromagnetic theory of surface plasmons, theory of SPR sensors and molecular interactions at sensor surfaces. Part II examines the development of SPR sensor instrumentation and functionalization methods. Part III reviews applications of SPR biosensors in the study of molecules, and in environmental monitoring, food safety and medical diagnostics.

This book provides wide-ranging coverage of current developments in biomedical sensing based on photonic techniques. Biomedical sensing is a dynamic topic that promises to deliver much in the future evolution of medical diagnostics, delivering advanced tools for fundamental research in biology at the micrometre and nanometre scales. The book explores a variety of alternative physical and biological methodologies that have become available for application, such as plasmonic sensors and photonic crystal biosensors. At the same time, it addresses issues that potentially limit the capability of biomedical optical sensing techniques, while reviewing the state-of-the-art in biomedical optical sensing for the future work that will lead to near-universal applications of such techniques. Edited and written by leading experts in this domain, this book is ideal as a comprehensive manual for researchers and graduate students.

This book covers optical chemical sensing by means of optical waveguides, from the fundamentals to the most recent applications. The book includes a historical review of the development of these sensors, from the earliest laboratory prototypes to the first commercial instrumentations. The book reprints a lecture by the Nobel Laureate Charles Townes on the birth of maser and laser, which lucidly illustrates the development of new science and new technology.

The field of plasmonics has shown extraordinary capabilities in realizing highly sensitive and accurate sensors for environmental monitoring and measurement of biological analytes. The inherent potential of such devices has led to growing interest worldwide in commercial fiber optic chemical and biosensors. Optical Sensors for Biomedical Diagnostics and Environmental Monitoring is an essential resource for students, established researchers, and industry developers in need of a reference work on both the fundamentals and latest advances in optical fiber sensor technology in biomedical diagnostics and environmental monitoring. The book includes rigorous theory and experimental techniques of surface plasmon and lossy mode resonances, as well as real-time sensing applications of resonance techniques implemented over optical fiber substrate using bulk layer and/or nanostructures as transducer and sensing layers. In addition, discussion of various design options for real-time sensors in environmental monitoring and biomedical diagnostics make the book approachable to readers from multidisciplinary fields.

Sensors and Their Applications VIII provides a valuable forum for individuals from all over the world working in all areas of sensors to meet and discuss the developments and applications of transducers and sensor systems. The strength of the sensor community in the UK reinforces the importance of this volume as a valuable reference for all workers in the field.