For the prototype discussed in this paper, we use an optically transparent epoxy Epo-Tek 301-1 (Epoxy Technologies Inc.) to fabricate polymer ridge waveguides. Figure 1 shows a simplified block diagram of the prototype find more information optical sensor platform implementing http://www.selleckchem.com/products/BAY-73-4506.html the polymeric waveguide support platform and xerogel sensor materials. Other configurations common to existing optical chemical sensors are also possible where the excitation source and the photodetector are on the either side Inhibitors,Modulators,Libraries of the xerogel sensor array or both the excitation source and the photodetector are on the same side (top or bottom) of Inhibitors,Modulators,Libraries the sensor array [12, 22-24].Figure 1.Simplified block diagram of the optical sensor system implementing the polymeric waveguide support platform and xerogel recognition materials.
Following Figure 1, the sensor partly uses direct LED excitation and partly guided evanescent-wave excitation due to the exponentially decaying evanescent field from the multimode waveguides [8, 25]. Subsequently, fluorescence is generated from Ru(II) complexes trapped Inhibitors,Modulators,Libraries in the xerogel claddings with an intensity proportional Inhibitors,Modulators,Libraries to the target analyte concentration. Inhibitors,Modulators,Libraries A part of this generated fluorescence is captured by the waveguides and channeled to a photodetector. In the following sections, we describe the direct-dispense technique to create the waveguide structures, preparation of the modified Inhibitors,Modulators,Libraries xerogel sensor materials that are suitable for direct-dispense process, and finally, the integration of a xerogel sensor film with the waveguide structures.
2.
?Direct-dispense Inhibitors,Modulators,Libraries fabrication of Waveguide structuresA robotic deposition tool (Model I&J 2200, FISNAR Inc.) was used for the direct-dispense process, in which a fugitive ink, typically consisting of a composite of 75% of petroleum jelly and 25% of microcrystalline wax, was extruded through a micro-nozzle (Model Inhibitors,Modulators,Libraries 2400, EFD Inc.) and deposited onto a substrate. Dacomitinib Typical substrates may be selected from plastic, generic microscope borosilicate glass slides, or fragments of silicon wafers [15, 16]. The automated direct-dispense tool is as shown in Figure 2. The pattern to be written is first mapped out as a trajectory by programming it into the robot, which in turn commands and controls the dispensing AV-951 system to emit the fugitive ink from the nozzle.
In the simplest case (Figure 3), straight lines of the fugitive ink are deposited. Next, uncured liquid polymer resin is deposited at room temperature with the direct-dispense apparatus. The fugitive ink pattern acts as a periodic reservoir to hold CHIR99021 buy the fluid resin, which is subsequently cured. The ink is then melted at 65��C and extracted, leaving behind patterned polymeric microstructures. Figures 3 (a), (b), and (c) depict the fabrication steps for the direct-dispense read me process.