Detection of oligonucleotide target has been performed with a sandwich assay scheme. We compare the detection performance of strategies using probe oligonucleotide with or without gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs, 20nm) capped on 3'. Our experimental results reveal that while the DNA detection implemented with NIS can provide high sensitivity, both dynamic range and detection limit can be amplified with the aid of Au-NPs on 3' of the probes. The current detection limits of NIS with and without Au-NPs are 0.4 femtomole and 1 nanomole respectively. (Abstract shortened by UMI.) / Finally, this work presents a systematic study of the surface-enhanced Raman-scattering (SERS) properties of nanoparticle island substrates (NIS) and their application for oligonucleotide target detection. To effectively implement SERS on NIS and identify an optimal condition for DNA detection, the relationship between extinction maximum (lambdamax) and SERS enhancement factor (EF) will be explored in detail. This work demonstrates high S/N ratio SERS spectra can be achieved with NIS that has lambdamax located within a spectral window (∼60nm) defined by the excitation wavelength (514nm) and the scattered Raman wavelength. The highest EF measured is about 4x10 8 with a thickness of Ag being 50 A. / In addition, a surface plasmon enhanced ellipsometry (SPEE) biosensor scheme based on the use of a photoelastic modulator (PEM) has been explored. We showed that the polarization parameters of a laser beam, tan psi, cos Delta and ellipse orientation angle &phis;, can be directly measured by detecting the modulation signals at the 1st and 2nd harmonics of the modulation frequency under a certain birefringence geometry. This leads to an accurate measurement of refractive index variations within the evanescent field region close to the gold sensor surface, thereby enabling biosensing applications. Our experimental results confirm that the new scheme offers a decent detection limit of 2x10-7 refractive index unit (RIU) or 5ng/ml of biomolecule solute concentration without any compromise in dynamic range. / We have demonstrated that the sensitivity limit of intensity-based SPR biosensors can be enhanced when we combine the contributions from phase with that of amplitude instead of just detecting the amplitude or phase variation only. Experimental results indicate that an enhancement factor of as much as 20 times is achievable, yet with no compromise in measurement dynamic range. While existing SPR biosensor systems are predominantly based on the angular scheme, which relies on detecting intensity variations associated with amplitude changes only, the proposed scheme may serve as a direct system upgrade approach for these systems. / We have developed a novel design of multi-pass surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensor with differential phase interrogation based on multi-pass interferometry. This new configuration provides an intrinsic phase amplification effect of over two-fold by placing the SPR sensor head in a signal arm of the interferometer so that the interrogating optical beam will traverse the sensor surface infinite number of times. Experimental interferometers based on the Michelson and Fabry-Perot configurations have been employed to experimentally verify this amplification effect through the comparison with the Mach-Zehnder configuration. Results obtained from the salt-water mixtures, antibody-antigen, and protein-DNA binding reaction have confirmed the expected phase measurement enhancement. / Yuan, Wu. / Adviser: H. P. Ho. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 70-06, Section: B, page: 3582. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 115-132). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / School code: 1307.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:cuhk.edu.hk/oai:cuhk-dr:cuhk_344298 |
| Date | January 2008 |
| Contributors | Yuan, Wu., Chinese University of Hong Kong Graduate School. Division of Electronic Engineering. |
| Source Sets | The Chinese University of Hong Kong |
| Language | English, Chinese |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, theses |
| Format | electronic resource, microform, microfiche, 1 online resource (xx, 149 leaves : ill.) |
| Rights | Use of this resource is governed by the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons “Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International” License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/) |
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