Chemical and Biochemical Sensing with Optical Fibers and Waveguides

Abstract

This book is a timely collection of recent results and developments in chemical and biochemical sensors based on optical planar and cylindrical waveguides. It is well known that both fields (chemical and biochemical sensing, and optical planar and fibre waveguides) are enormous as is this book. Personally I find that the book tries to cover too much in too little space. As a result, it fails to meet the expectations of readers who are attracted by its title. In order to cover as much as possible, most of the subjects dealt with in the book give large lists of references for readers to follow up. Fundamental concepts in the fields of chemical and biochemical sensing as well as optics and photonics are only briefly included so the book is not a self-contained text. Interested readers will have to follow up the related references and publications in order to master the art of a particular sensor or technology involved. Nonetheless, the book does cover the broad surface of both fields. The book is divided into four parts. Parts I and II cover the basics of chemical and biochemical sensing. The basics of optics and photonics are covered in Part III. The combination of the chemical and biochemical sensing with optics and photonics is dealt with in Part IV, which also addresses the practical sensors, sensing systems and technologies. Part I, which contains two chapters, introduces the basic concept of chemical reactions, kinetics and shape recognition, which are essential in chemical sensing. Practical sensors are used as examples to demonstrate the importance of those concepts. Part II, which contains two chapters, introduces the concepts of indicators, receptors and labels which are widely used in chemical and biochemical sensing. A few commonly used indicator compounds are described, and the technique in which these compounds are immobilized on a support is examined. Part III, which contains five chapters, briefly addresses the basic theory of optics, the concepts in optics and photonics. The optical properties of optical fibres and planar waveguides are introduced. The basic optical measurement techniques are also examined. The concepts of a few practical light sources and photodetectors are introduced. Active and passive optical components such as filters, multiplexers and polarization optical devices are briefly addressed. A brief introduction to a range of chemical and biochemical sensors is given in Part IV, which contains two chapters. The recent results of these sensors and sensing systems are reported in these chapters, some even to the point of a bulleted list with reference number. The organization of these two key chapters of the book, appears to have been rushed by the authors and no future prediction or suggestion is given on the direction in which the field should go. Readers may have to trace all references in order to see the future of this technology. This is a good introductory book for readers working in this area who are not familiar with either chemical and biochemical sensing and/or optical fibres and waveguides. Even so, fundamental concepts in the fields of chemical and biochemical sensing as well as optics and photonics are covered to a lesser depth than can be found in many undergraduate texts written for that field. For readers who are already familiar with the basic concepts in these fields, this book offers a brief summary of the recent results and developments with a large list of reference and publications for readers to follow up. In summary, this book scratches the broad surface of this field. The essential fundamental concepts, recent results and development are briefly presented. This is not a book for anyone who is interested in probing deeper into this subject. It is a book for those who wish to know a bit of everything in this field and have not yet decided whether to probe deeper into the subject. The book is fairly well presented in this regard.