Polarization-interferometric surface-plasmon-resonance imaging system.

A two-dimensional phase-detection system for a surface-plasmon-resonance sensor is presented. The sensor utilizes polarization interferometry to detect phase differences between the s and p polarizations. We successfully detected a spatial phase-difference variation, resulting from the biomolecular interactions, of less than 1 x 1 mm(2). The phase stability demonstrated in the experimental results was approximately 0.09 degrees, and the corresponding change in the refractive index detection limit was approximately 4.3 x 10(-6). The common-optical-path configuration of the proposed method allowed us to reduce disturbances from ambient conditions. Furthermore, this method is capable of real-time array detection.