Abstract

Recent progress in the development of a planar form of a the vapour axial deposition (VAD) system, called Flame Hydrolysis Deposition (FHD), has enabled the realisation of a variety of novel optoelectronics devices. In this paper we explore the application of this technology to the production of integrated biosensors, with the possibility of being able to produce optical diagnostic arrays for biochemical screening. Optical biosensors have a number of specific advantages over their electrochemical counterparts, for example: they do not suffer from noise associated with electrical interference, and they provide access to a wide variety of highly specific environmentally sensitive fluorophores. Importantly, in producing an array technology, optical sensors can either be addressed or read in parallel, allowing rapid data acquisition.

© 1998 IEEE