Theoretical modeling of a metal-clad planar waveguide based biosensors for the detection of pseudomonas-like bacteria

Abstract

In this paper, a metal-clad planar optical waveguide biosensor with five layer structure is studied theoretically for the detection of Pseudomonas and Pseudomonas-like bacteria. Using a very simple boundary matching technique, we derive the mode equation and other necessary formulae for the proposed biosensor and analyse its performance under different conditions related to its constituents. The numerical results presented in this paper leads to a significant optimization of the important design parameters to sense micro-scale biological objects. Also, we compare our computed results with the results given for a biosensor with four layer structure. In addition, we discuss the importance and need of the inclusion of the thickness of an affinity layer as fifth layer in the four layer structure of the metal clad planar waveguide.