Towards an advanced magneto-plasmonic sensing platform

Development of a novel magneto-optic surface-plasmon-resonance (MOSPR) platform and its use for the detection of biomolecules are presented. The physical transduction principle is based on the combination of the magneto-optic activity of magnetic materials and a surface-plasmon resonance of metallic layers. The structure of layers has been optimized using a Transfer Matrix approach. Hints on deposition of thin layers of Cr, Au and Co will be outlined. Such combination can produce a significant enhancement of the magneto-optic effects that strongly depends on the optical properties of the surrounding medium, allowing its use for biosensing applications. Besides the magento-plasmonic sensor, the platform comprises the surface plasmon resonance module, the electromagnet with oscillating magnetic field (with controlled field strength and frequency) for MOSPR and the flow cell with integrated microfluidics. Calibration curves based on solutions with different refractive indices show a steeper slope in the case of the magneto-optical sensor proving an increased sensitivity.