Patent ID: 8421036
Filing Date: 2013-04-16
Classification: B82Y,C09B,G01N

Abstract:
1. An optical signal detection method comprising the steps of: preparing a sensor chip including a dielectric plate and a sensor portion having a metal layer deposited on a predetermined area of a surface of the dielectric plate; binding a binding substance of an amount corresponding to the amount of a substance to be detected that is included in a sample to the sensor portion by contacting the sample with the sensor portion of the sensor chip, the binding substance having a photo-reactable labeling-substance attached to the binding substance; and obtaining the amount of the substance to be detected by irradiating the predetermined area with excitation light and by detecting light output from the photo-reactable labeling-substance in an enhanced electric field that has been generated on the metal layer by irradiation with the excitation light, wherein the photo-reactable labeling-substance includes a plurality of molecules of a photo-reactable substance enveloped by a light transmissive material that transmits light output from the plurality of molecules of the photo-reactable substance to prevent metal quenching that occurs when the photo-reactable substance is located close to the metal layer, and said photo-reactable labeling substance is used as a label, and said plurality of molecules enveloped within the light transmissive material are disposed within a sample solution including said sample.