Abstract:
This work focuses on the development of sensitive elements incorporating
bacteriorhodopsin thin films for fibre optic sensors. The sensing principle is
based on monitoring optical properties of the bacteriorhodopsin thin films
during changes of environmental conditions.
The photochromic properties of the bR films change in response to the
presence of different chemical species and this effect can be employed for
the development of sensitive elements for optical sensors. For practical
sensing applications, one can monitor changes (in the presence of chemical
species) of the spectral and kinetic parameters of bR films incorporated into
a matrix.
The main topic of this thesis is to study the possibility of using
bacteriorhodopsin thin films for the construction of fibre-optic sensors for
monitoring ammonia and humidity. The possibility to control sensitivity
and selectivity of the sensor to the presence of ammonia and humidity by
adding chemicals to the bR film and by employing different materials as a
matrix for the creation of bR films is reported. The examples based on
ammonia and relative humidity are used to show how using a broad range
of different chemical additives bR can be sensitized to a wide spectrum of
species, and thus possesses the potential to be a universal film material for
optical sensors.
