Patent attributes
A method is provided for detection of analytes using the Surface Plasmon Resonance effect. The method comprises providing a metal film on a transparent substrate. The free surface of the metal film is exposed to a test sample. An anlyte in the sample can interact directly with the metal film or via analyte binding molecules (ABMs) complexed to the film. Light is directed incident to the surface of film in contact with the substrate. Light is reflected from the surface of the film under SPR conditions. The reflected light is collected and the second and/or third harmonics of the resulting electrical signal, which are indicative of the phase and polarization state of the reflected light, are determined. The second and third harmonics are correlated to the presence and/or concentration of the analyte.