Development of a blood sugar level sensor by use of the geometric phase in the polarized light

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26560213
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Biomedical engineering/Biomaterial science and engineering
• Research Institution: The University of Tokushima
• Principal Investigator: Iwata Tetsuo 徳島大学, ソシオテクノサイエンス研究部, 教授 (50304548)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): MIZUTANI Yasuhiro 大阪大学, 大学院工学研究科, 准教授 (40374152)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 幾何学的位相 / マルチチャネルフーリエ分光器 / 旋光分散 / 非線形 / 血糖値測定 / テラヘルツ時間領域分光

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In order to measure optical rotatory dispersion (ORD) of an optically active sample by utilizing a nonlinear behavior of the geometric phase (GP), we used a multichannel Fourier-transform spectrometer (MC-FTS) based on Savart-plate birefringent-polarization interference, in which a zeroth-order quarter-wave plate (QWP) was newly added. The modified MC-FTS enables us to derive the wavelength dependency of the GP and the optical rotation angle due to the sample. When the GP was measured as a function of the polarization angle of the analyzer in the MC-FTS for a specified orientation angle of the principal axis of the QWP, we can observe the nonlinear behavior of GP. Thereby enhancement of the sensitivity in measurements is achieved at the cost of the visibility of the interference pattern. In proof-of principle experiments, we found further modification is necessary. We also found that direct measurements of the GP is possible in the THz time-domain spectrometer.

Free Research Field

applied physics