[PA2]

J.J. Dubowski and D. Lepage, “Self-referencing biosensor based on surface plasmon resonance mediated photoluminescence”, application numbers: UdeS-08240-226, USPTO, January 18, 2007.: A sensing device has been proposed for characterizing a substance by modifying modes of resonance of surface plasmons. The device comprises a photo-emitting substrate layer for generating a photoluminescence signal, a dielectric adaptive layer (applied onto the photo emitting substrate) for increasing a propagation length of the surface plasmons, and a sensing layer applied onto the dielectric adaptive layer. The sensing layer is functionalized for coupling with the substance; whereby: the luminescence signal generates the surface plasmons, having modes of resonance, at the interface of the dielectric adaptive layer and the sensing layer; and the substance, when coupled to the sensing layer, characteristically modifies the modes of resonance of the surface plasmons.