OWLS 120

Optical Waveguide Lightmode Spectroscopy

E x c e l l e n t t oo l f o r t h e i n s i tu st ud y of t h e k i n et ic s a n d e qu i l ib r i um c o ns ta nt s o f
su r f ac e p r oc es s e s. A s a b io s en s or , it is a l ab e l- f re e t ec hn i q ue fo r in ve st i g at in g
re a l -t im e ad s or pt i on a nd b in d in g pr oc es s e s.

MAIN MEASURING UNIT INCLUDES:

• OWLS 120 main unit
Electro-optical system with built in PC and Sensor
holder

• OWLS SIS Sample Injection Subunit provides

bubble-free, controlled flow rate fluid supply
through the sample cuvette with flow rate setting
in the range of 25ml/min - 2.5ml/min. Selectable
20µl - 200 µl sample loop is offered for controlled-
volume sample injection.

• OWLS TC Heater/Cooler Unit is an excellent tool

for in situ, vibration-free heating and cooling of the
sensor holder in the OWLS 120 system in tempera-
ture range from 20 oC to 80 oC.
Temperature stability is better than ±0.1 o C.

• BioSense software

The basic principle of the OWLS method is the following: linearly polarized light (He-Ne laser) is coupled by a diffraction
grating into the waveguide layer, provided that the incoupling condition is fulfilled. The incoupling is a resonance phenome-
non that occurs at a precise angle of incidence, which depends on the refractive indices of the medium covering the surface
of the waveguide. The light is guided by total internal reflection to the ends of the waveguide layer where it is detected by
photodiodes. By varying the angle of incidence of the light the mode spectrum can be obtained from which the effective
refractive indices are calculated for both the electric and magnetic modes.The analyte under investigation is in a cuvette
fixed over the optical grating coupler waveguide sensor chip. This assembly is mounted on a precision goniometer, which
adjusts the angle of incidence of the external laser beam.

OPTIONAL:
Electro-Chemical OWLS System OWLS measurements with ITO coated OW 2400 sensor & EC cuvette. Transpar-
ent electrically conductive layer on the sensor surface allows investigation of surface adsorption processes under electric
field.

Fluoro-OWLS measuring System OWLS measurements with special fluoro-cuvette allows combined fluorescent
labeled & OWLS measurements. Optional Fluoro– BioSense software module is offered for data evaluation & interpretation.

ACCESSORIES:
AUTOMATIC REFRACTOMETER POTENTIOSTAT/GALVANOSTAT

Designed specifically for measuring materials to be used in When Potentiostat/galvanostat is connected to EC-OWLS

the Optical Waveguide Lightmode Spectroscopy (OWLS) sys- cuvette, the software allows one to run standard techniques

tem; The Automatic refractometer allows measurement of such as cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry, square

the refractive index of the cover medium (nc) off-line or in- wave, and differential pulse voltammetry.

line. Applying the measured nc in the Biosense software fur-

SENSORS:
ther enhance the accuracy of the calculations.
OW2400, OW2400c, OW2400-EC (see separate datasheets)

MicroVacuum Ltd. H-1147, Kerékgyártó u. 10., Budapest, Hungary Phone: + 36 1 252 1991; +36 1 467 0108 Fax: +36 1 221 7996
Web: http://www.owls-sensors.com/; E-mail: info@owls-sensors.com