Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
175 words
A method for carrying out a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) measurement comprising: directing a beam of electromagnetic radiation through a part transparent to said radiation onto a surface of a material layer for reflection of said radiation therefrom, said material layer on its opposite surface being in contact with a test material; and measuring the change of intensity of the reflected radiation caused by the resonance phenomenon for analyzing the test material, wherein the material layers is a layer of a catalytic material having a negative real part of the dielectric constant at the used wavelength of the electromagnetic radiation of SPR-compatibility, and is capable of catalyzing a chemical reaction in which the test material takes part, the measurement being carried out at such a wavelength and angle of incidence of the radiation onto the surface that a change resulting from the contact of the test material with the opposite surface of said material of the material layer owing to the catalytic properties of the material is detectable in the intensity of the reflected radiation.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
175 words
A method for carrying out a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) measurement comprising: directing a beam of electromagnetic radiation through a part transparent to said radiation onto a surface of a material layer for reflection of said radiation therefrom, said material layer on its opposite surface being in contact with a test material; and measuring the change of intensity of the reflected radiation caused by the resonance phenomenon for analyzing the test material, wherein the material layers is a layer of a catalytic material having a negative real part of the dielectric constant at the used wavelength of the electromagnetic radiation of SPR-compatibility, and is capable of catalyzing a chemical reaction in which the test material takes part, the measurement being carried out at such a wavelength and angle of incidence of the radiation onto the surface that a change resulting from the contact of the test material with the opposite surface of said material of the material layer owing to the catalytic properties of the material is detectable in the intensity of the reflected radiation.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said material layer consists of a metal catalyst.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the material layer is selected from the group consisting of titanium, cobalt, nickel, platinum, aluminum, palladium and mixtures thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
12 words
A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the material is palladium.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the test material contains hydrogen.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the test material is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen gas, ammonia, hydrogen sulphide, an alcohol and a hydrocarbon.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
158 words
A sensor for carrying out a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) measurement, comprising: a source of electromagnetic radiation; a material layer having a surface exposed to electromagnetic radiation from said source and an opposite surface; means for bringing a test material in contact with the material on said opposite surface; means for directing the source of radiation relative to said surface of the material layer in such a fashion that the radiation meets said surface at an angle of incidence enabling a surface plasmon resonance phenomenon; a detector for measuring the intensity of the light beam which has been reflected from the surface of the material layer and has undergone said resonance; and a device for treating the intensity values, said material layer being catalytic material having a negative real part of the dielectric constant a the used wavelength of electromagnetic radiation of SPR-compatibility and being capable of catalyzing a chemical reaction in which the test material takes part.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
158 words
A sensor for carrying out a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) measurement, comprising: a source of electromagnetic radiation; a material layer having a surface exposed to electromagnetic radiation from said source and an opposite surface; means for bringing a test material in contact with the material on said opposite surface; means for directing the source of radiation relative to said surface of the material layer in such a fashion that the radiation meets said surface at an angle of incidence enabling a surface plasmon resonance phenomenon; a detector for measuring the intensity of the light beam which has been reflected from the surface of the material layer and has undergone said resonance; and a device for treating the intensity values, said material layer being catalytic material having a negative real part of the dielectric constant a the used wavelength of electromagnetic radiation of SPR-compatibility and being capable of catalyzing a chemical reaction in which the test material takes part.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
A sensor as claimed in claim 7, wherein said material layer consists essentially of metal catalyst.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
A sensor as claimed in claim 8, wherein the material of the material layer is selected from the group consisting of titanium, cobalt, nickel, platinum, aluminum, palladium and mixtures thereof.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
12 words
A sensor as claimed in claim 9, wherein the material is palladium.