A novel solid-state oxygen sensor

A unique solid-state optical sensor configuration has been developed that can serve as a development platform for a host of chemical and biochemical sensors in either gaseous or liquid environments. We describe the first adaptation of the device to oxygen sensing via fluorescence quenching and note the clear and distinct advantages over existing electrochemical and more recent fiber-optic methods. This platform technology features greatly enhanced energy efficiency, high sensitivity, low power consumption, ease of miniaturization, low cost, high-volume manufacturability using standard methods, very fast response/recovery profiles, and high reliability.