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Organisation
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Organisation Chart
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Analytical Chemistry, Reference Materials
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Chemical and Optical Sensing
The Chemical and Optical Sensing Division develops chemical sensors, microfluidic systems, and optical and mass spectrometric methods. It focuses on the sensitive, selective detection of organic, inorganic and biochemical species, including hazardous substances. We combine fundamental and application-oriented knowledge to develop intelligent detection strategies.
Our chemical sensors are based on micro/nanoparticles and thin films that are specifically functionalized with respect to the analyte in question.
Our endeavours in instrument development aim at miniaturization, parallelization and hyphenation of methods, encompassing both optical methods such as fluorescence, Raman and laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) as well as mass spectrometry and ion mobility spectrometry under atmospheric pressure conditions.
Instrument-based detection strategies are developed in tandem with theoretical modelling and imaging characterisation. We apply simple methods such as the use of test strips or microfluidic chips to implement our chemical sensors.
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Fields of expertise
- Modelling, synthesis, functionalization and application of chemical receptors, indicator dyes and sensor materials
- Modelling, simulation and engineering of optical devices, in particular for laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS)
- Design of ionisation and separation processes
- Design and development of mass spectrometers
- Development and implementation of hyphenated optical and mass spectrometric methods
- Design and fabrication of microfluidic chips
- Embedding and implementation
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Main activities
- Particle and thin film-based sensor systems
- Functional dyes for chemical analysis
- Optical signal amplification strategies
- Molecularly-imprinted polymers (MIPs)
- Multimodal labels for surface analysis
- Microarray scanning
- Flow cytometry
- Lateral flow assays
- Test strips
- Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBs)
- Modelling of transient and stationary plasmas
- Coupling of methods in instrument-based analysis
- Acoustic levitation of droplets
- Raman spectroscopy and SERS
- Microfluidic systems
- Ionization techniques under atmosphere pressure conditions for mass spectrometry
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Range of services/technical equipment
- Variable and modular ultra-short pulse laser setup for applications such as time-resolved fluorescence measurement and cavity ring-down spectroscopy
- High-resolution three-colour fluorescence scanner
- Three-colour multi-channel flow cytometer
- Chip fabrication environment
- Atmospheric pressure inlet time-of-flight spectrometer coupled to levitated droplets
- Atmospheric pressure inlet time-of-flight spectrometer for simultaneous laser ablation/Raman scattering
- Acoustic droplet levitator coupled with different laser sources between 365 nm and 10.6 µm
- Nanosecond time resolved shadowgraphy setup for visualization of laser ablation events
- LIBS UV/Vis and VUV spectrometer
- 3D emission-absorption tomograph for plasma diagnostics
- Heterodyne optical spectrometer for combined LIBS/Raman applications
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Publications of the division
