Fabrication and characterization of a silicone fluorescent oxygen sensor

Abstract

We discuss the fabrication and characterization details of an optical oxygen sensor for use in a cell culture microsystem. The sensor operates by measuring changes in the fluorescence intensity of (2–2'-bipyridine) dichlororuthenium (II) hexahydrate molecules that are immobilized in a silicone film. The sensor we demonstrate herein is highly linear, reversible, and is compatible with common biomedical sterilization procedures.