Nanolayers in fiber-optic biosensing

In this chapter, fiber-optic sensors based on nanolayers or thin films and their ability to perform biophotonic measurements is presented. In the last decade, fiber-optic sensors have gained popularity as biosensing devices. This has been made possible because of the design and the integration of new materials in fiber-optic technology. Nanolayers and thin films made from various materials such as nanodiamond (NCD), boron-doped nanodiamond (B-NCD), zinc oxide (ZnO), titanium dioxide (TiO2), and aluminum oxide (Al2O3) have been successfully applied in the construction of fiber-optic sensors. NCD and B-NCD have been synthesized by the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) methods, while oxide-and nitride-based thin films were designed using atomic layer deposition. These nanolayers and thin films have been widely used in fiber-optic sensor technology as a protective coating, reflective layers, and/or as a sensing medium.