Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrode assembly (eg a nanoelectrode assembly), to an electrochemical glucose biosensor comprising the electrode assembly and to an apparatus for combating (eg management of) diabetes mellitus which comprises the electrochemical glucose biosensor.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrode assembly having a laminate structure comprising: a first insulating capping layer; a first conducting layer capped by the first insulating capping layer and substantially sandwiched by at least the first insulating capping layer such as to leave exposed only an electrical contact lip of the first conducting layer; and an array of etched voids extending through at least the first insulating capping layer and the first conducting layer, wherein each void is partly bound by a surface of the first conducting layer which acts as an internal submicron electrode.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrode assembly having a laminate structure comprising: a first insulating capping layer; a first conducting layer capped by the first insulating capping layer and substantially sandwiched by at least the first insulating capping layer such as to leave exposed only an electrical contact lip of the first conducting layer; and an array of etched voids extending through at least the first insulating capping layer and the first conducting layer, wherein each void is partly bound by a surface of the first conducting layer which acts as an internal submicron electrode.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an assembly and method for measuring the optical activity of a stimulus of interest. The assembly comprises a source of incident electromagnetic radiation (1), a lens arrangement (2), an input polariser (3), a planar waveguide structure (4) (or an optical fiber), an output polariser (5), a lens arrangement (6) for focussing the output electromagnetic radiation and a detector. The polarisation of the incident electromagnetic radiation relative to the planar waveguide structure (4) is determined by the input polariser (3). The planar waveguide structure in this embodiment comprises a silicon substrate layer (4c) and an absorbent layer (4e). The silicon oxynitride layer (4c) acts as the reference waveguide and the absorbent layer (4e) acts as the sensing waveguide. The sensing waveguide (4e) is exposed in the localised environment (8) to a sample containing the stimulus of interest which is optically active.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for determining a qualitative characteristic of an interferometric component (eg a planar waveguide structure) or a process for determining a qualitative characteristic of a stimulus of interest to which the interferometric component (eg the planar waveguide structure) has been exposed by measuring a non-positional characteristic of the interference fringes.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for determining crystallization in a very small amount of a material of interest (eg a chemical or biological material of interest).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a sensor device and method for measuring a property associated with the introduction of or changes in a chemical, biological or physical stimulus in a localized environment, in particular to a sensor device and method for measuring the partition coefficient of a chemical stimulus such as a pharmaceutical compound.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a sensor assembly and method for measuring changes in dimension and/or composition of a sensor component (and associated factors) caused by the introduction of or changes in a chemical, physical or biological stimulus in a localized environment.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for determining crystallization in a very small amount of a material of interest (eg a chemical or biological material of interest).

Abstract: A microelectrode system suitable for use in preparative and analytical chemistry having a laminated structure with one or more apertures. In one embodiment a microelectrode system (1) comprises alternating layers of conductor (3) and dielectric (or insulator) (4). The laminated structure (2) comprises two conductor layers (3) and two dielectric layers (4) formed on a base (5) of silicon or a polymeric material. The conducting layers (3) form electrodes in the microelectrodes system (1). The laminated structure has formed within it an aperture in the form of a well (6) being open at one end (7) and closed at the opposite end (8). In another embodiment, the apertures take the form of through holes.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved device for housing a planar optical component for use in chemical sensing for example which permits fine temperature control and disposal of heat.

Abstract: A device for housing a planar optical component such as a chemical sensor comprising a holder for mounting a planar optical component, a housing adapted to receive internally said holder along a longitudinal axis, and guiding means for correlating the position of said planar optical component and of a source of electromagnetic radiation when said holder is located within said housing.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a sensor device and method for measuring a property associated with the introduction of or changes in a chemical, biological or physical stimulus in a localised environment, in particular to a sensor device and method for measurign the partition coefficient of a chemical stimulus such as a pharmaceutical compound.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a sensor device and to a method for detecting the introduction of or changes in a chemical, biological or physical stimulus of interest in a localised environment, in particular to a sensor device and method for detecting the presence of or changes in chemical stimuli in a liquid or gas phase analyte (e.g. a microanalyte). The device compensates for fluctuations in the ambient environment.

Abstract: A chemical sensor includes at least two wave guides, one of which is a sensing wave guide and one of which is a reference wave guide. Each of the wave guides are formed in a laminar manner on a substrate.

Abstract: A method of identifying an analyte, using a chemical sensor (e.g., a piezoelectric crystal oscillator) which produces an output frequency responsive to different analytes by a characteristic change in the output frequency. The sensor is exposed to a step change (to) in concentration of the analyte and the resulting frequency characteristic measured. An expression for this characteristic is derived consisting of two exponential functions (F, S), one (F) derived from the early part of the frequency characteristic and the other (S) from the latter part. The four parameters (A.sub.2, A.sub.3, A.sub.4, A.sub.5) resulting from the functions so obtained are characteristic of the particular analyte.