Optical polarimetric sensor for blood glucose measurement

Preliminary results for an optical polarimetry system which could be used as a sensor to monitor in vivo glucose concentrations are presented. Polarization retaining optical fibers make it feasible to transport coherent light to and from the sensing site. A bidirectional technique increases the sensitivity of the system for a given path length. Preliminary in vitro results show the ability of the system to monitor glucose levels. The first result shows the linearity of the polarization rotation of light with blood glucose levels. In a second experiment, it was verified that the polarization preserving fiber allows for the transference of linear polarized light with enough intensity, after coupling, to be detected at the output. The bidirectional technique for increasing the sensitivity is verified.<>