Chemical sensor, chemical sensor module, chemical substance detection apparatus, and chemical substance detection method

A sensor module, comprising:

• a sensor including a substrate;
• at least one photodetection unit that is diffused as impurity in the substrate;
• a plasmon absorption layer laminated on the substrate, and a surface layer laminated on the plasmon absorption layer, wherein the plasmon absorption layer having a metal nanostructure that generates plasmon absorbency, wherein the plasmon absorption layer contains a metal nanoparticle and the metal nanoparticle has a particle diameter of 1 nm or more and 150 nm or less, and wherein the surface layer having a holding surface on which a detection target object is held;
• and
• an illumination light source that irradiates the holding surface with illumination light.

A detection apparatus, comprising:

• a sensor including a substrate;
• at least one photodetection unit that is diffused as impurity in the substrate;
• a plasmon absorption layer laminated on the substrate, and a surface layer laminated on the plasmon absorption layer, wherein the plasmon absorption layer having a metal nanostructure that generates plasmon absorbency, wherein the plasmon absorption layer contains a metal nanoparticle and the metal nanoparticle has a particle diameter of 1 nm or more and 150 nm or less, and wherein the surface layer having a holding surface on which a detection target object is held;
• and
• a signal processing circuit that is connected to the sensor, wherein the signal processing circuit process an output signal of the at least one photodetection unit.

A detection method, comprising:

• preparing a sensor including a substrate;
• diffusing at least one photodetection unit as impurity in the substrate;
• laminating, a plasmon absorption layer on the substrate, a surface layer on the plasmon absorption layer, wherein the plasmon absorption layer having a metal nanostructure that generates plasmon absorbency, wherein the plasmon absorption layer contains a metal nanoparticle and the metal nanoparticle has a particle diameter of 1 nm or more and 150 nm or less, and wherein the surface layer having a holding surface on which a detection target object is held;
• causing a probe material to be held on the holding surface;
• bringing a sample into contact with the holding surface and causing a target material contained in the sample to bind to the probe material to provide the detection target object, wherein a fluorescent label is introduced to at least one of a bound body of the probe material and the target material;
• irradiating the holding surface with illumination light;
• and
• detecting, by the at least one photodetection unit, detection target light generated based on the fluorescent label as a result of binding of the probe material and the target material on the detection target object upon receiving the illumination light.