Maria Nordström

Low-noise polymeric nanomechanical biosensors

A sensor device based on a single polymer cantilever and optical readout has been developed for detection of molecular recognition reactions without the need of a reference cantilever for subtraction of unspecific signals. Microcantilevers have been fabricated in the photoresist SU-8 with one surface passivated with a thin fluorocarbon layer. The SU-8 surface is sensitized with biological receptors by applying silanization methods, whereas the fluorocarbon surface remains inert to these processes. The thermal and mechanical properties of the chosen materials allow overcoming the main limitations of gold-coated silicon cantilevers: the temperature, pH, and ionic strength cross sensitivities. This is demonstrated by comparing the response of SU-8 cantilevers and that of gold-coated silicon nitride cantilevers to variations in temperature and pH. The sensitivity of the developed polymeric nanomechanical sensor is demonstrated by real-time detection of the human growth hormone with sensitivity in differential...

Single-Mode Waveguides With SU-8 Polymer Core and Cladding for MOEMS Applications

Fabrication and optical characterization of single-mode polymeric embedded waveguides are performed. A specific material combination (SU-8 2005 as core and the modified SU-8 mr-L 6050XP as cladding) is chosen in order to obtain a small refractive index difference for single-mode propagation combined with the conventional fabrication method UV lithography to facilitate the integration of different types of optical detection methods on lab-on-a-chip systems. We analyze the behavior of the refractive index and carefully observe how the value of the refractive index can be tailored during processing. We show that we can fabricate waveguides with an index difference in the order of 10-3 , where both the core material and the cladding material are based on SU-8. The refractive index measurements are performed on thin polymeric films, while further optical characterizations are performed on waveguides with a height of 4.5 mum. We study the mode profiles of these waveguides and confirm that only the fundamental mode is excited. We also study the absorption spectra of the material in the wavelength range 800-1600 nm combined with cut-back measurements. We find that the waveguides have a propagation loss of 0.2-3 dB/cm in this wavelength range

Integrated optical readout for miniaturization of cantilever-based sensor system

The authors present the fabrication and characterization of an integrated optical readout scheme based on single-mode waveguides for cantilever-based sensors. The cantilever bending is read out by monitoring changes in the optical intensity of light transmitted through the cantilever that also acts as a waveguide. The complete system is fabricated in the photosensitive polymer SU-8. They show theoretical calculations on the expected sensitivity both when operated in air and liquid and compare these with experimental characterization of the system in air where the cantilever is deflected mechanically. The experimental results compare well with the results obtained from the theoretical calculations.

A novel fabrication technique for free-hanging homogeneous polymeric cantilever waveguides

We present a novel bonding technique developed for the fabrication of a cantilever-based biosensing system with integrated optical read-out. The read-out mechanism is based on single-mode waveguides fabricated monolithically in SU-8. For optimal operation of the read-out mode, the cantilever waveguides should be homogenous and this bonding technique ensures free-hanging cantilevers that are surrounded by the same material for bottom and top claddings. The bonding step is necessary because SU-8 is a negative resist where free-hanging structures cannot be fabricated directly. This paper gives details on the processing aspects and the parameters of the fabrication steps.