Yunbo Guo

Real-time biomolecular binding detection using a sensitive photonic crystal biosensor.

Real-time measurement of specific biomolecular interactions is critical to many areas of biological research. A number of label-free techniques for directly monitoring biomolecular binding have been developed, but it is still challenging to measure the binding kinetics of very small molecules, to detect low concentrations of analyte molecules, or to detect low affinity interactions. In this study, we report the development of a highly sensitive photonic crystal biosensor for label-free, real-time biomolecular binding analysis. We characterize the performance of this biosensor using a standard streptavidin-biotin binding system. Optimization of the surface functionalization methods for streptavidin immobilization on the silica sensing surface is presented, and the specific binding of biotinylated analyte molecules ranging over 3 orders of magnitude in molecular weight, including very small molecules (<250 Da), DNA oligonucleotides, proteins, and antibodies (>150 000 Da), are detected in real time with a high signal-to-noise ratio. Finally, we document the sensor efficiency for low mass adsorption, as well as multilayered molecular interactions. By all important metrics for sensitivity, we anticipate this photonic crystal biosensor will provide new capabilities for highly sensitive measurements of biomolecular binding.

Analysis of single nanoparticle detection by using 3-dimensionally confined optofluidic ring resonators.

Viral particles are responsible for the majority of human fatal diseases, including Ebola fever, influenza, HIV, SARS, dengue fever, and so on. Those small infectious agents with radius ranging from 1 nm to 800 nm spread and transmit extremely rapidly, and leave very limited time for treatment if humans are infected [1]. The prevention and early diagnosis of those diseases require fast and trace amount detection of virus in liquid and in air. Among many approaches employed, the optical ring resonator based biosensor is one of the most sensitive devices, capable of detecting a single virion or nanoparticle in a real-time and label-free manner [2–3]. In a ring resonator, light circulates and forms whispering-gallery modes (WGMs). When a virion or nanoparticle binds onto the resonator surface, its interaction with the WGM leads to a spectral shift or mode splitting [2–3]. To date, by measuring the wavelength shift, a single influenza particle (50 nm in radius) in liquid has been detected experimentally with a solid microsphere [2]. Recently, by measuring the mode splitting, the detection and sizing of a single nanoparticle (30 nm in radius) in air have also been demonstrated with a microtoroid [3]. However, despite their excellent sensing performance, both structures lack of an efficient fluidic system to rapidly deliver samples to the sensing head (i.e., the ring resonator), which may significantly lengthen the detection time, in particular, when detecting a single nanoparticle.

Ultrasensitive optofluidic surface-enhanced Raman scattering detection with flow-through multihole capillaries.

3-Dimensional surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) detection integrated with optofluidics offers many advantages over conventional SERS conducted under planar and static conditions. In this paper, we developed a novel optofluidic SERS platform based on nanoparticle-functionalized flow-through multihole capillaries for rapid, reliable, and ultrasensitive analyte detection. The unique configuration not only provides 3-dimensional geometry for significantly increased SERS-active area and inherent fluidic channels for rapid and efficient sample delivery, but also confines and transmits light along the capillary for large SERS signal accumulation. Using a capillary consisting of thousands of micrometer-sized holes adsorbed with gold nanoparticles, we investigated the proposed optofluidic SERS system using the transverse and longitudinal detection methods, where the SERS excitation and collection were perpendicular to and along the capillary, respectively. A detection limit better than 100 fM for rhodamine 6G was achieved with an enhancement factor exceeding 10(8).

Sensitive molecular binding assay using a photonic crystal structure in total internal reflection

A novel optical sensor for label-free biomolecular binding assay using a one-dimensional photonic crystal in a total-internal-reflection geometry is proposed and demonstrated. The simple configuration provides a narrow optical resonance to enable sensitive measurements of molecular binding, and at the same time employs an open interface to enable real-time measurements of binding dynamics. Ultrathin aminopropyltriethoxysilane/ glutaraldehyde films adsorbed on the interface were detected by measuring the spectral shift of the photonic crystal resonance and the intensity ratio change in a differential reflectance measurement. A detection limit of 6 x 10(-5) nm for molecular layer thickness was obtained, which corresponds to a detection limit for analyte adsorption of 0.06 pg/mm(2) or a refractive index resolution of 3 x 10(-8) RIU; this represents a significant improvement relative to state-of-the-art surface-plasmon-resonance-based systems.

Slow light enhanced sensitivity of resonance modes in photonic crystal biosensors

We demonstrate experimentally that in photonic crystal sensors with a side-coupled cavity-waveguide configuration, group velocity of the propagating mode in the coupled waveguide at the frequency of the resonant mode plays an important role in enhancing the sensitivity. In linear L13 photonic crystal microcavities, with nearly same resonance mode quality factors ∼7000 in silicon-on-insulator devices, sensitivity increased from 57 nm/RIU to 66 nm/RIU as group index in the coupled waveguide increased from 10.2 to 13.2. Engineering for highest sensitivity in such planar integrated sensors, thus, requires careful slow light design for optimized sensor sensitivity.

Optofluidic Fabry–Pérot cavity biosensor with integrated flow-through micro-/nanochannels

An optofluidic Fabry–Perot cavity label-free biosensor with integrated flow-through micro-/nanochannels is proposed and demonstrated, which takes advantages of the large surface-to-volume ratio for analyte concentration and high detection sensitivity and built-in fluidic channels for rapid analyte delivery. The operating principle is first discussed, followed by assembly of a robust sensing system. Real-time measurements are performed to test its sensing feasibility and capability including bulk solvent change and removal/binding of molecules from/onto the internal surface of fluidic channels. The results show that this sensor provides a very promising platform for rapid, sensitive, and high-throughput biological and chemical sensing.

Ultrasensitive vapor detection with surface-enhanced Raman scattering-active gold nanoparticle immobilized flow-through multihole capillaries.

We developed novel flow-through surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) platforms using gold nanoparticle (Au-NP) immobilized multihole capillaries for rapid and sensitive vapor detection. The multihole capillaries consisting of thousands of micrometer-sized flow-through channels provide many unique characteristics for vapor detection. Most importantly, its three-dimensional SERS-active micro-/nanostructures make available multilayered assembly of Au-NPs, which greatly increase SERS-active surface area within a focal volume of excitation and collection, thus improving the detection sensitivity. In addition, the multihole capillarys inherent longitudinal channels offer rapid and convenient vapor delivery, yet its micrometer-sized holes increase the interaction between vapor molecules and SERS-active substrate. Experimentally, rapid pyridine vapor detection (within 1 s of exposure) and ultrasensitive 4-nitrophenol vapor detection (at a sub-ppb level) were successfully achieved in open air at room temperature. Such an ultrasensitive SERS platform enabled, for the first time, the investigation of both pyridine and 4-nitrophenol vapor adsorption isotherms at very low concentrations. Type I and type V behaviors of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry isotherm were well observed, respectively.

Broadband optical ultrasound sensor with a unique open-cavity structure

High-resolution ultrasound imaging requires quality sensors with wide bandwidth and high sensitivity, as shown in a wide range of applications, including intravascular imaging of cardiovascular diseases. However, piezoelectric technology, the current dominant approach for hydrophone fabrication, has encountered many technical limitations in the high-frequency range. Using optical techniques for the detection of high-frequency ultrasound signals has attracted much recent attention. One of the most studied approaches is based on a Fabry-Pérot interferometer, consisting of an optical cavity sandwiched between two mirrors. This technique offers promising sensitivity and bandwidth, and a potential alternative to piezoelectric polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) hydrophones. We propose an innovative optical ultrasound sensor using only a single mirror in a total-internal-reflection configuration. Besides retaining the advantages of Fabry-Pérot interferometer-based ultrasound sensors, this unique design provides a bandwidth of at least 160 MHz, a potential decrease in fabrication cost, and an increase in signal fidelity.

Improvement of photorefractive properties and holographic applications of lithium niobate crystal

Based on analyzing and synthesizing the effects of In doping, Fe doping and oxidation state, we propose an efficient way to improve photorefractive properties of LiNbO3 crystal. According to the proposed way, a sample of In:Fe:LiNbO3 crystal is grown and achieves larger dynamic range, higher sensitivity and better signal-to-noise ratio thanFe:LiNbO3 crystal (Fe:0.03wt.%) that is generally considered as a preferable storage medium for high-density holographic data storage. In a coherent volume 0.074cm3 of this crystal, 2030 holograms have been successfully multiplexed and exactly identified in a compact volume holographic data storage and correlation recognition system.

Broad-band high-efficiency optoacoustic generation using a novel photonic crystal-metallic structure

Various optical structures have been investigated for high-frequency optoacoustic generation via thermoelastic effect, including metal films, mixture of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and carbon black, two-dimensional (2-D) gold nanostructure with PDMS film, etc. However, they suffer from either low light absorption efficiency which affects the amplitude of generated ultrasound, or thick films that attenuate the amplitude and restrict its spectra bandwidth. Here we propose a novel one-dimensional photonic crystal-metallic (PCM) structure, which can be designed to absorb 100% optical energy of specific wavelengths in a total-internal-reflection geometry. The unique configuration enables us to choose suitable polymer films on top of the metallic structure, which can act as an ideal ultrasound transmitter to generate broad-band ultrasound with high conversion efficiency. Experimental results show that the PCM structure generated several times stronger ultrasound pressure than our previously demonstrated 2-D gold nanostructures [Appl. Phys. Lett. 89, 093901 (2006)]. Moreover, the generated ultrasound exhibited almost the same frequency spectrum as the input laser pulse (duration width 6 ns). This shows that the PCM structure has great potential to generate broad-band ultrasound signal. It is also important to mention that the simple PCM structure with the polymer film forms a Fabry-Pérot resonator and can play a role of an ultrasound receiver, which provides a convenient method to construct a broad-band and all-optical ultrasound transducer.