On-chip refractive index sensors for lab-on-a-chip applications
Abstract
Optical waveguide-based refractive index sensing is an emerging technology for the sensitive monitoring of molecular interactions. This technology could fulfill the requirements for “on-chip” detection in lab-on-a-chip platforms due to their outstanding characteristics of high sensitivity, label-free, and real-time detection. Due to their compact and portable design, these optical sensors have the potential to become an essential tool in the field of biosensing, offering an efficient and reliable method for real-time diagnosis. This could provide significant advantages over current analytical methods.
The focus of this thesis is to design and fabricate a novel optical waveguidebased label-free refractive index sensor. The aim is to develop a refractive index sensor with high sensitivity, a large measurement range, and the ability to multiplex. At the current stage, optical waveguide-based refractive index sensors are not used widely for commercial applications. This can be attributed to the challenges of the current waveguide-based sensor technology. For a sensor to become widely used for commercial application, it must possess high sensitivity, selectivity, wide measurement range, and multiplexing capability. The latter two features help reduce ambiguity in measurements, minimize the required sample volume, and improve the throughput to reduce the cost of sensor chips. This work has therefore concentrated on the development of a sensor system with all these features.
This thesis presents contributions to developing a novel on-chip sensor and its integration with other components for a lab-on-a-chip sensing platform. The included papers document the proof of concept, fabrication, and characterization of the developedMach-Zehnder interferometer-assisted ring resonator configuration sensor. A paper on the development of bio-compatible microfluidics components for a lab-on-a-chip platform is also documented in the thesis. Additional investigation on an all-optical phase-modulatedMach-Zehnder interferometer sensor was done during the early part of the thesis and documented in the thesis.
Has parts
Paper 1: Yadav, Mukesh; Noh, Jong Wook; Hjelme, Dag Roar; Aksnes, Astrid. Spectral shaping of ring resonator transmission response. Optics Express 2021 ;Volum 29.(3) s. 3764-3771. © 2021 Optical Society of America under the terms of the OSA Open Access Publishing Agreement. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1364/OE.415683Paper 2: Yadav, Mukesh; Aksnes, Astrid. Multiplexed Mach-Zehnder interferometer assisted ring resonator sensor. Optics Express 2022 ;Volum 30. s. 1388-1396. © 2022 Optica Publishing Group under the terms of the Optica Open Access Publishing Agreement. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1364/OE.448023
Paper 3: Sønstevold, Linda; Yadav, Mukesh; Arnfinnsdottir, Nina Bjørk; Herbjørnrød, Aina Kristin; Jensen, Geir Uri; Aksnes, Astrid; Mielnik, Michal Marek. Biocompatible bonding of a rigid off-stoichiometry thiol-ene-epoxy polymer microfluidic cartridge to a biofunctionalized silicon biosensor. Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering (JMM) 2022 ;Volum 32.(7) s. - © 2022 IOP Publishing Ltd. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1361-6439/ac6ebf
Paper 4: Yadav, Mukesh; Høvik, Jens; Hjelme, Dag Roar; Aksnes, Astrid. Sensitivity enhanced biophotonic sensor utilizing sub-wavelength gratings. Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering 2018 ;Volum 10729. s. © (2018) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1117/12.2321165