Facile fabrication of gelatin-based biopolymeric optical waveguides

The rapid development in optical detection techniques for sensing applications has led to an increased need for biocompatible, biodegradable, and disposable optical components. We present a controllable fabrication technique for an entirely biopolymeric planar optical waveguide via simple spin-coating. The refractive index difference, thermal responsive properties, and inherent biocompatibility of gelatin and agarose were exploited in the fabrication of thin, stacked films that efficiently guide light in a core layer with higher index of refraction. These planar waveguides were fabricated using a simple spin-coating technique, which resulted in controllable layer thicknesses and smooth layer interfaces. This technique, therefore, offers a path for routine engineering of biopolymer structures with contrasting refractive indices. The thermal stability of the gelatin core layer was improved using two crosslinkers; glutaraldehyde or microbial Transglutaminase. Light guiding in the core layer of the waveguide was demonstrated using a simple He-Ne laser setup. Guiding efficiency was further illustrated by directly embedding fluorescent markers within the core layer and detecting their spectral signature. Combined with the biopolymers' inherent biocompatibility and biodegradability, our simple strategy to fabricate disposable optical components holds the potential for the development of applications in biological sensing and implantable biomedical devices.