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A Silicon-tipped Fiber-optic Sensing Platform with High Resolution and Fast Response
Published on: January 7, 2019
Label-free biosensing with high sensitivity in dual-core microstructured polymer optical fibers.
Christos Markos1, Wu Yuan, Kyriakos Vlachos
1Department of Computer Engineering and Informatics, University of Patras, Patra, 26500, Greece. cmarkos@ceid.upatras.gr
Optics Express
|April 20, 2011
Summary
We designed a dual-core microstructured polymer optical fiber (mPOF) biosensor for detecting biomolecules. This highly sensitive sensor shows increased detection capabilities with greater core separation, offering a promising label-free diagnostic tool.
Area of Science:
- Optical Engineering
- Biomedical Sensing
- Materials Science
Background:
- Microstructured polymer optical fibers (mPOFs) offer unique light-guiding properties.
- Label-free biosensors are crucial for real-time disease detection.
- Selective biomolecule capture is essential for accurate diagnostics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and evaluate dual-core mPOFs as highly sensitive biosensors.
- To investigate the effect of core separation on sensor sensitivity.
- To demonstrate label-free and selective antibody detection.
Main Methods:
- Experimental design of dual-core mPOF structures with varying air-holes.
- Immobilization of an antigen sensing layer within the mPOF.
- Optical characterization and numerical analysis of light coupling.
- Detection of biomolecular layer thickness changes via coupling length variations.
Main Results:
- Sensitivity increases with the number of air-holes (core separation).
- Record sensitivity up to 20 nm/nm achieved at visible wavelengths.
- mPOF demonstrated low optical loss at operating wavelengths.
- Selective capture of antibody biomolecules was confirmed.
Conclusions:
- Dual-core mPOFs are feasible and effective biosensors.
- Optimized mPOF designs offer high sensitivity and selectivity.
- This technology enables label-free detection of specific biomolecules.
