Bio-Photonic Sensing Cells over transparent substrates for anti-gestrinone antibodies biosensing

In a previous work we introduced the term Bio-Photonic Sensing Cells (BICELLs), referred to periodic networks of nano-pillar suitable for biosensing when are vertically interrogated. In this article, we demonstrate the biosensing capabilities of a type of micrometric size BICELLs made of SU-8 nano-pillars fabricated over transparent substrates. We verify the biochips functionality comparing the theoretical simulations with the experimental results when are optically interrogated in transmission. We also demonstrate a sensitivity enhancement by reducing the pitch among nano-pillars from 800 to 700 nm. Thus, the Limit of Detection achievable in these types of BICELLs is in the order of 64 pg/mL for 700 nm in pitch among nano-pillars in comparison with 292 pg/mL for 800 nm in pitch when are interrogated by Fourier Transform Visible and Infrared Spectrometry. The experiments exhibited a good reproducibility with a relative standard deviation of 0.29% measured within 8 days for a specific concentration. Finally, BICELLs functionality was tested in real conditions with unpurified rabbit serum for detecting anti-gestrinone antibodies, demonstrating the high performance of this type of BICELLs to detect specific antibodies having immobilized the suitable bioreceptors onto the sensing surface.