On-Chip THz Detection of Biomaterials: A Numerical Study

Area of Science:

• Terahertz (THz) spectroscopy
• Biophysics
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Distinguishing between hybridized (double-stranded) DNA (HDNA) and denatured DNA (DDNA) on-chip without markers is crucial for high-throughput genetic analysis.
• Previous work demonstrated this distinction using ultrashort electrical THz pulses in integrated waveguides with resonant THz structures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To perform a numerical study optimizing experimental parameters and resonant structures for marker-free on-chip DNA distinction.
• To investigate the influence of different resonator geometries on THz pulse transmission characteristics.

Main Methods:

• Numerical simulations of THz pulse propagation in integrated waveguides with resonant structures.
• Analysis of transmission characteristics for various resonator geometries, including ring resonators and parallel-coupled resonators.
• Examination of the impact of critical experimental parameters on device performance.

Main Results:

• The study demonstrates that ring resonators exhibit performance comparable to parallel-coupled resonators.
• Simulations provide insights into the influence of resonator geometry and experimental parameters on DNA distinction efficiency.
• Identified key factors for optimizing THz resonator designs for high-throughput DNA analysis.

Conclusions:

• Ring resonators are a viable alternative for on-chip HDNA/DDNA distinction, offering comparable performance to existing designs.
• Numerical optimization of resonator geometry and experimental parameters is essential for realizing high-throughput DNA analysis arrays.
• This work lays the foundation for developing advanced THz-based biosensing platforms.