Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 18, 2026
07:28
Terahertz Microfluidic Sensing Using a Parallel-plate Waveguide Sensor
Published on: August 30, 2012
10.1K
Open-access optical microcavities for lab-on-a-chip refractive index sensing.
A A P Trichet1, J Foster, N E Omori
1Department of Materials, University of Oxford, OX1 3PH, UK. aurelien.trichet@materials.ox.ac.uk.
Lab on a Chip
|September 11, 2014
Summary
Open-access optical microcavities enable label-free sensing on a chip. This technology achieves high sensitivity for detecting minute changes in refractive index, crucial for biosensing applications.
Area of Science:
- Optofluidics
- Nanophotonics
- Biosensing
Background:
- Open-access optical microcavities offer a novel platform for lab-on-a-chip sensing.
- These devices provide access to confined electromagnetic fields and femtoliter detection volumes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize open-access optical microcavities for refractive index sensing.
- To demonstrate noise reduction techniques for enhanced sensing accuracy.
Main Methods:
- Simultaneous tracking of resonances across an array of microcavities.
- Refractive index sensing using optical microcavity shifts.
Main Results:
- Ambient noise in refractive index data was significantly reduced.
- A sensitivity of 3.5 × 10(-4) RIU was achieved.
- Detection of 500,000 glucose molecules in aqueous solution was demonstrated.
Conclusions:
- Open-access optical microcavities are effective for label-free refractive index sensing.
- Noise reduction strategies enhance the performance of optofluidic sensors.
- This technology holds promise for sensitive biosensing applications.
