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Updated: Jan 27, 2026

Terahertz Microfluidic Sensing Using a Parallel-plate Waveguide Sensor
Published on: August 30, 2012
Label-free self-referenced sensing of living cells by terahertz metamaterial-based reflection spectroscopy
Xiang Zhao1, Zhongquan Lin1, Yunxia Wang1
1Department of Laboratory Medicine, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China.
Abstract:
Terahertz (THz) metamaterial-based reflection spectroscopy is proposed for label-free sensing of living cells by a self-referenced method. When sensing the living Madin-Darby canine kidney cell monolayer and phosphate buffered saline solution, self-referenced signals showed significant differences in peak intensity because of inherent discrepancy in the imaginary part of their complex refractive indices, as confirmed by 3D-FDTD simulations. The resonance peak intensity was unaffected by cell monolayer thickness variation, demonstrating feasibility for sensing various cells. Simulations and experiments showed that saponin-induced changes in cell permeability could be monitored in real-time. The self-referenced signal was linearly dependent on the adherent cell density, illustrating a label-free in situ THz metamaterial-based cell sensor.
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