Dual signal light detection of beta-lactoglobulin based on a porous silicon bragg mirror

In this work, a new dual signal light detection method based on porous silicon Bragg mirror (PSBM) and biological labelling with quantum dots (QDs) is proposed for the detection of beta-lactoglobulin (β-lg). The first signal light is a probe light emitted by a laser with wavelength of 633 nm, which enters the PSBM and is reflected from the surface. The wavelength of the probe light is located at the edge of the PSBM band gap, where it has the lowest reflectivity. β-lg antibodies is labelled with CdSe/ZnS QDs and reacts with β-lg molecules have been fixed to the inner wall of the porous silicon pores. Due to the specific binding of biomolecules in PSBM, the refractive index of the device increases, resulting in the enhancement of detection reflected light. The QDs play the role of refractive index amplification. The second signal light is the fluorescence of QDs in immune reactants. QDs produce fluorescence at 630 nm when excited by a short-wavelength laser. The fluorescence signal is further enhanced by PSBM. The superimposed images of two kinds of light on the surface of PSBM are obtained by digital microscope at the same time. By calculating the average grey value change of the image before and after biological reaction, β-lg can be detected with high sensitivity. The detection limit of β-lg was 0.12 ng/mL. The experimental results showed that the PSBM-based dual signal light method could be used to detect the content of cow milk adulterated in β-lg free camel milk.